INDIGENOUS CHILD WELFARE CONFERENCE

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ALL ARE WELCOME

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INDIGENOUS CHILD WELFARE CONFERENCE ~ ALL ARE WELCOME ~

CALL FOR PRESENTERS

If you are interested in Presenting at ICWC 2026, please take a look at our Presenters Package!

All submitted presenters packages will be reviewed and contacted upon approval.

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TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

  • The Path to Building Nation-Led CFS Laws

    This theme explores the journey of developing and implementing Nation-led Child and Family Services (CFS) laws that reflect the culture, values, and priorities of each Nation. From initial community conversations and engagement with Elders, youth, and families to drafting laws, establishing governance structures, and preparing for service delivery, this theme focuses on the practical steps involved in moving a Nation’s vision into action.

  • The Impact of Family and Community Separation on Indigenous Youth

    This theme centres the experiences of Indigenous youth who have been separated from their families, communities, cultures, and support networks through involvement with Child and Family Services. It invites discussion about how separation shapes identity, belonging, relationships, and well-being, while creating space to explore healing, reconnection, and the supports young people identify as meaningful.

  • Indigenous Enterprise in CFS: Building Capacity, Strengthening Families

    This theme explores how Indigenous entrepreneurs, Nations, and organizations can build the business and operational capacity to develop, deliver, and sustain CFS programs and services both on and off reserve. It focuses on turning community-identified needs into Indigenous-led service opportunities that support children, youth, parents, caregivers, and families while remaining grounded in cultural values and community priorities.

Event Details

  • Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre

  • October 27th - 29th, 2026

  • Open to Indigenous & non-Indigenous attendees

  • Attend in-person

Agenda
Agenda

MEET OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

  • Candice Chalifoux

    Our Journey To CFS Laws: Beaver First Nation

  • Deanne Kasokeo

    Our Journey To CFS Laws: Beaver First Nation

  • Anita Cardinal

    Our Journey To CFS Laws: Woodland Cree First Nation

  • Clifford Cardinal

    The Importance of Elders & Ceremony in Operating a Group Home

  • Joyce Arcand

    The Importance of Elders & Ceremony in Operating a Group Home

  • Eppo Eerkes

    “Return To The Falls ” Screening with Q&A

PANEL: THE CHALLENGES TO BUILDING NATION-LED CFS LAWS

Moderator

  • Candice Chalifoux is a Cree Métis woman. Elders and understanding Treaty, she has become a staunch advocate for Indigenous and Treaty Rights issues in Alberta and across Canada. Candice worked with various Chiefs Committees at Treaty 6 and also participated in Ottawa during the Idle No More rallies among other activities related to advocacy and the protection of the Treaties and Inherent rights. She has written and co-authored many indigenous laws such as the Matrimonial and land laws, Membership laws, constitutions, and election laws for First Nations. She is an Indigenous advocate specializing in lands, and treaties, promoting Indigenous sovereignty, and an analyst of legislation and policy affecting Indigenous peoples and has been involved in various claims processes.

Panelists

  • Anita Cardinal is Nêhiyaw (Cree) and a member of Woodland Cree First Nation situated on Treaty 8 Territory. She is a compassionate and determined lawyer who aims to work towards justice, truth and upholding Treaty Rights. Anita returned to university after many years practice as a senior paralegal to obtain her law degree and was called to the Alberta Bar in 2023. Anita is committed to serving clients, in Child, Youth and Family law, Advisory roles, Wills, Indigenous law-making and litigation. She has experience in class actions for First Nation victims such as the Sixties Scoop and Forced Sterilization of Indigenous women in Alberta, of which her mother is the Representative Plaintiff.

    Anita offers First Nation law making services from a Treaty perspective, including in the development of Indigenous laws and policy. She currently works with her nations CFS agency 

    Mistikaskiy Ohipikihawasowin Mamawintowin Society  (MOMS), as in house council in development of their CFS laws under the Act.  She also is a lawyer with O'Kelly Law and a new roster lawyer for the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, Legal Representation for Children and Youth (LRCY).

    Beyond law, Anita serves on the Board of Directors of the River Valley Alliance and is the founder of Indigenous Runner YEG, she is an ultramarathon trail runner and the Race Director and organizer of the Annual Orange Shirt Day Run/Walk held on the National Day For Truth and Reconciliation. She is most passionate about her family and providing a strong voice for human rights issues and children in care.

  • Delma Kipling is a member of Beaver First Nation and Child and Family Services professional dedicated to advancing First Nations CFS laws and strengthening support for Indigenous children and families.

  • Deanne Kasokeo is a dedicated lawyer, advocate, and playwright from Treaty 6 Territory, known for her relentless commitment to defending the rights and interests of First Nations people. With 16 years of legal practice, she has represented clients in criminal, family, child protection, labour, employment, and governance matters. She has served as legal counsel to three First Nations, helping build strong governance frameworks and engaging in negotiations with both provincial and federal governments.

