An article in the Chronicle-Journal http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2011/04/29/parents-can’t-meet-kids’-needs-groups, reports that more First Nations children are being placed in government care today than were taken away from their families and communities at the height of the residential school era. In most cases, the stated reason is neglect with the parents being unable to meet their children’s basic needs.

Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse blames this all on government inaction and underfunding, when in fact it is the chiefs and band councils around the country who must step up to the plate and deal with this issue directly in their communities. They are the ones closest to the situation and they are ultimately responsible for the failures that are affecting their childrens’ futures, not the government and not the past. What are they doing to prevent pregnancies in mothers either unprepared or unwilling to care for another child when aboriginal birth rates are the highest in the country? If a larger share of the financial resources already being provided by the taxpayers of Canada were directed to family planning programs in the communities, this new diaspora would not be happening. If First Nations peoples need more resources to solve this problem they should demand that their well compensated chiefs and councillors take a pay cut to help the kids or vote them out.