Here I will write an article about how the government is being sued for withholding money that was to be used for kids in care.
https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/mobile/child-welfare-agencies-suing-province-over-funding-1.3905197
Here the article states child welfare agencies are sueing the Manitoba government for over 250 million that was supposed to be used for kids in care. I don't think we need more group homes and placements but this money could have been used to empower youth in care or families struggling in poverty.
The lawsuit states the provincal government is “unilaterally holding back 20 per cent of the funding from First Nation and Metis Welfare agencies.” Harold Cochrane the lawyer for the child welfare agencies said“The province is clawing back and it’s going into provincial revenue,”
The article is quoted as "The agencies say the province wanted them to give over their special allowance payments from the federal government. They allege that when they wouldn’t hand it over, the province reduced their payments up to $40-million a year."
Scott Fielding, Manitoba’s Minister of Child and Family Services chimed in by saying “We do spend close to $500-million dollars of funding and the child maintenance funds do pay for things like food, for recreation, for shelter, for things like recreational purposes”
The article also states that Scott Fielding also said that this was a policy from an earlier government and it is used in other parts of western Canada. It seems like Scott "the shill" Fielding is in defense of this skimming of money that could have made a difference in kids lives. Now would have been used this way is another story but to simply skim from this funding seems shameful and someone who is minister of Child and Family services should come out against this.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/cfs-allowance-court-manitoba-lawsuit-1.4636992
Here is another article about the lawsuit as it is gives more insight. The article states that the province is being sued by six different child welfare agencies and that they want the practice of "clawing back" declared illegal.
Peguis First Nation Chief Glenn Hudson is quoted in the article as stating."We cannot stand for this discriminatory practice any longer," and "It is not culturally appropriate.… Reconciliation is only words from this government."
The article gives a rundown on the pratice is quoted as "Through the allowance, the federal government gives roughly $455 to $530 per child to government CFS agencies each month. In 2016-17, there were over 11,300 children in care, almost 90 per cent of whom are Indigenous.
Beginning in 2010, the province's NDP government began forcing the agencies to remit the money given, saying the province was paying for the maintenance of children in care and the money was therefore owed to them."
Owed to them... This is shameful we could have empowered many struggling youth through out this time and yet the government skimmed money from funding for our youth stating it was owed to them.
The money was put into general revenue and the agencies that did not go along with it had 20 percent of their opperational funds held back.
The article is quoted as "Over $260 million dollars has been "forcibly and illegally obtained and misused" by the provincial government since the policy began, the application alleges."
Wab Kinew said he would change the practice if he were to gain power but he is with the NDP so I am doubtful. He is quoted as saying "I don't think it's the right move. When you think about it, should the money that the federal government is sending for children, should it go close to where the children live? I think so. I think most Manitobans would agree with that."
Ian Wishart Progressive Conservative MLA is quoted in the article as "This policy of clawing back [children's special allowances] from First Nation agencies has left them severely underfunded and at risk of financial failure," and as well as "What is this government thinking when following this type of policy? Clearly, they are not thinking about the children under the care of these agencies."
Our current minister of child and family Scott Fielding seems in defence of the pratice and is quoted in the article saying "My point is, we're investing $500 million in important areas to support vulnerable children. It is a policy that we have inherited from the NDP government. And it is something that other jurisdictions are using in Western Canada." Their are no excuses for skimming money from kids in care. It doesn't sound like Scott Fielding has those kids best interest in mind.
Why didn't the previous minister of family services Kerri Irvin-Ross address this shameful issue? Notice she became a MLA for the NDP after playing her position as family services minister. Why does the current minister of child and family services seem to come in defense of the practice? It would seem that those position of minister of child and family would do all they could to empower struggling youth and families.
How much longer will you remain complacent to this system that often steals kids from good families ?