Please note that this letter was sent on Friday, March 27, 2020

Honourable Brian Pallister
Premier of Manitoba
204 Legislative Building
450 Broadway Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8

Dear Premier Pallister,

RE: MORATORIUM ON CHILDREN AGING OUT OF THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IN MANITOBA

Yesterday the Province of Ontario announced a moratorium on children “aging out” of the Child and Family Services (CFS) system. As the Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), I sincerely urge the Province of Manitoba to follow suit with a comparable moratorium for the safety of youth aging out of the CFS system.

Since April 1st, 2019, the Province of Manitoba has imposed Block Funding, more recently called Single Envelope funding that purported to give First Nations agencies more flexibly. A flawed approach has led to serious funding deficiencies and deficits for First Nations agencies. This is turn has led to reduced critical supports and services for children and youth.

Prior to this current fiscal year, many youth were afforded “extensions of care” almost as a regular practice. After the imposition of Single Envelope funding, those days are done. The AMC First Nations Family Advocate has heard of numerous stories of youth being dropped off at Winnipeg homeless shelters on their 18th birthday. It’s a horrifying reality for youth. As it was, prior to this current fiscal year, a high percentage of Winnipeg’s homeless population consisted of those “aging out”. We can only expect that those numbers have grown in the last year.

According to the 2018 Winnipeg Street Census, at least 50% of homeless people interviewed were involved with CFS. It was also determined that 66% of homeless people who were involved with CFS were homeless within the first year of aging out of care. In light of COVID-19, First Nations leadership must call on the Manitoba government to ensure that no youth age out of care during this time. It is far beyond unacceptable to place our young people in such an inhumane situation.

With over 11,000 children in care, 9000 are First Nations; there is an incumbent need for more meaningful change. In the time of a worldwide pandemic, children cannot be cast to the streets. It is imperative that emergency measures be employed to offer protections for these young people at such a critical time. For these reasons, I call on the Province of Manitoba to issue a moratorium for all youth “aging out” during this crisis.

Sincerely,

ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA CHIEFS
Grand Chief Arlen Dumas

cc: Manitoba First Nations