The Saskatchewan government is reviewing its policies around birth alerts.
This comes in the same week as B.C. deciding to end the practice.
In June, the province said it was going to continue with the alerts even though there was a recommendation from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) inquiry to stop.
The Ministry of Social Services said alerts are registered if there is a concern about the mother and the safety of her baby.
“That doesn’t mean that a child is necessarily coming into the care of the Ministry of Social Services. What it means is that there is a mom out there who needs some support,” said Social Services Minister Paul Merriman.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is glad to see B.C. has ended the alerts and is calling on Saskatchewan to follow suit, noting it discriminates against Indigenous parents.
“It shows a direct lack of respect for our families and the Inherent and Treaty Rights of our women and children. Our children deserve to be in their own homes and communities where they can learn their language, culture and traditions,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in a statement.
More than 150 alerts were set off in 2017 and 2018.
Fifty-five children were taken into care within the first month of birth in 2017.
There were 45 in 2018.
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