Fallen Feather Productions

The federal government of Canada is being accused of “Identity Genocide of Children Targeted at Indian families and communities in Ontario”. The accusation is part of a class action lawsuit on behalf of at least sixteen thousand Aboriginal people who, as children, were either adopted or put in foster homes and “were systemically denied the opportunity to preserve their identity”. The lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of Ontario in February also accuses Canada of “breach of its non-delegable fiduciary obligation, duty of care and protection of aboriginal rights”. The suit seeks damages of $85,000 for each claimant – $1.36 Billion.

In 1965 the “Canada-Ontario Welfare Agreement” was created, Canada delegated provision of child welfare services to Ontario. Aboriginal people just gained the authority to vote around this time. Upon signing the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 1948, Canada’s government was forced to re-examine its treatment of natives in Canada. Voting rights were extended in 1960, and Aboriginal civil rights became an ongoing concern in the 1970s.

Today, in the term of Stephen Harpers leadership of Canada the refusal to sign in support of the United Nations Rights of Indigenous Peoples is still a roadblock to healing for Canadians. Moreover without being afforded meaningful and inclusive Aboriginal Education in the schools we run the threat of making judicial mistakes within our society.

Do you think you should have the right to choose what you should know about your own ancestry?

Filmmaker Jannica Hoskins brings cultural memory to life with extensive experience filming Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

Since 2006 from September to June Jannica delivers the Aboriginal Education Program to the Elementary Schools in School District 19 Revelstoke, BC.  Having lived on Neskonlith Indian Reserve and with Elders, the lives legends and stories of the Indigenous people are brought to life with their unique message preserved and respected.

Jannica is Oji Cree and Metis ancestry and currently filming the reconnection with long lost relative Jim Poitras in France and Germany summer 2009.

The federal government of Canada is being accused of “Identity Genocide of Children Targeted at Indian families and communities in Ontario”. The accusation is part of a class action lawsuit on behalf of at least sixteen thousand Aboriginal people who, as children, were either adopted or put in foster homes and “were systemically denied the opportunity to preserve their identity”. The lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of Ontario in February also accuses Canada of “breach of its non-delegable fiduciary obligation, duty of care and protection of aboriginal rights”. The suit seeks damages of $85,000 for each claimant – $1.36 Billion.

In 1965 the “Canada-Ontario Welfare Agreement” was created, Canada delegated provision of child welfare services to Ontario. Aboriginal people just gained the authority to vote around this time. Upon signing the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 1948, Canada’s government was forced to re-examine its treatment of natives in Canada. Voting rights were extended in 1960, and Aboriginal civil rights became an ongoing concern in the 1970s.

Today, in the term of Stephen Harpers leadership of Canada the refusal to sign in support of the United Nations Rights of Indigenous Peoples is still a roadblock to healing for Canadians. Moreover without being afforded meaningful and inclusive Aboriginal Education in the schools we run the threat of making judicial mistakes within our society.

Do you think you should have the right to choose what you should know about your own ancestry?

We were just in Halifax interviewing Danial N. Paul author of “We are not the Savages”.  Daniel holds many awards which include an honarary degree in Letters, 15 years working within Indian Northern Affairs Canada and is a member of the Order of Nova Scotia and the Order of Canada.   “We are not the Savages” is a must read book on the documented history of the Mi’kmaq and the collision between European and Native American civilization which chronologically unveils “pre-columbian”, scalp bounty policies in history to the policies that still affect indigenous people today.  Donald M. Julien, a key source of knowledge of the Mi’kmaq was also another invaluable person we interviewed along with Tim Bernard.

Donald Julien, Executive Director and Tim Bernard, Director of History and Culture from The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq in Truro Nova Scotia illustrated the cause and affects of systemic racism and how the government policies of the past affect the Mi’kmaq today.  Chief Lawrence Paul of the Millbrook First Nation in Truro stressed the importance of economic developement to support self government and pride in community.  His initiatives in building a “power centre” that services the surrounding communities outside of Millbrook has supported education, housing and healthy community.

To see more of what they are doing and their resources visit www.cmmns.com

Chief Sydney Douglas

The funding of First Nations driven child welfare needs to be reviewed,

The Ministry for Children and Family currently pays its employee more then we receive from the government to perform similar duties. Funding must be fair and equal.

Currently in Sto:lo Nation’s there is no funding until there is an apprehension. So the system doesn’t work to support the family before the child is taken away.

We feel that there should be a program developed that funds the support and education of families before apprehension becomes necessary.

Education with in the schools that is aimed to prevent teen pregnancy.

British Coumbia’s First Representative for Children and Youth

Head of the independent over site body for BC Ministry of Children and Families.

What follows is an overview of her on camera interview.

And most troubling to me is that the number of non-aboriginal children in government care goes down year after year wile the number of aboriginal children increases.

Currently almost 50% of the children in care are aboriginal. And this affects us all in society.

Only 48% of aboriginal children in BC will graduate form high school. Compared to an 80% average graduation rate.  If they are in government care, only 13% will graduate form High School. Most disturbingly, an Aboriginal child in foster care in British Columbia will be more likely to go to jail then to graduate form school.

It cost $250,000 per year to incarcerate a youth in BC. Add to this the cost of emergency care, from injury, disease, or mental health. What is the total cost to our society for this trauma.   Supporting the families and youth to help promote well-being is far less expensive then the current methods. Not to mention our moral and social obligations.

So why are they not achieving?  There a lot of things happening that do not support aboriginal children.  Systemic racism that exists within our education system that I think is pervasive.  A lot of these institutions have normed the lowest expectations for Aboriginal children. Often it is assumed that an aboriginal child cant learn in the same way, and so they are placed into special programs, however in many cases when these aboriginal children are placed into a supportive environment, they do great.

So lets build a system that will allow them to achieve.