The following notice is from First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.
Although provincial child welfare laws apply on reserve, the provinces expect the federal government to pay it.  The problem is the federal government provides about 22% less child welfare funding for First Nations children on reserve than what other children and young people receive off reserve funded by the province. 

This funding shortfall directly affects First Nations children and youth in care as well as their families.  We spent over 10 years working with the federal government to solve the problem but they did not implement the solutions so in February of 2007 the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
filed a human rights complaint against the federal government alleging that the federal government was discriminating against First Nations children, young people and families by providing less child welfare funding than what other children receive.
The federal government has tried to get the case dismissed based on legal technicalities but they have not been successful so far.  On September 14, 2009 the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will begin an inquiry into the case.  The times and dates of the tribunal are posted on fnwitness.ca [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102688432972&s=222&e=001S_OI1UwcJ25anyQbWX7neiWSEKA5qNTpGyquSUQLK3TvJPHKnCSEYCr7UUnJbIcaj9IrE8HbguEkcuonWO1Tt1JckbZ15cPsu3_V0hvloRk=].
At the end of the hearing, the Canadian Human Rights Commission has the authority to decide whether discrimination happened or not and if it did, the tribunal can order Canada to take action to ensure First Nations children young people and their families are treated equally.
We invite all young people, their families and friends to take action by spending 2 minutes supporting our “I am a witness” campaign.  This campaign calls on caring Canadians and people from around the world to sign up to say they will witness the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on First Nations child welfare which is reviewing a complaint that the federal government discriminates against First Nations children and young people by providing them with less child welfare funding than other children
receive.  Being a witness means you agree to follow the case by  either attending at the tribunal in person or following it through the media, visiting our website
(www.fnwitness.ca) [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102688432972&s=222&e=001S_OI1UwcJ25-gqn2KSQhLGjTHMtm-qxChbOhqZNSlqs2y2cjr9Ig-aIwS3a4nqU5x_tRf2aMH5CtSYsh0x8G3xwxI5miHRQnLv4cNoHDhUtpxP86SVztcA==]
or coming in person.  All people of all ages and organizations are encouraged to sign up to be a witness – it is free and takes only two minutes.  After you have heard all the facts presented at the tribunal you will be in a good position to make up your own mind about whether or not you feel the federal government is treating First Nations children, young people and their families fairly.
You are all most welcome to attend the tribunal – it is open to the public and the dates, times and location are posted on the fnwitness.ca website.  As the room haslimited seating capacity please touch base with Tammy Morgan at tmorgan@fncaringsociety.com
[mailto:tmorgan@fncaringsociety.com] to let her know what day and time you would like to go.
Be amongst the first to sign up as a witness – it is free and open to all organizations and individuals and please encourage everyone in your circle to do so as well. 
A year after the apology for residential schools we want the Canadian government to know that caring Canadians are keeping watch over this generation of First Nations children and young people.
Click here to go to the website [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102688432972&s=222&e=001S_OI1UwcJ25-gqn2KSQhLGjTHMtm-qxChbOhqZNSlqs2y2cjr9Ig-aIwS3a4nqU5x_tRf2aMH5CtSYsh0x8G3xwxI5miHRQnLv4cNoHDhUtpxP86SVztcA==]
- please do spend 2 minutes to sign up!

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