Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) President Duane Ningaqsiq Smith have signed an accord recognizing the IRC's first official law.

With the stroke of a pen, , or the SA国际影视传媒淚nuvialuit Family Way of Living Law" has completed its journey from idea to law. A signing ceremony was held at the IRC main office on Sept. 30 as part of recognitions of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

"Now we look forward to implementing and I will say that part of our process is that we, as Inuvialuit, will develop the policies that will guide us in implementation," said executive director of beneficiary services Evelyn Storr. "And that is so important, because it's not coming from anybody else, but the Inuvialuit. So I really, really appreciate everything, the planning, everything we can finally, finally sign this document."

The law, which has been in place since 2021, is the ultimate goal of bringing child welfare of Inuvialuit children under the mantle of the IRC. Efforts began with establishing access to information and establish better control on how to keep children in their home communities.

Another part of the law is providing groundwork to enhance supports for Inuvialuit families to reduce the needs for intervention. It also requires all federal, territorial and provincial governments to meet standards when providing child and family services to Inuvialuit children and their families. It now means the IRC is fully involved in any and all child welfare cases involving Inuvialuit children.

The law will not reduce existing services. Along with the new law comes $534 million over 10 years to help the IRC implement it.

Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Lesa Semmler, who's also the Minister of Health and Social Services, said it was an honour to sign the document.

"As an Indigenous woman, one of the things in my portfolio is to ensure that we provide the prevention so we don't continue to hear of the stories that we hear," she said. "When we work together supporting Indigenous children in our communities, they are going to thrive. They are going to be better people in this future, and they're going to be the ones that are going to be our future."

Under the federal SA国际影视传媒淎ct respecting First Nations, Inuit and M茅tis children, youth and families,SA国际影视传媒� which came into force Jan. 1, 2020, Indigenous governments have the right to exercise their own jurisdiction over child and family services and develop programs more in line with traditional Indigenous cultures and values. These laws are considered federal and overrule provincial and territorial jurisdiction.

"It's taken us 34 months to get to the stage, and again, we're very grateful for the support in regards to assisting us in taking back our responsibility of looking after our children, and this is the next step in that process," said Smith, holding back tears.

Still known by its original name as 'Orange Shirt Day', the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a reminder of when seized children from Indigenous and Inuit families at the behest of the Canadian government. It was initially started in 2013 from the account of Phyllis Webstad of Xgat'tem First Nation and how her brand new orange shirt was taken away on her first day of residential school.

The shirt serves as a metaphor for Indigenous and Inuit languages, culture and heritage.

"Last time I was here in Inuvik, it was a few months before I became prime minister, and at that moment, I made a commitment to you and to everyone that we were going to take reconciliation seriously and that we were going to rebuild the partnership between Indigenous peoples and Canada, that we were going to invest in the kinds of things that were necessary to advance along the reconciliation journey, to recognize the pains and terrible, terrible damage done in the past and move forward in concrete ways," said Trudeau.

"Children need to be at the heart of reconciliation. And the signing of this child and family services agreement with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation really shows that next step over the next 10 years. Over $500 million to make sure that kids get the proper support, not just to keep them safe, but to keep them grounded in language and identity and traditional knowledge; in the confidence that they need to be fully proud of their identity and their future."

The National Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419 and provides crisis referral services to survivors and their families and explains how to obtain other health supports from the Government of Canada.

First Nations, Inuit, and M茅tis seeking immediate emotional support can also contact the Hope for Wellness Help Line toll-free at 1-855-242-3310, or by online chat at.