Grandmothers walk in protest against child welfare system, proposed federal legislation

Led bya group of grandmothers, peoplewalked from four directions Friday in Winnipeg to supportgrandmothers and mothers who have had children taken by the child welfare system and to protest Bill C-92.

The walkstarted in four different Winnipeglocations at 10 a.m. and convergedatthe Canadian Museum for Human Rights at The Forks beforenoon.

Martina,one of the grandmothers on thewalk, said today's child welfare system is worse thanresidential schools. CBC is withholding her last name to avoididentifying family members involved in CFS proceedings, which is forbidden by Manitoba's Child and Family Services Act.

Instead of being taken away to residential schools at age three, four and five, she said,Indigenous children are now being apprehended by CFSat birth.

"The worst thing about thatis that they cut the bond right at birth," she said.

"A lot of the young mothers are afraidduring their pregnancy that CFS is going to be there when the baby is born."

Martina has two daughters and four grandchildren. Both of her daughters haverecently been involved with Child and Family Services.

She said shehas gotten involved in child welfare advocacy to helpher family and others in her First Nation.

"When I became involved with my daughter's situation, CFS didn't want to let me inside that meeting room," she said.

"I had to stand up and say 'This is about my daughter. This is about my grandchildren.'"

Breaking the cycle

One of her daughters has had her CFS file closed for a year, while the other daughter's file is still open. She said trying to get afile closed has become a barrier for parents trying to get their children back.

"They tell the parents to get into programs and when they do programs, they add on more and more [programming]," she said.

She said advocating for her daughters and grandchildren is a way of breaking the cycle ofparenting struggles that started with residential schools.

"As a grandmother today, I have a second chance to be a better parent, a better grandma," said Martina.

"My mom went to residential school. I didn't know how to parent, my mom didn't know how to parent.

"Today I have an opportunity to be with my grandchildren in a more positive way, talking to them, being with them, helping them, teaching them, things that I couldn't do with my own children."

Walk against Bill C-92

The walk wasorganized in Winnipeg by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the First Nations Family Advocate Office and is being held Friday to support grandmothers and mothers who will be without their families on Mother's Day this weekend.

Cora Morgan,the First Nations Family Advocate in Manitoba, saidthe walk is also an opportunity to voice opposition to the proposed Indigenous child welfarelegislationBill C-92 and to promote the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs' ownBringing Our Children Home Act.

Morgan said Bill C-92 was drafted without consultation from First Nations leadership in Manitoba, and that it promotes a pan-Indigenous solution.

"We have our Bringing Our Children Home Act which spells out full jurisdiction restored for our First Nation communities in Manitoba," said Morgan.

Morgan said the AMC's acthas been in development for 30 years and was guided by elders, women, chiefs and First Nations child welfare experts.

Grandmothers walk in protest against child welfare system, proposed federal legislation

5 years ago

Duration 1:44

Led by a group of grandmothers, people walked from four directions Friday in Winnipeg to support grandmothers and mothers who have had children taken by the child welfare system and to protest Bill C-92.