Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver – The First Nations Summit commends Mary Ellen Turpel- Lafond, the independent Children and Youth Officer for British Columbia, for her recommendations stemming from her investigation into the deaths of four children in northern BC.

“We very much appreciate the thought and care which went into the preparation of this report and its 11 recommendations and agree fully with Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s assessment that “the silencing of these children’s voices must stir us to move from loss to learning”, said Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit political executive.

The following issues identified in the report must be carefully and fully considered and plans developed to address them:

  • assessments of the children’s safety falling below accepted standards
  • significant guardianship practice deficiencies