Students interview Dr. Pamela Palmater about the Agreements in Principle signed on December 31, 2022, to 1) reform the First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) Program and ensure proper implementation of Jordan’s Principle and 2) compensate those harmed by Canada’s discrimination.

Jordan’s Principle ensures that First Nations children can access the supports they need, when they need them. For information about Jordan’s Principle, visit https://jordansprinciple.ca

This episode was recorded in the winter of 2022. For a summary of developments since, see https://fnwitness.ca

Dr. Pam Palmater is a Mi’kmaw citizen and member of the Eel River Bar First Nation. Dr. Palmater is a Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University where she is the Chair in Indigenous Governance. Pam has been studying, volunteering and working in First Nation issues for over 30 years on a wide range of social, political and legal issues, like poverty, housing, child and family services, treaty rights, education and legislation impacting First Nations. She was one of the spokespeople, organizers and public educators for the Idle No More movement in 2012-13.

To learn more about Professor Palmater and her work, visit her website at https://pampalmater.com

Notes:

@11:30 – Dr. Palmater says the “Federal Court was appealing” -  she meant the federal government was appealing at Federal Court.

@12:01 – The Caring Society (not First Nations child and family services directly) that is party to the Agreement in Principle. The Caring Society was created at the request of First Nations agencies in 1998 and its membership today includes many First Nations agencies across the country.

Produced by Liam Dodge, Clara Estrella, Emily Lahey, Ziyan Liu and Sol Schafer.