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Manitoba Child and Family Services Funds Class Action Overview:
- Who: Sixteen Indigenous agencies, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and a former CFS executive have filed a class action lawsuit against the province of Manitoba.
- Why: Plaintiffs claim the province was wrong to remit federal funds given to Child and Family Services agencies they say were meant for the children — who are primarily Indigenous — in their care.
- Where: The class action lawsuit is being heard by the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba.
The province of Manitoba is in the process of defending itself against accusations it improperly remitted hundreds of millions of dollars from Child and Family Services agencies.
Sixteen Indiginous agencies, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and a former CFS executive are arguing federal funds given to Child and Family Services agencies were meant for First Nations and Metis children in their care, reports the CBC.
Around 90 percent of the 11,000 children in the province of Manitoba’s care are Indigenous, according to a 2018 legislative review committee report.
The class action is currently being held virtually in front of a judge at Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench.
Child and Family Service Funds Meant For Children Remitted, Claims Class Action
The province enacted legislation in 2006 requiring agencies to remit federal money that was given to them through what was called the Children’s Special Allowance, reports the CBC. Progressive conservatives ended the remittance policy back in 2019.
Plaintiffs claim the federal funds were meant for children in the agencies’ care, with each due to receive between $480 to $569 each month.
The province argues federal funds ultimately belong to them since the government is paying for the children to be cared for, reports the CBC.
In a similar case, the Ottawa government agreed last year to participate in mediation in response to two class action lawsuits alleging it has a faulty on-reserve child welfare system and denies children federal services they are obligated to.
Have you ever been in the care of Manitoba Child and Family Services agencies? Let us know in the comments!
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8 thoughts onChild and Family Services Funds Misused by Manitoba, Says Class Action Lawsuit
My name is Crystal Lamirande. I was born in Winnipeg,Manitoba on November 21,1980. I was sexually, emotionally, & physically abused when I was placed in foster care as a permanent ward of the Manitiba CFS/Canadian Government in 1985 i believe. I was in foster care in Duck Bay,Manitoba with 2 different foster family’s up until 1996. I moved out of the foster home in August 1996 when I was 16 yrs old I went into a program for Manitoba CFS wards of the government that was called Independent living. They did nothing really to support me. As soon as I turned 18 yrs of age I was on my own and have never ever been contacted ever since that time by metis cfs. Except when they were taking my children away from me yrs later. I have no stability in my life due to the lack 9f closure and due to not haveing that closure to begin emotional and spiritual healing . I have had a hard enough go through life. Its time I get closure now. I am currently homeless.
I was a permanent ward of CFS from age 7-21 along with my 2 siblings. As my social worker would say I was a “poster child” for CFS and in return received the worst services and care. Being a child in care is a living nightmare and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. I and my siblings were moved across Canada by my abusive foster dad and no one checked on us we did not attend school regularly and moved many times. When I received my file after 2 years of waiting it mentioned that “foster dad used inappropriate corporal punishment in the home. The foster home was warned and cautioned”. How could they let this man move 3 children across the country and not even try to get them back home. My heart goes out to my peers who were failed and will spend their adult years healing.
I was in care from 12 years old to 19 with my own child as well. I was living mostly on the streets and in and out of the youth centre. recently i asked CFS to print me off a copy of my places of care and the time periods i stayed in these places and when i received the letter it was missing so much info and didnt have the foster homes listed or the girls youth lock up facility i spent much time. ive only ever got allowance or money from the agency when i stayed in my own apartment type living location but was never dispersed the funds they were held by the staff.
ive got many stories as im sure we all do, on our harsh treatments and wrong doings but ill save those horror stories if needed to be spoken on at a later time.
I was in and out of care starting at the age of 3. I am 25 now. I aged out of Métis family services. My weekly allowance was 10$. I suffered under the agency’s care and still are struggling in my adult life due to the care I received
My kids have been in are for almost 6 years and i would like someone to talk to and I was also u care too
I was a permanent ward from when I was 13to adult.
I was in care started as a vpa volentary placment assement only supposed to last 6 months after the 6 months i was told my family didnt want me amd i was put in care tell i was 21 moved away from my family. When i was old enof i got into contact with my family and found out it was all lies i was calped a trouble child and so much more i was set up for failure if it wasnt for tue family i was placed with who put there own bloood sweat in tears to maie sure i didnt go with out acfs never gelped with anything iv had missing teeth s8nce i was 12 and alot of other issue that were never dept with by the time i was 17 i was on tue streets looking fpr my own place as i was moved from my home back into the city couch surffing intell i threaten to go to the paper then they tryed paying me 500 a month to keep my mouth shut i ended up moving back with my parents and live my life
So the government takes the child tax benefit money, and instead pays maintenance to the foster parents for their time. They are supposed to use this same money to care for child? Or the foster parents aren’t really getting paid for their time