September 6, 2024 — Sts’ailes, Sts’ailes Xa’xa Temexw, British Columbia — Indigenous Services Canada

First Nations children have the inherent right to know who they are, where they come from, and to have a strong connection to their family, lands, cultures, traditions, and languages. With the signing of the coordination agreement, and ongoing implementation of Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts’ailes, the Snowoyelh Department will oversee the safety and well-being of Sts’ailes children and families while nurturing their strong cultural pride and identity. 

At a ceremony held today in Sts’ailes Xa’xa Temexw, Siyam te Sts’ailes (Sts’ailes Leadership), the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, and the Honourable Grace Lore, British Columbia’s Minister of Children and Family Development, celebrated the signed coordination agreement between the three parties, pursuant to An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families and B.C.’s Child, Family and Community Service Act. The coordination agreement supports Sts’ailes’s exercise of jurisdiction in relation to the provision of child and family services, through their Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts’ailes, Sts’ailes’s Child and Family Services law.

Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts’ailes ensures the safety and well-being of Sts’ailes children and families while nurturing their strong cultural pride and identity so they grow strong in the knowledge of who they are, where they come from, and what they belong to. The law preserves the connection children have with their culture. Canada has committed to providing $118.8 million over the almost ten years of the agreement, subject to annual adjustments to account for inflation and population growth. British Columbia has committed to providing $16.4 million to support the agreement with Sts’ailes, subject to annual adjustments to account for inflation.

Directly investing in Indigenous communities as they lead the reform of child and family services in their community is essential; they are in the best position to determine what is important for their children, youth and families. The signing of this coordination agreement provides assurance to Sts’ailes that their unique needs and priorities are valued and supported. Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts’ailes benefits the well-being of Sts’ailes children, youth and families and validates Sts’ailes’ inherent right and responsibility to care for their current and future generations of children.