ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᑭᐅᓇᒋᑲᑌᐸᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑫᔑ ᒥᓄᓭᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂ ᑲᐃᔑ ᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᐠ ᑲᓇᐁᐧᓂᒪᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒋᑭ ᐊᓄᐣᒋ ᐊᔭᑭᐸᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑫᐅᓇᔓᐊᐧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ. ᐁᒪᐧᔦ ᐊᔭᑭᐸᐣ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᒪᒪᐤ ᐅᐱᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑲᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᓂᔕᐦᐃᑲᑌᐠ, ᐅᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᒥᓇ ᐅᐸᒥᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐃᒪ ᓂᑕᑦ ᑭᐅᒋ ᒪᒋᓭᐸᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᓂᑲᑌ ᑲᐊᔭᑭᐣ ᐁᑲ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᐣᑕᒪᐃᐧᐣᑕᐧᐸᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐁᑲ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᐱᒥ ᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒪᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑭᓇᐃᐧᐣᐟ ᑲᔑ ᐸᒥᐦᐊᐊᐧᓱᔭᐠ. ᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑭᑐᐣᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᓇᐣ.

ᐊᒥᑕᐡ ᑲᑭ ᐃᓯᓭᐠ, ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᑭᐅᓇᒋᑲᑌᐸᐣ ᓂᔕᐣ ᑫᑯᓇᐣ ᐁᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑭᑭᓇᐊᐧᑕᐸᐣᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ, ᑲᑭᔑ ᐸᑭᑎᓇᒧᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ. ᓂᑕᑦ, “ᐁᑲ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᒋᑭ ᐊᐧᓂᐦᐊᑲᓄᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑭᓂᒐᓂᔑᓇᐣ ᐃᒪ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ.” ᓂᔑᐣ, “ᐃᐁᐧ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐢ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒋᔓᓇᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑫᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭᓇ, ᔕᑯᐨ ᑲᔦ ᒋᐅᒋ ᑭᐦᑌᐣᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᑎᓯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ, ᑲᔭᐡ ᑐᑕᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᑲᔦ ᐃᑫᐧᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑯᑕᑭᔭᐠ ᐃᓇᐁᐧᓂᒪᑲᓇᐠ.” 

ᓇᐣᑕ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᒣ ᓂᓱᒥᑕᓇ ᐊᐦᑭ ᐅᑕᓇᐣᐠ, ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐅᐱᒥ ᐅᓇᑐᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᐣ ᑫᔑ ᐱᒥᐃᐧᒋᑲᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᐃᔑᓇᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᑲᑲᑫᐧ ᑌᐱᓂᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᑭᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᓇᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑭᒪᑲᓇᐠ ᐃᒪ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐊᔕ ᒥᓯᐁᐧ ᐊᐸᒋᒋᑲᑌᐊᐧᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂ ᑲᑭᒋᓀᐣᑕᑭᐣ ᒥᓇ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᔑ ᐱᒥᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓀᓴᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑐᑕᒧᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᒪᒪᐤ ᐅᐱᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐯᔑᑲᐧᔦᑭᓇᑲᐧᐠ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᐱᒥᓂᔕᐦᐃᑲᑌᐠ ᑲᐃᑭᑐᒪᑲᐠ “ᑲᑭᓇ ᐁᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒥᑎᔭᐠ ᒋᐅᑦᐱᑭᐦᐊᔭᐠ ᑭᓂᒐᓂᔑᓇᐣ.” ᐁᑭᔑ ᐅᓇᑌᐠ ᒋᑲᓇᐁᐧᐣᑕᑯᓯᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐸᒥᓂᓇᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᑲᐸᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᓇᐸᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐱᒧᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ. ᐅᐁᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᐠ ᐃᓇᑫ ᐅᒋ ᐊᓄᑲᑌ ᐃᐁᐧ ᑭᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᒥᓂᑯᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᐅᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᑭ ᐅᒋ ᑭᑭᓇᐊᐧᑕᐸᐣᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᐅᑦᐱᑭᐦᐊᐊᐧᓱᐃᐧᐣ.

ᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐃᐧᐣ – ᑲᓂᑲᓂ ᒥᑲᓇᑲᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐅᐡᑭ ᒪᒋᑕᐃᐧᐣ ᐃᐁᐧ ᐅᐁᐧ ᑕᐡ ᐁᐃᓇᓄᑭᒪᑲᐠ: ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑲᐸᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᑲᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒪᐊᐧᐨ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᐡ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᐱᒧᒋᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑭ ᐅᓇᒋᑲᑌᑭᐣ ᐃᒪ ᐸᐣᐟ ᑲᐅᒋ ᑲᓇᐊᐧᐸᐣᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᑲᐊᐸᑕᑭᐣ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ, ᒥᓇ ᑭᑕᐧᑦ ᒋᐅᔑᑲᐸᐃᐧᐦᐊᑲᓄᐨ ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐁᐧᑎ ᓂᑲᐣo. 

ᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᑭᐅᓇᒋᑲᑌᐸᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᑭᐦᑌᐣᒋᑲᑌᐠ ᓂᑕᑦ ᑲᑭ ᐊᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐸᐣ ᑲᑭᐃᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᑭᐸᐣ ᑫᐃᓇᓄᑭᒪᑲᑭᐸᐣ. ᐃᐁᐧ ᑲᐃᐧᒋᑲᐸᐃᐧᒋᑲᑌᐠ  ᐯᓫ C-92 ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᒥᓇ ᑲᐃᓀᐣᑕᑲᐧᐠ ᒋᑭ ᐃᓇᓄᑭᒪᑲᑭᐸᐣ, ᓂᑲᓂᐡᑲᐃᐧᐣ ᐅᑲ ᐅᒋ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᓇᐊᐧ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐊᐧᐠ ᐃᐧᓇᐊᐧ ᒋᐅᓇᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐅᓇᔓᐊᐧᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ. 

ᑎᑭᓇᑲᐣ ᐊᑲᐱᒥ ᐃᐧᒋᑐᓇᐣ ᑭᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓂᓇᐣ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐱᒥ ᐃᐧᑕᓄᑭᒪᒋᐣ ᒋᐅᒋ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᑫᒋᓇᐨ ᒋᐱᒥᐡᑲᒪᑲᑭᐣ ᐅᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᑯᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᐊᐊᐧᔑᔕᐠ, ᐅᐡᑲᑎᓴᐠ ᒥᓇ ᑎᐯᐣᒋᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᓂᐸᑭᑎᓂᑎᓱᒥᐣ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑲᐸᐃᐧᑕᒪᐣᐠ ᒥᓇ ᒋᐃᐧᒋᑐᔭᐣᐠ ᑲᑭᓇ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐱᒥ ᓇᓇᑲᒋᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᓇᐣᑕ ᒥᓇ ᒣᑲᐧᐨ ᑲᐱᒪᓄᑲᑕᒧᐊᐧᐨ ᑲᐅᓇᑐᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᐊᐧᔑᔑᐃᐧ ᐅᓇᑯᓂᑫᐃᐧᓂᐊᐧ ᒥᓇ ᑫᔑ ᐱᒧᑕᒪᐊᐧᐊᐧᐨ ᐅᑕᓂᔑᓂᓂᒥᐊᐧᐣ ᐱᑯ ᐊᐣᑎ ᐁᔑ ᑲᐯᔑᐊᐧᐨ. 

ᐃᒪ ᐱᑯ ᐊᔭᐊᐧᐣ ᐃᐧᒋᐦᐃᐁᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᑲᔑ ᑕᑕᓱ ᐯᔑᑲᐧᑭᐣ ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᐃᐧ ᑕᔑᑫᐃᐧᓇᐣ. ᑲᓂᑲᓂ ᒥᑲᓇᑲᐊᐧᑲᓄᐊᐧᐨ ᓂᑲᐣ ᑫᐊᓂ ᐱᒪᑎᓯᐊᐧᐨ.

Tikinagan was created to provide culturally-specific child and family services that emphasize a First Nations approach to child welfare. Previously, services to support and care for First Nations children and their families originated from outside the First Nations community.

Tikinagan was founded on two basic principles, as handed down by the Chiefs. First, “that no more children be lost from our communities.” Second, “that a child and family service agency be created that would work with the people for the people, while respecting culture, heritage, and the concepts of the extended family.”

Over the past three and half decades, Tikinagan has developed a unique service delivery model. The vision, goal and principles established by the Chiefs for Tikinagan have been fully integrated with Indigenous values and service delivery policies and procedures. “Mamow Obiki-ahwahsoowin” is a unique service model which means “Everyone Working Together to Raise Our Children”. It is a system of protecting and caring for children and supporting families that has been designed and is delivered by First Nations people. This is a community-based approach to the inherent jurisdiction of First Nations based on traditional customary care practices.

Tikinagan wants to continue to assist our communities and partner with them to ensure ongoing provision of services to children and families. Tikinagan is committed to supporting and assisting any of our communities who want help exploring and/or working on developing their own child welfare laws and delivery of services to their members wherever they reside.

Niigaanshkaawin was developed to honour the original vision of those who came before us. With the support of the Bill C92 Act and its objectives, Niigaanshkaawin gives the opportunity for First Nations to develop and govern their own child welfare laws.

Niigaanshkaawin – Breaking Trail is a new initiative that has its purpose: to support First Nation affiliates of Tikinagan Child and Family Services in the development of Band representation programs, implementation of child welfare laws, and to reimagine the role Tikinagan will have in supporting this initiative.

The answers are within each individual First Nation community. Breaking trail for the future generations to come.