Chiefs lead the way in the grand exit at the Treaty 8 Child Well Being Legislation Naming Ceremony on July 11 near Sucker Creek First Nation. Standing in the front, left-right, are Sucker Creek Chief Jim Badger, Rod Twin, of Swan River First Nation, and Treaty 8 Grand Chief Arthur Noskey.

Richard Froese
South Peace News

Treaty 8 First Nation chiefs and Elders from Treaty 8 communities met on July 11 at Willow Point near Sucker Creek First Nation to share their vision and ideas for the Treaty 8 Child Well Being Legislation at a naming ceremony.

Willow Point is the site where Treaty No. 8 was entered into on June 21, 1899.

“The focus of the developing legislation is to bring our children home,” Grand Chief Arthur Noskey says.

“We are in a place where we can make our own laws to keep our children and raise them in a loving and caring environment that existed prior to Treaty.”

Many children were taken out of their Indigenous homes by federal and provincial governments under the Imperial Crown, he says.

“The Child Welfare Act of the province removes children from their communities and puts them up for adoption,” Noskey says.

“We didn’t give up our children under Treaty.”

Treaty 8 communities will draft their own legislation first.

“It will take some time,” Noskey says.

Following that, legislation will be drafted for Treaty 8.

“This is the beginning of drafting a law,” Noskey says as he spoke to the crowd.

“We’re excited about the future of our children.”

This item is reprinted with permission from the High Prairie, AB, South Peace News. For the complete article, click HERE

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