Throughout SIIA’s community consultation process we have had common themes come up in most of our engagements. One of the common messages we hear is that the best way to ensure the healthy growth and safety of children is to invest in the overall health and wellbeing of the community, to strengthen families, to provide supports and healing opportunities for parents and caregivers, and to uphold cultural teachings. The SIIA team recognises that our own Indigenous legislation is just one part of the bigger change necessary to promote healthy and safe Indigenous children and families on the South Island. Any change must be accompanied by capacity-building opportunities, infrastructure development, and improved access to supportive services.
SIIA’s business team, Remi Paul (SIIA Business Lead) and April Roper (SIIA Administrative Lead), have been asked to develop an infrastructure plan for our area that includes a detailed accounting of facilities and programs that are currently available within the communities that SIIA represents. On June 22, 2023, the business team reached out to administrators, department heads, and program managers to start a dialogue about the resources these communities currently have and what resources they would benefit from in the future. This letter will be followed up by a survey that will enable SIIA to collect data about each community’s cultural programming, support services, capital assets and infrastructure, and human capacity. The purpose of collecting this data is to highlight the unique strengths within each community and also identify any gaps or opportunities for growth. This data will then be used to develop a system of services based on the needs and goals of the South Island Nations and Indigenous peoples.
The letter sent out on June 22 and the survey that will follow in early July are the initial stage of an ongoing consultation process. This process is part of the broader engagement SIIA will facilitate with experts from the Nations and communities regarding the technical aspects of our work. As an Indigenous Governing Body, SIIA has the ability to apply for funding, either jointly with our Nations or on our own, under Chapter 1 and 2 of the First Nations Child and Family Services Funding for Capital Assets application. By virtue of the 2021 Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) order 41, Canada is responsible for funding the purchase and construction of capital assets needed to support the delivery of First Nations Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle services on-reserve. SIIA plans to support Nations in performing capital needs assessments and accessing the funding they need based on the consultation that occurs.
More information about the capital assets funding application can be found here. If you have any additional questions or feedback, please contact April Roper at aprilroper@siia.ca or Remi Paul at remipaul@siia.ca.
