A MMIW inquiry must examine the child-welfare system – The Globe and Mail

Dec. 02, 2015

Cindy Blackstock is an associate professor at the University of Alberta and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

As the mandate for the inquiry on murdered and missing indigenous women takes shape, the government ought to consider the role systemic disadvantage plays in placing women and girls at higher risk for violence. The recent revelations in Val-d’Or, Que., for example, suggest that racism is more prevalent than we would like to think.

As a recent series in The Globe and Mail reported, a number of the murdered and missing women and girls were in foster care. A child-welfare system is an essential public service. In those rare occasions where parents are unable to ensure the safety and development of their children, the state must step in and provide alternative arrangements that will safeguard the interests of the children.

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