Canada’s failure: Not doing better when it knows better for First Nations children

Dr. Cindy Blackstock

First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

A member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children’s rights.

Her reconciliation based approach to addressing contemporary inequalities experienced by First Nations children and youth by engaging children and young people and other members of the public to implement evidence informed solutions has been recognized by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, the Indigenous Bar Association, Frontline Defenders and many others.

An author of numerous articles and a widely sought after public speaker, Cindy has collaborated with other Indigenous leaders to assist the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in the development and adoption of a General Comment on the Rights of Indigenous children and currently serves as a Commissioner for the Pan American Health Organization’s study on Health Equity and Inequity.