The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling on the government to halt First Nations adoptions, following Premier Scott Moe’s apology to Sixties Scoop survivors Monday.
“The apology is a good start but this Government must end the apprehension of our children and immediately cease adoptions of First Nations children into non-First Nations homes” said FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt.
“The current system continues to fail our children and we require immediate reforms that will place jurisdiction and accountability into our First Nations communities. This is what is desperately needed to begin the healing process and bring our families back together, while repairing the damage that has been done by the child welfare system.”
The demand that the government halt adoptions is not new, as the Justice for Our Stolen Children Camp across from the Legislative Building in July in a meeting with provincial government Ministers asked for this as part of their desire to see government policy change on child welfare.
Following the July 2 meeting in Fort Qu’Appelle, the government said it would not stop the adoptions.
The FSIN was not present for the apology, but welcomed it, stressing that action must come.
“I think the jurisdiction the province enjoys right now over our children in care has to end. They’re not doing a very good job with our kids in care. 83 percent of the children in care are Indigenous in Saskatchewan,” Pratt explained.
In his address, the Premier said the apprehensions may have been done with good intent by governments of the day but the hardship they created for those affected is unacceptable.
“We’re sorry for the pain and sadness that you have experienced,” he said. “We’re sorry for your loss of culture and language. And to all those who lost contact with their family, we’re so sorry.”
As a result, Moe said the government let down many beyond just the Sixties Scoop survivors.
“We failed the survivors we heard from in the sharing circles and so many others. We failed their families and we failed their communities. We failed.”
With files from Fraser Needham.