WALK FOR CULTURALLY BASED EQUITY FOR FIRST NATIONS CHILDREN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MORAVIANTOWN (June 8, 2012) – Local political leaders are joining forces with a group of school children from Moraviantown as they participate in a national campaign to improve the lives of First Nations children living on reserves. Our Dreams Matter Too is a campaign organized by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS), which has been embroiled in a four year human rights battle with the federal government over inequitable access to First Nations programs and services.
Children across the country are taking part in the campaign to mail letters to their respective Premiers as well as Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Children in
Moraviantown plan to walk with their letters in hand to a ʻCanada Post mailboxʼ with the Chief the Delaware Nation and Mayor of Chatham-Kent walking along side
for support.
“Our children deserve services that are on par with the rest of Canada – anything less is criminal,” says Chief Greg Peters. “I find it inexcusable that a wealthy nation such as Canada, would continue to marginalize our
First Nations youth.”
Currently, a First Nations student in an on-reserve school receives as much as $3000 less in government support than a child attending a provincial school. First Nations children in Canada are also often denied services available to all other children because of payment and jurisdictional disputes within and between the federal and provincial governments.
"The overall wellbeing and quality of life of our citizens are strongly affected by factors such as health, economy, environment, learning, and culture,” says Chatham-Kent Mayor, Randy Hope. “It is by engaging each other in constructive discussion and moving on to creative action that we create the society we wish to pass on to our children. I commend the residents of the Delaware
Nation for their engagement and commitment."
Children in Moraviantown are adding their voice to a growing chorus of voices across the country calling on the federal and provincial governments to do the right thing and end inequitable treatment of First Nations children, simply because of where they live.
The event will take place at 9:00 am, Monday, June 11, 2012, at the Delaware Nation Health Centre, located at 14737 School House Line, Moraviantown.
For more information, contact Sherry Huff, Huff Media Solutions, 519-401-5166,
sherry@huffmedia.ca. Visit http://www.fncaringsociety.com/our-dreams-matter-too for more on the national campaign by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.
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