Bonjour. I acknowledge the traditional people of this territory we are meeting on; that's the Algonquin Nation.
Megwetch to all of you for inviting the Native Women's Association of Canada to speak to this committee on the matters that are crucial to us as aboriginal women, our families, and our communities.
The Native Women's Association of Canada is a nationally representative political organization comprised of 13 provincial and territorial member associations from across this country. It is dedicated to improving the social, economic, health, and political well-being of aboriginal women in Canada.
I also appreciate the opportunity to speak to NWAC's perspective on the pre-budget consultations for 2012. I would like to begin by highlighting the growing gap in the comparative funding and treatment of our children, the first nations child welfare and support services for families.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development funds aboriginal child and family service agencies at an average of 22% less than their provincial counterparts, even though it was 12 times more likely for an aboriginal child to be in care than a non-aboriginal child in 2009-10. Comprising only 4% of the total Canadian population, aboriginal children make up a staggering 30% of children in foster care.
Aboriginal children in foster care, like those children who were placed in residential schools, are being raised without their language, their culture, or their families.
We all are aware and continue to experience the negative impacts of the Indian residential school system. Similar and perhaps even worse negative outcomes will result if aboriginal children continue to be removed from their homes to become wards of the child welfare system.
NWAC regards this situation as urgent and one that must be addressed by all levels of government.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development should determine the full costs of meeting the policy requirements of the first nations child and family services program and periodically review the program's budget to ensure that it continues to meet program requirements.
NWAC supports the recommendations made by the First Nations Child and Family Services Caring Society of Canada, imploring the government to take immediate steps to fully redress the inequities and structural problems that currently exist.
Another major concern for NWAC is the lack of equitable funding for first nations education on reserves. Evidence of the unequal provision of services to first nations children on reserve in Canada is overwhelming.
The underfunding of elementary education has led to the deterioration of first nations on-reserve schools, which are already in miserable condition and disrepair. Education funding for first nations must be increased to that of their provincial and territorial counterparts.
As most of you are also aware, NWAC's research has revealed that aboriginal women and girls are more vulnerable to violence due to impacts of past and current state policies, such as the residential schools, the “sixties scoop”, and the child welfare system, all connected to poverty and racism. These deplorable conditions have resulted in more than 600 missing and/or murdered aboriginal women and girls.
NWAC is strongly recommending funding be allocated by all governments for a national inquiry on missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls. The national inquiry would focus on missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls across Canada. It is extremely necessary.
Lastly I want to emphasize that even though we at NWAC are very strategic in addressing priority areas, we are underfunded. While we partner with others, we are extremely limited by our resources. We are a national organization. This underfunding may be construed, not only by us but by others, as being discriminatory to us as aboriginal women, and perhaps it is contrary to the equality provision under the Canadian Constitution. This disparity in funding and equality cannot continue.
We encourage you to allocate additional funding that would allow NWAC and the provincial-territorial members to work collaboratively and effectively with the Government of Canada to address the barriers that hinder the well-being of our women, children, and our families.
Megwetch. Thank you for listening.