Saskatchewan’s social services minister wanted meeting without Indigenous groups
SASKATOON — Saskatchewan’s Minister of Social Services says he and his provincial and territorial counterparts are feeling left out of Ottawa’s plan to reform child welfare.
Paul Merriman and other social services ministers met in Saskatoon this week to discuss, among other things, Bill C-92, legislation aimed at reducing the over-representation of Indigenous children in foster care.
Merriman said it’s concerning that ministers were unable to speak directly with federal Minister of Indigenous Services Seamus O’Regan without representatives from national Indigenous organizations being in the room.
“Unfortunately, the minister … wanted to meet with us including the national Indigenous organizations, which was a little bit troublesome,” he told The Canadian Press on Thursday.