Kimelman Report facts for kids

The Kimelman Report was a very important study in Canada that changed how Indigenous children were protected. It was a big step in making sure Indigenous families and cultures were respected when decisions about children were made.

In the early 1980s, there was a sad time called the Sixties Scoop. During this time, many Indigenous children were taken from their families. They were often adopted by non-Indigenous parents, sometimes even in other countries. To understand what happened and how to fix it, the government of Manitoba created a special committee. Judge Edwin C. Kimelman led this committee.

In 1984, after looking at many cases, Judge Kimelman said something very powerful. He stated that "cultural genocide has been taking place in a systematic, routine manner." This meant that Indigenous cultures were being harmed in a planned way by taking children from their communities.

What Was the Kimelman Report?

In 1985, Judge Kimelman's committee released its final report. It was called "No Quiet Place" but is often known simply as the Kimelman Report. This report had a huge impact on how child welfare (the system that helps children) works for Indigenous children in Canada. It also influenced other places around the world.

The report included 109 ideas or recommendations to improve the child welfare system in Manitoba. It was clear that the committee wanted to make real changes. They didn't want the report to just be ignored or to make things look better than they were.

The Sixties Scoop: A Difficult Past

Before the Kimelman Report, many people didn't fully understand the problem. They didn't realize that a large number of Indigenous children were being sent away for adoption. For example, in 1982, about 25% of all children placed for adoption from Manitoba were sent outside the province. Almost all of these children were Indigenous.

Many social workers and agencies saw each case as a one-off situation. They didn't see the bigger picture. The Kimelman Report helped everyone understand that this was a widespread issue. It showed that children were routinely being sent to homes in the United States and other parts of Canada, far from their families and culture.

Why Was the Report So Important?

The Kimelman Report was very important because it brought attention to the serious problems in the child welfare system. It highlighted how taking Indigenous children from their families could lead to a loss of their culture and identity. The report pushed for changes that would keep Indigenous children connected to their communities and heritage. It also emphasized the need for Indigenous communities to have more control over decisions about their children.

What Did the Report Recommend?

The report's many recommendations aimed to fix the issues it found. These ideas focused on making sure that Indigenous children could stay with their families or within their communities whenever possible. It also suggested that Indigenous people should be more involved in child welfare decisions. The Kimelman Report helped start a new way of thinking about child protection for Indigenous children, focusing on cultural connection and family preservation.

See also

• Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a Métis Child