DEAR EDITOR:
As a Canadian, you have no doubt been horrified and distressed by the discovery of the graves of thousands of Indigenous children at residential school sites.
You have probably also learned more about the genocide perpetrated against Indigenous peoples in Canada.
What you may not know is that one of the most devastating effects of residential schools is the foster care system. The abuse that children suffered years ago at residential schools continues to affect some First Nations today. This suffering can lead to alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness (especially complex PTSD) and at times, next-generation childhood abuse. Children in these communities have been removed at an alarming rate and put into foster care.
Did you know that as of 2018, 63 per cent of foster kids in B.C. were Indigenous, although less than 10 per cent of B.C.’s population is Indigenous? That more than 40 per cent of youth experiencing homelessness in Canada have been involved with child welfare services? That the foster care system perpetuates the crime that the residential schools began of taking children away from their families? This needs to stop.
I have worked on and off since 2012 advocating for improvements to the foster care system. Only a handful of people ever got involved over the years (including my sterling husband, Dale), and I do send my heartfelt thanks to these people. But in general, the foster-kids issue just did not appeal. I finally stopped my campaign in 2017 when the NDP formed B.C.’s government and John Horgan became premier. I was hopeful. But alas, they have not raised the age at which kids still qualify for financial support.
But I am hopeful that – now – with the heartbreaking school findings, the surge of interest in our damaging colonial history, and the desire to help the Indigenous peoples, we will finally see the foster-kids situation as worthy of action and caring. And now we’re in a federal election.
Please help these kids. You will also be helping Indigenous peoples in many ways and making recompense for past injustices. Here are some things you can do:
- Make it an election issue: demand that our next federal government take action. Contact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at 613.922.4211, or [email protected]. Also MP Carolyn Bennett, Minister for Indigenous Affairs at 613.995.9666 or [email protected]. Also our local MP, Patrick Weiler, at 604.913.2660 or [email protected]. Their postal address is House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6.
- Request that the B.C. government stop taking so many Indigenous kids into foster care. Ask them to use the money they save to instead provide immediate high-quality mental health services to Indigenous communities and individuals, beginning with phone helplines. Tell them to fund basic infrastructure improvements (water, housing, etc.) to Indigenous communities to improve physical health and quality of life. Request they not waste money on lawyers, consultants, studies, conferences or unjustified salaries for officials. Contact Premier John Horgan at 250.837.1715, or [email protected]. Also Mitzi Dean, Minister of MCFD, at 250.952.5885, or [email protected]. Also our MLA, Jordan Sturdy, at 604.922.1153, or [email protected].
- Request that the B.C. government immediately raise the age of support for all aging-out foster kids. Contact Horgan, Dean, and Sturdy. Remind them that aging-out kids without support are at high risk for homelessness, mental health issues, abuse, victimization, addiction and early death. Tell them that it would cost society $57 million to help the 1,000 foster kids who age out every year until they become 24. If not, we the taxpayers will pay $250 million over the lifetimes of these same 1,000 kids as they struggle mightily to survive. Premier Horgan mentioned raising the age of support for foster kids during an all-candidates debate on television just before the 2017 election. He has since done nothing on this issue.
Remember that these are not one-off actions. Call each person back every month or so. Ask them what they have done. Request to get on their mailing list for updates. When contacting them, keep in mind that cards and letters have a much greater impact than emails or phone calls. Don’t forget to thank them for every corrective action they take. Also, be sure to tell all your friends, relatives, and acquaintances about this issue. Ask them to get involved and take action too.
Thank you!
Sheena Ashdown
