From Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs October 22 2025
Treaty One, Manitoba — The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs’ (AMC) First Nations Family Advocate Office (FNFAO) expresses deep concern and condemnation following the announcement that all criminal charges against the owners of Spirit Rising House were stayed, with only a $35,000 corporate fine imposed in connection with the unlawful distribution of cannabis to children in care.
Spirit Rising House, a for-profit foster care agency entrusted with the care of 34 high-risk youth — many of them First Nations children — was found to have administered cannabis to children under the guise of “harm reduction,” without medical oversight or legal authority.
“The outcome of this case falls drastically short of justice for the harm inflicted on these children and youth. This decision sends the dangerous message that the well-being and rights of First Nations children in care can be violated without real consequence,” said Grand Chief Kyra Wilson.
“We are talking about vulnerable children, some with complex needs, being given unprescribed substances by the very people meant to protect them. That cannot be excused or dismissed with a corporate fine.”
The case, which involved serious allegations including the provision of illicit cannabis and exploitation under the guise of care, underscores systemic failures in the oversight of foster care services contracted by the Province of Manitoba. The children were removed only after internal investigations and media exposure, not proactive government accountability.
These events are the result of long-standing systemic failures within the Child and Family Services (CFS) system, particularly in relation to the treatment of First Nations children. Despite previous calls to action and commitments from the province, critical reforms remain either delayed or absent.
The AMC-FNFAO calls for:
- Implementation of a First Nations-led oversight mechanism to monitor and enforce standards in all group homes and foster care placements involving First Nations youth.
- Co-development of a comprehensive Youth Strategy with First Nations leadership that addresses the systemic failures of the CFS system and centers cultural safety, community care, and the inherent rights of First Nations youth.
- Trauma-informed, culturally appropriate healing support for the 34 children impacted.
“The safety, dignity, and rights of our children must be non-negotiable,” said Grand Chief Wilson. “We demand real accountability and systemic transformation. Not excuses, not delays, and certainly not slap-on-the-wrist penalties for those who harm our children.”
For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs:
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.
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