The federal government overestimated the cost of complying with a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal order that it compensate First Nations children apprehended from their homes through the on-reserve child welfare system, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) issued a report on the price of the tribunal order Thursday. "We believe abiding by the [human rights tribunal] ruling would not be as expensive as what government has come up with in terms of estimates," Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux told CBC News. The report said a total of 53,700 First Nations children have been taken into care from reserves and Yukon since 2006. NDP MP Charlie Angus, who asked for the Parliamentary Budget Office to do the cost estimate, says Ottawa needs to drop its court challenge and negotiate the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal order.

Source: CBC News April 02, 2020 19:41 UTC