The government of Canada and the B.C. government have signed a historic coordination agreement with the Sts'ailes nation, recognizing the First Nation's jurisdiction over their own child and family services laws. 

"It was three years and 11 months of work," said Sts'ailes Grand Chief Chasta Willie Charlie (Cha'qua'wet). "It was a difficult, almost four years at the table. We really appreciate those who were at the table when we signed a commitment letter say that we're going to do our best for this work, to move it along, get on the canoe and pick up the paddle and help us along the way."

Charlie said Sts'ailes leadership has been working since 1972 with the Ministry of Children and Families to reclaim responsibility over their own children and families. 

In 2023, Sts'ailes brought into force Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles, or 香蕉视频直播淪ts香蕉视频直播檃iles Child and Family Services Law,香蕉视频直播� which covers Sts'ailes children living on reserve. Effective April 1, the Sts'ailes law extends to all Sts'ailes children across B.C.

"Of all the sacred responsibilities, Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles holds their children as their most precious resource," Charlie said in a statement. "They deserve to be safe and healthy, and to be connected to their family, lands, culture, traditions, and language. Snowoyelh te Emi:melh te Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles will blanket Sts香蕉视频直播檃iles people with love and protection like a swoqwe香蕉视频直播檒h (sacred wool blanket) while providing culturally relevant services."

Signing the agreement is an assurance from the federal and provincial governments that the needs and values of Sts'ailes will be supported when it comes to the well-being of the nation's youth and families.

The federal government has committed to providing $118 million over the course of 10 years of the agreement, and the province has comitted to $16.4 million. 

During Family Day weekend this year, the Sts'ailes people celebrated and asserted their jurisdiction over child and family services despite the lack of support from the federal government. The ceremony was originally intended to be a celebration of reaching a coordination agreement between B.C., Sts'ailes and Canada. However, the Canadian government reneged on their commitment to a coordination agreement between Sts'ailes and the federal and provincial governments 香蕉视频直播� failing to meet deadlines after three years of negotiations. 

In April, the province signed a coordinating agreement with Sts'ailes, reinforcing B.C.'s support for Sts'ailes independent jurisdiction over their own child and family services. 

Charlie said asserting their jurisdiction over their children is one step of many Sts'ailes leaders have taken toward self-governance.

"We're replacing the Indian Act, one page at a time, getting back to a place where we can be self-governed," he said. "Our children have inherent rights to know who they are, where they come from and what they belong to." 

Federal Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu, holding back tears, said the nearly four years spent on this agreement was a "labour of love."

"I have to tell you that, as a minister of the Crown, especially in this particular portfolio, I feel deep shame for what this country consent to indigenous people," she said. "The vision that I see for the future is that Sts'ailes and so many other First Nations and Indigenous communities don't have to fight that hard to get back what is right fully theirs 香蕉视频直播� the right to live with their own laws, in this case, the right to protect their children and families, to ensure that more people can grow up surrounded by language and love and culture and family knowing who they are."

B.C.'s Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore expressed gratitude for all who stuck through the long, difficult negotiation progress for so many months. 

"(Our) shared goal is connection to community, culture, family, (roots) in the community, that care for your own children and families in your own ways, in your own laws," she said. "And I know that there's so much work for all of us to do together. Thank you for the opportunity."