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NWT mushers sweep Saskatchewan circuit races Wednesday February 3 2016 13 SPORTS RECREATION DOG MUSHING Continued from page 1. Blackstock also called upon gures from both international organizations and the governments own accounts to highlight the inequalities. On average Ottawa spends 20-30 per cent less on services for children on-reserve than o a number routinely cited by advocates. The government of Canada has known that its underfunding these services it has connected that underfunding to the growing numbers of children in care because First Nations families arent given the same sup- ports as everybody else Blackstock said. She pointed to one government document that placed the shortfall around 108 million in funding for on-reserve child welfare services. Theyve repeatedly had recommendations by joint reports and the auditor general and theyve not implemented it. One of those recommendations is imple- menting Jordans Principle a child-rst prin- ciple intended to ensure that First Nations children do not experience denials delays or disruptions of services ordinarily avail- able to other children due to jurisdictional disputes according to an AFN document. Other stats captured the inherently human impacts of lacking services about 163000 children are believed to have been impacted. First Nations children are more likely to be in child welfare care today than at the height of residential schools by a factor of three Blackstock said. One of the docu- ments that really just struck to my heart was a spreadsheet an Excel spreadsheet and it counts the number of nights that First Na- tions children have spent away from their families between 1989 and 2012. Think about it thats the way your kids think about these things its not percentages its how many sleeps until I see my mom And its over 66 million nights - 187000 years of childhood. A long and winding road The case was an uphill battle for Black- stock and her supporters. At one point in 2011 the case was dismissed duetoalegaltechnicality.Itwasrevivedthanks to an appeal by Blackstock and the CHRC. Pushback from the government could be quantied by court costs the previous federal government spent ghting the case estimated to be around 3 million by July 2014. It could also be quantied by the number of resources used to spy on Blackstock. In 2011 the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network APTN reported the government was keeping a le on the advocate complete with emails and notes about Blackstocks personal information and critical briengs on her activities. The information came for- ward a year and a half after she had led an Access to Information request on herself. In 2013 the Privacy Commissioner or- dered the federal government to stop moni- toring Blackstock. In addition to those issues throughout the hearing documentary disclosure and the admissibility of certain documents as evidence became an issue. The government failed to disclose all of its relevant documen- tation up front including over 100000 addi- tional pieces of correspondence eventually obtained through an Access to Information Act request submitted by the Caring Society - but not before causing delays to the trial. What happens now The Panel acknowledges the suering of those First Nations children and families who are or have been denied an equitable opportunity to remain together or be reunited in a timely manner the decision reads. We also recognize those First Nations children and families who are or have been adversely impacted by the Government of Canadas past and current child welfare practices on reserve ordering the federal government to cease its discriminatory practices and reform the FNCFS Program and the 1965 Ontario Agreement to reect the ndings of this decision. AANDC is also ordered to cease applying its narrow denition of Jor- dans Principle and to take measures to im- mediately implement the full meaning and scope of Jordans Principle. Children underserved by the FNCFS pro- gramcouldseecompensationofupto20000 each Blackstock said going back to cases from 2006 onward. She also asked the government to spend at least 200 million more annually to close the gap in on-reserve childrens social wel- fare spending. JusticeMinisterJodyWilson-Raybouldand Indigenous Aairs Minister Carolyn Bennett addressedthedecisionduringquestionperiod. This is about ensuring that there is equal investmentanditisnotjustintermsofmoney it is in terms of outcomes - that we create the space in this country for every child to be able to succeed Wilson-Raybould said. All eyes are on Ottawa as its response to the decision should be accounted for in the upcoming federal budget expected in March or April. Recommendations repeatedly ignored tribunal JUSTICE HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL The government of Canada has known that its underfunding these services. Cindy Blackstock First Nations Child Family Caring Society of Canada By DON JAQUE Competitive dog mushers descended on the town of Preeceville in south-central Saskatch- ewan last weekend and at the end of two days of races the winners were all from the NWT. The Mushers Rendezvous went Jan. 29- 31. The premier 10-dog event came down to a battle between NWT veterans Anthony Beck of Hay River and Grant Beck originally from Roche River now living in Yellowknife - Grant with a team he had just purchased no less. Anthonys time was best on the rst day and Grant was faster in the second race but Anthonys combined time was better and so he came away the victor. NWT racers also picked up ninth and 10th spots in that event. Dog racing phenom Tj Fordy from Hay River won yet again running her team faster on the second day to beat her rst day time by nearly two minutes in the six-dog event taking top spot overall. Firstplaceinthe10-dogracewasawardeda 1200 purse and the six-dog winner received 600. That was for their two day combined time. There were 22 entries in the 10-dog 31 teams in the six-dog class and four in the ju- nior races. There was 10000 in total prize money including 6500 for all who placed in the 10-dog class 3000 for the top six-dog nishers and 500 in prizes for the juniors. All races began with a mass start in down- town Preeceville in the big open area in front of the arena. That made for a crazy adrenalin rush for the drivers as they took o at over 32 kilometres an hour jockeying for position to be the rst to get to the three-metre wide single track. It also made for some spectac- ular crashes. Unfortunately the weather did not coop- erate for the races with above zero tempera- tures and rain in the days prior. That made the track icy hard and dicult for the dogs. It was two degrees above freezing on the rst day and two below on the second dog racers prefer cold crisp weather. It was a real meltdown the week before. Most years our track is really beautiful. This year we only had eight inches of snow in total and that made for poor track conditions said Kevin Cook the main race organizer. The Mushers Rendezvous was the rst race on that southern circuit this year and is what Cook describes as a setup event for the World Championships in The Pas Manitoba on Feb. 18 19 and 20. He said in past years there would have been three or four races in their circuit by now but events in other places had been dropping o one by one. He said races need good organization and suc- cess now depends on new energetic young organizers coming up in the sport. The Preeceville event has been ongoing for 16 years Cook said and he has been involved since day one. Now he feels it is time to step aside and is hoping new people will take over. Cook known as one of the giants of dog racing in Canada recently sold his dogs to Grant Beck and is retir- ing from the sport. We have raised over 300000 for the community over the years for the hospital and other things through our suppers and dances and socials he said. The start line is set up in front of the arena so spectators have to pay to watch. One year we raised 50000 over and above what we paid out in prizes ob- served Cook. He said with organization for the circuit races in the south at a low ebb the NWT is the place to be. The sport here is suffering but with races in places like Hay River and Fort Providence and more and more small com- munity races starting up the NWT circuit appears to be doing well. Racers from the NWT won at the Mushers Rendezvous in Saskatchewan last weekend. PhotocourtesyofAnnaBolvin