WHAT IS BILL C-92?
1. Establishes national standards for Indigenous children in child welfare; and
2. Establishes a legal pathway by which First Nations and Indigenous governing bodies can enact their own laws with respect to child and family welfare.
Bill C-92 brings into force a set of new national standards including principles related to the best interest of an Indigenous child with priority given to supporting families with preventative care. Bill C-92 also recognizes that one size does not fit all when it comes to Indigenous child and family service models across Canada. Indigenous communities have the freedom to develop laws and policies tailored to their unique circumstances and traditions.
“Particularly in this time when more and more Indigenous communities are beginning to exercise their sense of self-government, their sense of taking control of their lives, their sense of doing things for themselves and getting out from under the control of government – as they’re doing it, they’re asking ‘How can we develop a law about education? How can we develop a child-welfare law that truly respects our traditions and our customs and our beliefs?’ I’m here to help our communities and Indigenous lawyers understand that.”
~THE HON. MURRAY SINCLAIR, GENERAL COUNSEL
Who We Are
Cochrane Saxberg is Manitoba’s largest Indigenous law firm making us uniquely positioned to take on a variety of matters related to Indigenous issues. We have two office locations, one in Winnipeg and one at Swan Lake First Nation (on reserve) in Headingley, Manitoba. Our legal team is led by Harold Cochrane, a Cree lawyer from Fisher River Cree Nation. Mr. Cochrane is a managing partner at Cochrane Saxberg LLP.
We are closely connected to the Indigenous community. We bring a unique perspective to the practice of law, and our lawyers have genuine, extensive, and first-hand experience in Indigenous law and legal issues that are unique to Indigenous communities.
We are privileged to have The Honourable Murray Sinclair, retired Senator, past Associate Chief Judge for Manitoba’s Provincial Court, past Justice in the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench and Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, join the firm as General Counsel. Mr. Sinclair brings with him decades of invaluable experience, expertise, and visioning to our Bill C-92 work.
