The Minister of Children and Family Development took part in a significant event at the Upper Nicola Band near Kamloops earlier this week.

Katrine Conroy says she was invited by Chief Harvey McLeod to the unveiling of a “Grandmothers Declaration,” to show their responsibility to care for children in the community.

“It was an invite from chief Harvey McLeod to come meet the grandmothers who have done a grandmothers declaration on their responsibility for caring for children in their community. And it’s about ensuring children of the Upper Nicola Band can stay in their community with their families, learning their culture, and that there’s supports for the families to ensure those children are growing up in safe and healthy environments,” Conroy says.

“Not only Chief Harvey felt it needs to be issued, it’s the entire community feels it needs to be addressed. And they are all working together to provide the supports that need to be there to keep children at home in the community… It’s an initiative of the whole community.”

Conroy says the declaration will ensure children on the First Nation can stay in their community.