The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is urging the province to take action on a for-profit private foster home provider that is accused of allowing children in its care to go to homes where they were sexually exploited, and providing them with cannabis.
In a news release issued late Wednesday, the assembly urged the provincial government and Winnipeg police to take “decisive action” to address revelations involving foster homes in Winnipeg operated by Spirit Rising House.
Search warrant documents obtained by CBC News show police had obtained warrants to search 14 homes run by the for-profit.
Winnipeg police stated in a sworn affidavit the evidence collected at the time showed people involved with Spirit Rising House were “criminally negligent” and caused numerous children to suffer bodily harm.
“It is unacceptable that vulnerable children have been subjected to such egregious exploitation,” AMC deputy grand chief Betsy Kennedy stated in Wednesday’s release.
She demanded “immediate and comprehensive action to ensure justice and protection for these children.”
The foster home provider has been under police investigation since February, after a social media post alleged the company was providing marijuana to youth in its care as a form of harm reduction.
According to the affidavit, Spirit Rising House workers told police that young people at some homes were given marijuana as a reward for doing chores.
One worker told police that foster parents at one home let the youth go to homes where they were sexually exploited, and that the young people were selling themselves for drugs and alcohol.
Sources told CBC News several people connected with Spirit Rising House have been arrested, but charges have not been laid at this time.
The ownership group of Spirit Rising House has declined to comment on the search warrant documents.
Spirit Rising House ran nine foster homes and two specialized group homes for high-risk youth in Child and Family Services (CFS) care before the provincial government cut ties with the provider at the end of February, pledging to remove all 34 youth in their care.
Assembly pledges to support youth
AMC says it’s committed to supporting the 34 youth and ensuring they have the care and resources needed to move forward.
Kennedy says she would like to see Indigenous leadership further involved in the process.
“It certainly would be helpful to have someone there knowing that they are our children … providing them a culturally appropriate service,” she told CBC News.
“We want to make sure that the other youth … have someone to go to.”
Shortly after allegations against Spirit Rising House first came to light, AMC called on the province to impose a moratorium on the provider and appoint an administrator to manage it until an investigation into its activities was completed.
Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine has said her department is aware of the ongoing police investigation, directing all questions to Winnipeg police.
“They haven’t really listened to our concerns and things are coming out,” Kennedy said. “It has to be done now. We can’t wait for our children to be abused in any way.”
In its release, the assembly said First Nation children are already facing “disproportionate challenges” within the CFS system.
It called for a thorough probe into the allegations, immediate measures to protect children in care, a comprehensive strategy addressing systemic issues in CFS, and transparent oversight mechanisms to prevent future abuses.
First Nation leadership “must be involved in ways of protecting our our children,” Kennedy said.