Political goals override kid's needs

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Two recent tragedies involving Native children has put Manitoba's new system of Indian-controlled child welfare agencies under criticism.

The agencies were established in the early eighties after controversy about adoption of Indian children by white parents. The agencies were established to ensure that Native children are placed with Native families.

However, the agencies have been criticized recently for their handling of certain cases.

In one instance, the Awasis Agency arranged to have a 14-year old girl returned to her natural parents on a reserve, even though she has been raised by a white family for 13 years. After a few months, the girl reported she was gang-raped on the reserve and asked to be returned to her foster parents.

In another case, a 10-month old Native girl suffered brain damage as a result of an incident after Awasis placed the baby in a Native foster home. Police are investigating the incident.

Critics say the Native agencies sometimes let their political goals interfere with their obligations to protect the children's interests.

In the Manitoba legislature this week, calls for a provincial takeover of Awasis were rejected, saying the agency is being hampered by a shortage of federal financial assistance.