Indigenous child welfare

Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development, announced changes to the provinces legislation on child welfare on Oct. 26, 2022, that will give First Nations greater control over Indigenous children and youth. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)

Indigenous people to have greater control over child welfare under new B.C. legislation

4 Indigenous governing bodies preparing to take over jurisdiction

 

Robert Riley Saunders leaving court during a cross examination in Kelowna. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Okanagan Nation Alliance demands inquiry into foster care after fraudulent social worker case

Saunders stole approximately $461,000 intended for 107 primarily Indigenous youth in his care

 

Shaylene Lakey grew up in Vernon in foster care and continues to live here. (Contributed)

B.C. woman shares journey to reclaim Indigenous heritage after losing it in foster care

Shaylene Lakey may have found a safe place growing up, but felt robbed of her culture

 

Cora Morgan, First Nations Family Advocate at The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) speaks at a news conference in Winnipeg, Monday, February 22, 2016. In recent years there has been a significant push from Indigenous leaders and child welfare advocates across the country to address the myriad systemic issues contributing to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

‘The bond is broken’: Data shows Indigenous kids overrepresented in foster care

New census data says Indigenous children account for 53.8 per cent of all children in foster care

Cora Morgan, First Nations Family Advocate at The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) speaks at a news conference in Winnipeg, Monday, February 22, 2016. In recent years there has been a significant push from Indigenous leaders and child welfare advocates across the country to address the myriad systemic issues contributing to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Protesters, including First Nations groups, gathered outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)

5 years prison time ‘not enough’ for fraudulent social worker: First Nations leaders

Robert Riley Saunders stole over $461,000 intended for vulnerable, primarily First Nations, youth

Protesters, including First Nations groups, gathered outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)
Protesters gather outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)

Fraudulent Kelowna social worker facing prison wishes he could ‘go back in time’

Saunders stole approximately $461,000 intended for 107 Indigenous youth in his care

Protesters gather outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)
Protesters in front of the Kelowna court house (Jacqueline Gelineau)

Trust in social systems ‘destroyed’: Victim of fraudulent Kelowna social worker

Sentencing begins for fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders

Protesters in front of the Kelowna court house (Jacqueline Gelineau)
Kamloops Indian Residential School survivor Camille Kenoras holds eagle feathers as she laughs during a ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the TkÕemlœps te SecwŽpemc announcement of the detection of the remains of 215 children at an unmarked burial site at the former residential school, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 23, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

215: Memorial honours unmarked graves found 1 year ago at former Kamloops residential school

Governor General Mary Simon, Canada’s first Indigenous person in the role, attended the event

  • May 23, 2022
Kamloops Indian Residential School survivor Camille Kenoras holds eagle feathers as she laughs during a ceremony to mark the one-year anniversary of the TkÕemlœps te SecwŽpemc announcement of the detection of the remains of 215 children at an unmarked burial site at the former residential school, in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 23, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Former social worker Robert Riley Saunders is in court for 13 charges of fraud, theft and breach of trust (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Kelowna judge rules disgraced former social worker deprived youth

Robert Riley Saunders will be sentenced on June 22 and 23

Former social worker Robert Riley Saunders is in court for 13 charges of fraud, theft and breach of trust (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Cora Morgan, First Nations family advocate for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, is shown in Winnipeg on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016. Front-line workers are calling for more support for Indigenous families after a Statistics Canada analysis found First Nations, Inuit and Métis women are more likely to experience physical or sexual assault in their lifetime if they were in government care as children. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Indigenous women more likely to face violence if they were a child in care: report

Overwhelming majority reported sexual, physical assault at some point in their life

Cora Morgan, First Nations family advocate for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, is shown in Winnipeg on Monday, Feb. 22, 2016. Front-line workers are calling for more support for Indigenous families after a Statistics Canada analysis found First Nations, Inuit and Métis women are more likely to experience physical or sexual assault in their lifetime if they were in government care as children. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Saunders leaving court during cross examination (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Crown alleges fraudulent Kelowna social worker acted ‘without thought or care’

Robert Riley Saunders will be back in court on April 19

Saunders leaving court during cross examination (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Saunders leaving court on March 24, 2022. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Kelowna fraudulent social worker used ministry to misappropriate funds: Court

Robert Riley Saunders stole $120,000 in 2017 alone

Saunders leaving court on March 24, 2022. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Robert Riley Saunders. (File)

Kelowna ex-social worker claims youth he defrauded were not entitled to funds

Saunders is indicted on 13 charges of fraud, theft and breach of trust

Robert Riley Saunders. (File)
Robert Riley Saunders. (File)

Kelowna ex-social worker lived a ‘lavish life’, youth in care had ‘no proper clothes’: Court

The hearing for disgraced social worker Robert Riley Saunders continued in court

Robert Riley Saunders. (File)
Ryan Saunders has 13 charges against him (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

‘Self-centred’: Former colleague testifies against disgraced Kelowna social worker

Robert Riley Saunders has allegedly stolen from over 107 youth

Ryan Saunders has 13 charges against him (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is seen during a news conference, Wednesday May 19, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Indigenous child-welfare battle heads to court despite calls for Ottawa to drop cases

Feds are poised to argue against two Canadian Human Rights Tribunal rulings

Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is seen during a news conference, Wednesday May 19, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Teddy bears, flowers and children’s shoes line the steps of the Vernon Courthouse Tuesday, June 1 following in memory of the 215 young Indigenous remains discovered at the former Kamloops residential school. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Children’s shoes line Vernon courthouse steps in memory of 215

Teddy bears, flowers and shoes mark unjust finding of Indigenous bodies at Kamloops Residential School site

Teddy bears, flowers and children’s shoes line the steps of the Vernon Courthouse Tuesday, June 1 following in memory of the 215 young Indigenous remains discovered at the former Kamloops residential school. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)
Teddy bears, flowers and children’s shoes line the steps of the Vernon Courthouse Tuesday, June 1 following in memory of the 215 young Indigenous remains discovered at the former Kamloops residential school. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Children’s shoes line Vernon courthouse steps in memory of 215

Teddy bears, flowers and shoes mark unjust finding of Indigenous bodies at Kamloops Residential School site

Teddy bears, flowers and children’s shoes line the steps of the Vernon Courthouse Tuesday, June 1 following in memory of the 215 young Indigenous remains discovered at the former Kamloops residential school. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)