‘It’s an apartheid public service system:’ how Canada’s welfare system is failing indigenous people

Canada’s government has been fighting moves to give indigenous children the same access to services, support and funding as non-indigenous children, writes Justin Ling in Montreal

An indigenous child holds a flag during the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in September (AFP via Getty Images)

Cindy Blackstock was sitting in stunned silence, watching Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defend his record.

“You can’t take a knee one day, if you’re going to take Indigenous kids to court the next,” insisted Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s centre-left opposition party.

“Mr. Singh, you love that line about taking Indigenous kids to court,” Trudeau testily replied from his corner of the debate stage. “It’s actually not true.”