Members of the Penticton Indian Band marched on the Ministry of Children and Family Development offices Friday morning to demand a more co-operative relationship.
Organizers of the march say until a couple of months ago, MCFD worked with the band to keep children in the community.
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Since the change of government staff, they say they have seen child welfare workers coming onto band land without contacting band staff, twice attempting to apprehend children.
鈥淭hese actions have put our most vulnerable people in turmoil,鈥� organizer Inez Pierre said, comparing the child welfare system with residential schools. 鈥淥ne hundred fifty years, it鈥檚 been a failed colonial system that鈥檚 not working for our children. This is unacceptable and we request that the MCFD meet at the earliest convenience.鈥�
Pierre said she found it uplifting to see nearly 70 marching Friday morning, having expected around 20 people to show up.
Among those in attendance was PIB Chief Chad Eneas, Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie, Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis, Upper Similkameen Indian Band Chief Charlotte Mitchell and representatives of the First Nations Health Authority.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here because their future should be just as good as anyone else鈥檚. The gaps that exist in this country today are a disgrace,鈥� Eneas said.
Chief Chad Eneas addresses workers outside the local office.
鈥� Godless Dustbin 馃巸 (@dustinrgodfrey)
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In all, Pierre said she felt the meeting with MCFD staff was successful, and she felt both sides showed respect for the other 鈥� and she said that is the key to the relationship they hope to rebuild with the ministry.
鈥�(It was) very successful in terms of having them come out and meet us at their office. That鈥檚 a good sign, usually the doors are locked and we are unable to go in,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 think that everybody has a good sense of, going away, that we accomplished something, because we鈥檙e generally never heard. We鈥檙e generally hung up (on), or whatever it is. We just feel heard at this time, anyway.鈥�
Joan Phillip, a grandmother in attendance, said she wanted to see the province removed from the equation, and allow the community to deal with family issues itself.
"If the parents are a problem, take the parents from the home. If dad's a problem, help mom."
鈥� Godless Dustbin 馃巸 (@dustinrgodfrey)
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You don鈥檛 have to drive far to get to an example of where that is practiced, she said.
鈥淚n the United States, the Colville Confederated Tribes, and they do have absolute control over their children, because of the United State sand the way they configured (it),鈥� Phillip said. 鈥淏ut that was taken from us.鈥�
Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Joan Phillip鈥檚 husband, was among those taken from his home, and put into foster care in the mid-20th Century, often referred to as the 鈥�60s Scoop.
鈥淭he apprehension of children doesn鈥檛 allow us to learn language, culture and our ways, and (Stewart Phillip) missed out,鈥� Joan Phillip said. 鈥淯nlike the residential schools, you go alone. He went alone. He didn鈥檛 have other members of the community to interact with.鈥�
Joan Phillip talks about her husband Grand Chief Stewart Phillip's experience with residential schools. .
鈥� Godless Dustbin 馃巸 (@dustinrgodfrey)
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When the now-grand chief鈥檚 father came looking for him, only then did he realize his father wasn鈥檛 the drunk purported to him by the foster care system, she said.
In a statement, Minister of Children and Family Development Katrine Conroy said senior staff in the ministry would be willing to sit down with members of the PIB leadership to address concerns.
鈥淲e are implementing Grand Chief Ed John鈥檚 recommendations to provide better supports and keep Indigenous children in the care of their families and communities,鈥� Conroy said.
鈥淎nd we鈥檙e working with Indigenous and M茅tis communities to understand what they need most and how we can work together to improve the lives of children and families in B.C.鈥�
Revised count at nearly 70 in attendance. Nearing MCFD office now.
鈥� Godless Dustbin 馃巸 (@dustinrgodfrey)
dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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