Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine apologized Tuesday to children in care who were denied federal special allowance payments from 2005 to 2019.
“This was a profound injustice,” Fontaine said in the legislative assembly Tuesday.
The formal apology from the families minister was part of a $530-million settlement compensating every child affected by the provincial government clawback.
The NDP government had child-welfare agencies remit the federal benefit to the province in 2005, saying it was in compliance with the law because it was providing services to children in care.
The Progressive Conservative government stopped the practice in early 2019. It passed legislation the next year to prevent children in care from suing the province to get the money back. The province was taken to court over it.
A judge ruled in 2022 that the province violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Child-welfare agencies are now able to use the payments as they deem appropriate for the benefit of children in care.
“We are sorry,” Fontaine said in the house.
“These funds should’ve nourished your dreams… help you learn, grown and flourish,” the families minister said to those affected.
“I know healing is possible,” Fontaine, who acknowledged she was a child in care, said.
“We believe in your future. We believe in you.”
The $530 million will compensate the affected children, cover legal fees and be used to administer funds to class-action fund members.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca