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Women’s voices in childcare not heard, says advocacy group

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Students from Fort Providence's Aboriginal Head Start program get messy during an end-of-year ceremony for the program in 2016. The Native Women's Association of Canada announced it was “deeply disappointed” in Canada’s decision not to partner with it on the development of Canada’s new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. Photo courtesy of the NWT Literacy Council.

The federal government and a national Indigenous organization are at odds over how much of the latter’s input was reflected in Canada’s new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework.

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) announced on Sept. 18, the day after Ottawa released the framework, that it was “deeply disappointed” in Canada’s decision not to partner with it on the development of the framework.

While the NWAC maintains it was consulted  – albeit, it stated, at a “cursory level” –  it says its input, particularly on “gender-based recommendations,” was not reflected in the final product.

NWAC acting communications director Lucy Juneau told News/North the association wouldn’t be able to share documentation on the recommendations, but that it could discuss them. The association was unable to schedule an interview between News/North and NWAC president Francyne Joe by press time.

The Government of Canada maintains that the NWAC was one of five national Indigenous organizations leading the engagement processes, along with local and regional Indigenous organizations and governments and the feds, according to Amelie Maisonneuve, a spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada.

The Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Metis National Council are considered partners on the framework, but organizations and governments across the country were consulted in its development.

Students from Fort Providence's Aboriginal Head Start program get messy during an end-of-year ceremony for the program in 2016. The Native Women's Association of Canada announced it was “deeply disappointed” in Canada’s decision not to partner with it on the development of Canada’s new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. Photo courtesy of the NWT Literacy Council.
Students from Fort Providence's Aboriginal Head Start program get messy during an end-of-year ceremony for the program in 2016. The Native Women's Association of Canada announced it was “deeply disappointed” in Canada’s decision not to partner with it on the development of Canada’s new Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. Photo courtesy of the NWT Literacy Council.

“The framework as a whole, including the gender and family diversity section, reflects the important views shared by NWAC during the engagement and co-development,” stated Maisonneuve.

The framework will lead to a plan on how the federal government will deliver on its $1.7 billion pledge to strengthen early learning and child care programs and services for Indigenous children and families across the country, including in the NWT, starting next fiscal year.

Maisonneuve stated the government hopes to turn the framework into tangible action “as soon as possible,” and that decisions on investments will be made with its partners. She stated the decision-making process will include ongoing dialogue at the community level.

“This new process supports greater Indigenous control, with improved collaboration, flexibility and broader coordination – key themes heard throughout engagement,” wrote Maisonneuve.

“As focus shifts to implementation of this new transformative initiative, it will be important to ensure the voices of Indigenous women and the organizations that represent them continue to be heard.”

Maisonneuve says several engagements were held in the NWT last year with representatives from across the territory.

Maisonneuve says a regional engagement session was held in Yellowknife on June 13 and 14, 2017 in Yellowknife, led by the Assembly of First Nations, involving elders, parents and representatives from all of the NWT’s First Nations, among others.

Engagement sessions were also held in the spring and summer of 2017 in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Behchoko involving the GNWT, Ulukhaktok Child Development Centre, Children First Society, Tuktoyaktuk Child Development Centre, Paulatuk Aboriginal Head Start, Inuvik Aboriginal Head Start, Aklavik Child Development Centre, Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, Aurora College, Ndilo’s Done Necha-Lia Gha Enitl’e Ko, Fort Providence’s Dezoah Undaa Etleh Koke and Hay River Dene Reserve Aboriginal Head Start.