Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In apprehensions, 80% of them involve a combination of either alcohol or drugs and violence. Child-witnessed violence is now recognized as a form of maltreatment. As you know, as a society we are obligated to respond to that, and we often have to apprehend these children. In the program response to that, we have developed two transitional houses.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The funding arena in aboriginal child welfare is very chaotic. It changes from one year to the next and is very difficult to figure out. What we do on the front line is.... I'll use a metaphor: if the funders drop a nickel, we'll crawl towards it, fight each other for it, and try to get it to the kids.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm not sure how clear I was about how extensive my agency is. I mean, we're everywhere. We have--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Certainly we disseminate envelopes of funding: we have it at three levels of government and across different departments within those governments. That is a challenge for us. I mentioned the words “administrative burden” in terms of putting that together in a fashion that does not compromise the rules--because funding comes with a lot of rules--and at the same time makes it work for the kids in an integrated way.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Just briefly, I agree with early intervention, working with youth such that they feel empowered to create their own programs, sports and recreation for smaller communities that don't have those options, lots of good mentors, and leadership that is nurtured and developed—and sometimes that can be expensive--such that they can work with their own people.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  But it's long term.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  My brief response would be to “conscientize” the students such that they understand what they're getting into from a broad historical perspective, so they can meet that client in a way where there's a kind of mutual understanding of what's in front of them--that level of thinking.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I would agree that the Touchstones of Hope approach is promising in terms of affecting relationships between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people around the problems in child welfare. They do not necessarily promote cultural competencies. The best practices that come out of working in the aboriginal context are not being taught at the universities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I agree that the issue of success in school is complicated. It involves so many variables that we could be here all day. But I will tell you that a solid family life, with parents who are productive themselves and providing role models to the children, and accessible and sensitive schools, sensitive to who you are as an aboriginal person, would go a long way in improving the situation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, absolutely. This is the kind of program where you can deal with high-risk kids every day and get to know them well, because there is a strong element of parental involvement that you can use to engage the family in a non-threatening way. You deal with things that are significant with respect to the child's life chances, giving the child a leg up in getting into school, getting into kindergarten well prepared, like the average middle-class kid.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I would concur with that. I think early investments are what we want to do. Keeping kids in care isn't what we want to do. Once they're in care it triggers a whole.... It seems to, in any case, although it's not the intent, but it's awfully difficult to get them back out of care.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes. This is the final recommendation. Thank you very much. And finally, have the funding follow the kids. With some noted exceptions, such as Head Start, increased urbanization has not led to a corresponding federal response in resources to help kids in the city. I fear that without more for kids in the cities, a population of troubled and non-productive children will grow and simply continue the multi-generational issues we are battling today.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you very much. I'm going to speak about my agency, because I think we are a pretty good example of what can be done when a community puts its mind to the care of its children and, above all, is given resources in fact to do that. In 1985, for those of you who don't know, who are not from this province, the provincial legislation was amended to allow aboriginal communities and agencies to develop their own child and family services.