Current Status

An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families (the Act; formerly Bill C-92) received royal assent on June 21, 2019 and came into force January 1, 2020.

Most notably the Act creates national standards for child and family services for Indigenous peoples and establishes recognition and a pathway for Indigenous jurisdiction of child and family services in Canada. All service providers that are delivering child and family services to First Nations, Métis and Inuit children and families must now implement the national principles and the minimum standards that have been established in sections 9 to 17 of the Act. Until an Indigenous Governing Body exercises their jurisdiction and enters into a coordination agreement with their province and the Canadian government, the provincial child and family services laws and the new minimum standards will continue to apply.

Currently within the Métis Nation, the Governing Members are at various stages of engagement with their citizens regarding the Act. Each is at a different place in the development of a strategy about implementing the Act. Based on the outcome of the engagements, Governing Members will determine how they will approach jurisdiction that serves the expressed desires and interests of the Métis peoples within their region.

The leadership of each Métis Nation has mandated the MNC to support its Governing Members in planning, engagement and application of self-government that Bill C-92 provides and upholding the Métis Nation objective to keep Métis children safe, healthy and thriving within their families, community and culture.