Elders seek financial aid for grandchildren

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Muriel Betsina is raising four of her grandchildren. In her small community of Ndilo, a Dene community in Yellowknife, N.W.T. there are at least four other grandparents who are responsible for bringing up their children's children.

But Social Services has tied this long-standing Aboriginal tradition in red tape and the results is a no-win situation for all involved.

"Lots of grandkids who go to school live with their grandparents and they want me to translate for them or to go to Social Services with them," said Betsina. "The grandparents do their best but it's hard - especially in the fall when they need extra clothes and boots and parkas.

"When they get their old age pension, Social Services wants them to pay for everything out of the extra but once the pension comes and they pay their bills, there is no money left after the grocery store. They get very little food allowance and I see these old people cry," says Betsina.

Betsina's plan is to organize a group of people to get Social Services to extend the foster care plan to all of the grandparents who take care of grandchildren so their pension money lasts longer.

Tom Eagle, executive director of the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre in Yellowknife, is critical of the way the government has handled this issue.

"The whole system with the grandparents, put it this way, it's a traditional custom for Aboriginal children to live with their grandparents, as opposed to legal adoption. This has got to be looked at. At no time should Social Services say that you have this amount of money from your pension, you don't need any more. That's taboo - this money is earmarked for pension, not adoption. If the grandkids were taken by a non-Aboriginal home, Social Services wouldn't hold back."

Lynn Brooks, with the N.W.T. Status of Women Council, agrees the Social Services system is ineffective in the case of traditional adoptions.

"With Social Services, grandparents may qualify as foster parents but they must meet the terms of a background check and a home study. The policy of what kind of home (is required) needs to be changed. The government says the home is substandard in most cases so there is no money given."

Ndilo chief Darrel Beaulieu says that none of the houses in Ndilo would pass city standards.

"The Elders are looking after their grandkids and they can't keep up financially. The only alternative is to take the kids away and give someone else money to look after them. If the houses aren't up to standard, up the housing so the kids can stay.

"The government needs to deliver the programs directly to the need. So many crises happen that could be averted if the long way around wasn't taken - just identify the people with needs," said Beaulieu.