The federal government has officially entered into a milestone $296-million, seven-year agreement with the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) to reform child and family services for its seven member nations.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning during the STC’s Annual General Meeting.
The agreement, which is the first of its kind in Saskatchewan, aims to have child and family services driven directly by First Nations communities.
Some member nations, such as Muskeg Lake and Whitecap Dakota, are also working toward self-jurisdiction over child welfare.
Moving forward, the regional agreement will officially bear the Cree name Māmowōhkamātowin , which means “all of our relations working together.”
The agreement also marks the beginning of a new chapter for STC who had previously lost agency of its child and family services and had undertaken a decade-long reform process in the year’s since.
STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand highlighted the benefits of the new agreement and says outcomes improve significantly when services are guided by the communities themselves.
“Funding we received is an opportunity to make a difference in family lives,” said Arcand. “We are proud of this, we are proud that our outcomes are showing that we are doing good work as nations.”
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty emphasized the broader significance of the deal, noting that similar framework agreements are being developed with Indigenous partners across Canada.
“This is the first step for something we will do that will have lasting effects for future generations of First Nations children,” Gull-Masty said. Addressing the leaders of the seven member nations who signed the deal, she added, “They are truly reclaiming something that always should have been yours.”
The seven-year investment will ensure that prevention programs and child welfare services remain First Nations-led, supporting children and families across all STC member communities.
(TOP PHOTO – STC Chief Mark Arcand stands for the flag song following the grand entry that took place before Wednesday morning’s signing. Photo by Joel Willick)