Member of Parliament Shelly Glover delivers a speech announcing a Tripartite Framework for First Nations Child and Family Services in Manitoba

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I am pleased to be here today, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. And I am honoured to be joined by Minister Mackintosh and Grand Chief Evans.

All of us here share a common desire – improving quality of life for First Nations, especially for your children and their future.

By working closely with the province of Manitoba and First Nations, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada is well on its way to completing the reform of the Child and Family Services Program by ensuring roughly 68 per cent of on-reserve children have access to enhanced prevention services.

We can all agree that leading a full, rewarding life begins with a secure and happy childhood. That is why, working together, we've created a prevention-based approach – one which includes Canada, Manitoba and First Nations – that builds a new model for delivering the best possible child welfare services on reserves.

This approach allows First Nations Child and Family Service Agencies to use the funding that Indian and Northern Affairs Canada provides through its First Nations Child and Family Services Program to foster and promote an enhanced prevention-focused approach that will lead to greater benefits for First Nation children, youth and their families.

Indeed, this new approach is designed to ensure that best practices in prevention-based services are brought to First Nation communities, and broadens the tool kit of culturally appropriate services. These best practices will help First Nations Child and Family Services Agencies to prevent family breakup and keep children in their homes.

Funding for the Enhanced Prevention-Focused Approach will help First Nations children and parents get the help they need to prevent the types of crises that lead to intervention and family breakdown.

If children must be removed from their home, First Nations can help identify extended family or other caregivers who can provide these children with a living situation that maintains their sense of belonging to a community.

We are committed to implementing an enhanced prevention-focused approach to First Nations Child and Family Services on a province-by-province basis, and I am happy to note we are making real progress in this regard.

Today's announcement demonstrates the positive and growing working relationship we have with Manitoba. Children represent the future of First Nations communities in Manitoba – and today's announcement demonstrates our shared commitment to improving conditions for First Nations children and youth.

With this announcement, six provinces will have reached historic tripartite frameworks for Child and Family Services with our government – Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Quebec, PEI and Manitoba. We are working hard to put in place similar partnerships right across our great country.

Our government is committing $177 million over five years to implement the Enhanced Prevention-Focused Approach to First Nations Child and Family Services on reserves here in Manitoba.

Under the tripartite frameworks we have in place in six provinces, more than $100 million per year in additional funding will be dedicated to the new model. The goal is to have all provinces on board for the Enhanced Prevention-Focused Approach by 2013.

These actions are clear proof that our government is taking concrete action to improve opportunities in First Nation communities.

The welfare of all children, including First Nation children, is a priority of the Government of Canada.

And by working together, we will create First Nations Child and Family Services that reflect these values, engage the community, put children first and help families to succeed.

Thank you.