ALGONQUINS OF PIKWAKANAGAN FIRST NATION, ON, April 19, 2024 /CNW/ - On April 19, 2024, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation's child and family services law, Nigig Nibi Ki-Win, came into force. Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation is the third Indigenous governing body in Ontario and the eleventh in Canada to have its own child and family services law. Nigig Nibi Ki-win will have the force of law as federal law, in accordance with An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families.

As Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation have shared, Nigig Nibi Ki-win means "otters playing together in the water" in Anishinàbemowin (Algonquin) and represents the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation's obligations to their children and youth to support, connect, and protect their families. The law is a result of years of work by Pikwakanagan leadership, staff, and community, with advice and guidance by Pikwakanagan's Elders and traditional knowledge keepers.

For Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, Nigig Nibi Ki-win grounds child and family services, including with respect to prevention, child well-being, and dispute resolution, in the Seven Grandfather teachings and connection to family, culture, and the land. Programs, services, and supports will be administered and delivered by Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation's child and family well-being agency, Nigig Nibi Ki-win Gamik.

The next step is for Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and the Governments of Canada and Ontario to continue their discussions with a view to reaching a coordination agreement and associated fiscal arrangements to support the implementation of Nigig Nibi Ki-win. The Parties look forward to working together to advance our collaborative efforts on these agreements.

"We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our children and future generations. Nigig Nibi Ki-win recognizes and responds to past harms caused to our children, families, and membership by Canada's colonial laws and legal processes, and it provides the framework for meeting our obligations to protect Pikwakanagan children and youth, support our families, and ensure a healthy and prosperous future for our people."

Chief Greg Sarazin
Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

"Congratulations to the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation on the enactment of their child and family services law, Nigig Nibi Ki-win. This milestone represents the unwavering commitment of Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation towards the well-being of their children and families. Their unique law prioritizes keeping children and youth connected to their community, culture, and families, which will, in turn, help benefit children for generations. This is an important step towards true self-determination, and it is moving us forward on the path to reconciliation." 

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Indigenous Services

"I am pleased to acknowledge the coming into force of Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation's child and family services law, Nigig Nibi Ki-win, which is an important milestone as we work together to improve outcomes for children and youth.Nigig Nibi Ki-win provides a foundation for a service delivery system that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the children, youth and families of Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and Canada to support the implementation of Nigig Nibi Ki-win."

The Honourable Michael Parsa
Minister of Children, Community and Social Services

"Today marks an important step towards improving and enhancing Indigenous-led child and family services across Ontario. I would like to thank Indigenous leadership and Elders from Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation for their work throughout the development of Nigig Nibi Ki-win. Ontario stands in partnership with First Nations and we share the collective goal of safety and well-being of children in the province."

The Honourable Greg Rickford
Minister of Indigenous Affairs 

• For most Indigenous children, Child and Family Services are provided under the legislation of the province or territory where the children and families reside.
• On January 1, 2020, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act) came into force. The Act affirms the inherent right to self-government of Indigenous Peoples, which includes jurisdiction over child and family services, provides a pathway for Indigenous communities to exercise jurisdiction over child and family services and sets out principles applicable, on a national level, to the provision of child and family services to Indigenous children.
• In November 2020, the Prime Minister announced over $542 million in funding to advance First Nations, Inuit and Métis engagement to co-develop the implementation of the Act and to support Indigenous communities and groups in building the capacity to establish their own child and family services systems.
• Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada invested an additional $73.6 million to be used over four years, starting in 2021−22, to provide increased resources to implement the Act.
• Through Budget 2022, the Government of Canada invested an additional $87.3 million over three years, starting in 2022−23, to increase capacity building and funding for coordination agreement discussion tables to support the exercise of First Nations, Inuit and Métis jurisdiction in relation to child and family services.
• With funding announced in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, Budget 2023 also provides $444.2 million over three years, starting in 2022−23, to support Peguis First Nation in Manitoba and Louis Bull Tribe in Alberta to exercise jurisdiction over their child welfare systems and make decisions about what is best for their children and families.
• Through Budget 2024, the Government of Canada proposes to provide $1.8 billion over 11 years, starting in 2023−24, to support communities in exercising jurisdiction under the Act, including the first Inuit agreement to support community-led, prevention-based solutions to reduce the number of children in care.

• Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation
• Nigig Nibi Ki-win Gamik Society
• Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families
• Reducing the number of Indigenous children in care
• Notices and requests related to An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families
• More support to advance reform of services for Indigenous children and families

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SOURCE Indigenous Services Canada