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Virtuoso violinist has a handle on history A talented violinist performed in Yellowknife and Fort Smith with a 300-year-old Stradi- varius violin last week. See page 6. Literacy is a family affair in the NWT Parents across the South Slave joined their kids in school for Family Literacy Day last week. See page 13. CARS TRUCKS AND ROADS Check out our annual auto section inside. See pages 16-20. More inspiration from the Arctic Three worthy projects shared in 1.5 million at the Arctic Inspiration Prize ceremony in Ottawa last week. See page 9. The not-so-Long John Jamboree Organizers are adjusting after unexpectedly losing sponsor- ship for the Yellowknife festi- valsicesculptingcompetition. See page 8. V IS IT W W W .N O R J.C A A national award winning independent newspaper serving northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories since 1977 1.00 February 3 2016 Vol. 39 No. 38 Kaylie Locke-Setter tries to stare down a delicate praying mantis during the Childrens Festival of Silliness in Yellowknife Jan. 30. See page 12. By DALI CARMICHAEL This decision concerns children. More precisely it is about how the past and current child welfare prac- tices in First Nations communities on reserves across Canada have impacted and continue to impact First Nations children their fami- lies and their communities. So reads the opening lines of the Canadian Human Rights Tri- bunals decision released Jan. 26 on a case that pitted the Assembly of First Nations AFN and advo- cacy group First Nations Child and Family Caring Society Caring So- ciety against the Attorney General of Canada representing the Minis- ter of Indian Aairs and Northern Development Canada AANDC. Almost nine years earlier on Feb. 25 2007 AFN led a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission CHRC regarding the welfare of First Nations children. Soon after on Feb. 23 the Caring Society also led alleging that the AANDCs provision of child and family services in on-reserve First Tribunal nds Ottawa is discriminating against children on reserves NationscommunitiesandtheYukon is discriminatory. By September of the following year the CHRC not only referred the case to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal but also backed the complainants by arguing in favour of First Nations childrens equity. AANDCs design management and control of the FNCFP First Nations Child and Family Services Program along with its corre- sponding funding formulas and the other related provincialterritorial agreements have resulted in deni- als of services and created various adverse impacts for many First Na- tions children and families living on reserves all contraventions of the Canadian Human Rights Act the report reads. The hearing spanned 72 days from February 2013 to October 2014. This is a complete victory for children said Caring Society CEO Cindy Blackstock a Gitxsan social worker in a press conference the day of the decisions release. It strips away any sensibility that First Nations children are being treated fairly by the government of Canada today and I want to dedicate this decision to all of the First Nations children who for years and for de- cades have been denied an equal opportunity to live the life they wish they had had and sadly were too often judged by a Canadian public who didnt know any better as if they got more. A country of inequality At the same event AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde addressed the gap between services available to chil- dren on and o reserve. Canada is rated sixth in terms of quality of life according to the United Nations Human Develop- ment Index he said. For indig- enous peoples were 63rd. He called for the federal govern- ment to increase its nancial sup- ports to services for indigenous people noting that more access for indigenous youth would be an in- vestment in human capital. Once that gap starts closing in terms of services and equality of life proper educational outcomes properhealthoutcomesandgreater economic development opportuni- ties well see that gap start to close in terms of quality of life he said. Thats a measureable outcome. See Recommendations on Page 13. Canada is rated sixth in terms of quality of life according to the United Nations. For indigenous peoples were 63rd. AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde PhotoBillBraden