Hearings have begun in a lawsuit alleging the Manitoba government misappropriated more than $250 million meant for Indigenous children in care.
Indigenous child welfare agencies claim the province started clawing back money from the federally run Children's Special Allowance Act in 2006 and did not stop the practice until 2019.
A civil trial between 19 Manitoba child welfare agencies and Indigenous groups and the province of Manitoba started in Court of Queen's Bench on Tuesday morning. The proceedings are being heard virtually.
Lawyers for the child welfare agencies say the case is a dispute between Indigenous peoples and the province.
The hearings are expected to go on for four days. The judge may order the government to repay the funds at the end of this week.
