Chiefs examine child welfare and housing at special assembly

Chiefs gathered in Délı̨nę last week for a Dene Nation special assembly to discuss topics like child and family services and housing.

Dene leaders have been advocating for NWT residents’ inclusion in a historic draft $47.8-billion settlement agreement on long-term reform of the federal First Nations Child and Family Services Program.

However, after chiefs from across Canada voted against that agreement and called for fresh negotiations, Canada announced it was pursuing a carve-out deal with Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation – and nobody else.

That leaves the territory once again on the outside of the agreement, looking in.

Danny Gaudet, Ɂek’wahtı̨dǝ́ or leader of the Délįnę Got’įnę Government, told the special assembly the NWT’s exclusion from the agreement was an “opportunity to do something that works for us.”

Addressing chiefs at the table, Gaudet said while there may be varied approaches to child and family services, Dene laws and principles remain the same. He stressed the need to develop a committee to understand exactly what the Dene Nation can bring forth during negotiations.

“We need a mandate as to making sure that all the regions, their wishes as to how child and family services is going to operate in the North are going to be met,” he said.

Gaudet criticized the NWT government for failing to deliver child and family services that meet the needs of the community while “defending something that’s broken.” He described the current system as one that “compromises” what is best for the child and the family.

“We have to be the boss again of our own family, our own children,” he said, touching on the subject of self-governance.

Elder Juni Gahdële said the manner in which the GNWT’s child and family services are provided was “not working.”

“We’ve got to have unity. We’ve all got to be on the same page that we are going to take over from GNWT,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like they want to let go, either. They want to continue doing what they are doing. We’re the only ones who can put a stop to it.”

Grand Chief Herb Norwegian of the Dehcho First Nations urged leaders to push past what he called roadblocks “to get to the real issue.”

“The simple meaning for reconciliation is to return it back to its original state. Put it back how to was. This child and welfare issue is no different,” Grand Chief Norwegian said.

Housing cash

Leaders also exchanged views on access to affordable housing within the territory.

Dene Nation chief executive officer Phil Moon Son said staff met with a federal official who indicated new funding was being rolled out “very quickly.”

Son fears smaller communities lack governance capacity to access funding and could either be “left individually to negotiate” or required to seek funds from the territorial agency, Housing NWT.

Chief Eugene Hope of the Acho Dene Koe First Nation said the community has received some funding to set up modular homes. He said residents are “leveraging” the amount received with banks to increase the funding available for more housing.

Chief Hope said young people in the community interested in trades are taking courses on handling heavy equipment and learning carpentry.

Chief Jesse Nekeneyia-Moses of the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation said even for Elders to have simple water pumps repaired, Housing NWT asks for several forms to be filled out. He said the community has to fend for itself by involving local workers to resolve housing challenges.

“We definitely have to shift away from GNWT Housing, especially when this new funding comes out. We can’t let them have it,” Chief Nekeneyia-Moses said.

The three-day meeting concluded on Thursday following a discussion on constitutional reform.