    Deanne has appeared in Provincial, King’s Bench, and Federal Courts, as well as before labour boards and adjudicators for IAP Residential School claims. A published playwright, her powerful work “Truth Hurts” inspired her to pursue law. She famously reclaimed her copyright in Federal Court, highlighting her tenacity. A descendant of Mistahi Maskwa (Big Bear) and raised in a strong matriarchal tradition, Deanne is a proud mother, grandmother, and advocate for Treaty rights, cultural protection, and Indigenous justice.

PANEL: THE IMPACT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SEPERATION ON INDIGENOUS YOUTH

Moderator

  • Deanne Kasokeo is a dedicated lawyer, advocate, and playwright from Treaty 6 Territory, known for her relentless commitment to defending the rights and interests of First Nations people. With 16 years of legal practice, she has represented clients in criminal, family, child protection, labour, employment, and governance matters. She has served as legal counsel to three First Nations, helping build strong governance frameworks and engaging in negotiations with both provincial and federal governments.

    Deanne has appeared in Provincial, King’s Bench, and Federal Courts, as well as before labour boards and adjudicators for IAP Residential School claims. A published playwright, her powerful work “Truth Hurts” inspired her to pursue law. She famously reclaimed her copyright in Federal Court, highlighting her tenacity. A descendant of Mistahi Maskwa (Big Bear) and raised in a strong matriarchal tradition, Deanne is a proud mother, grandmother, and advocate for Treaty rights, cultural protection, and Indigenous justice.

Panelists

  • Robyn Badger, who comes from the Saddle Lake First Nation. Who is a 60's scoop adoptee and has been in the system since baby. She has graduated from the First Nations university with her bachelor of indigenous Social Work and Found healing through her trauma while attending university. She now works as a Post Majority Manager trying to better the lives of others who are currently aging out of care. She brings her experience while being in care and the journey she took looking for her siblings who were also part of the 60's scoop. Her experience brings emotional awareness to others who have also been part of the system.

  • Bernadette Cook is a powerful voice for systemic change, a dedicated child advocate, and a structural expert in family preservation and Indigenous welfare. With a rich professional background as a former Child Protective Worker and Indigenous Houseless Case Manager, Bernadette brings a rare and necessary perspective to the stage, combining front-line institutional knowledge with a profound, unyielding dedication to grassroots community healing. As a matriarch, mother of 8, and grandmother to 20 grandchildren, Bernadette’s advocacy is deeply rooted in personal truth and legacy. She is the daughter of a resilient Residential School warrior and the sister of a victim of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Having personally triumphed through a grueling one-year struggle with Alberta Indigenous Child and Family Services (CFS)and a subsequent three-year battle for equal rights, acknowledgement, and the dignity of kinship care, she speaks with the unmatched authority of a leader who has lived the realities of the systems she seeks to reform. ScienceDirect.com +2 Bernadette’s speaking engagements champion the critical importance of keeping parents, extended families, and kinship systems directly involved in the lives of children in care. Her presentations focus on a core, transformative mission: preventing the fracturing of family bonds, keeping culture and identity intact, and enforcing fair and equal access to services through Jordan’s Principle. FSIN.ca +1 Bringing a clear, courageous voice to all levels of authority, Bernadette speaks to remind leaders of their foundational duty to ensure safety, protect communities, and fiercely support families. She commands the stage with a philosophy that is as simple as it is revolutionary—every family belongs together, and every family has an absolute right to preventative care first and foremost. ScienceDirect.com When she is not carrying her voice to tables of power, Bernadette can be found indulging her passion as an avid thrift shopper, discovering hidden treasures, and continuing her lifelong journey of advocacy.

  • Claudette Seguin, BPA, RSW

    I have worked in human services since 1995. After beginning my career in corrections and transitioning into social work, I found my place at Ben Calf Robe Society in 1998. I hold a Bachelor of Professional Arts with a major in Criminal Justice and am a Registered Social Worker in Alberta. I am happily married and deeply value my family, including my two sons and two stepdaughters. As a proud Métis woman, I am passionate about working with and serving the Indigenous community.

PANEL: INDIGENOUS ENTERPRISE IN CFS: BUILDING CAPACITY, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES

Moderator

  • Deanne Kasokeo is a dedicated lawyer, advocate, and playwright from Treaty 6 Territory, known for her relentless commitment to defending the rights and interests of First Nations people. With 16 years of legal practice, she has represented clients in criminal, family, child protection, labour, employment, and governance matters. She has served as legal counsel to three First Nations, helping build strong governance frameworks and engaging in negotiations with both provincial and federal governments.

    Deanne has appeared in Provincial, King’s Bench, and Federal Courts, as well as before labour boards and adjudicators for IAP Residential School claims. A published playwright, her powerful work “Truth Hurts” inspired her to pursue law. She famously reclaimed her copyright in Federal Court, highlighting her tenacity. A descendant of Mistahi Maskwa (Big Bear) and raised in a strong matriarchal tradition, Deanne is a proud mother, grandmother, and advocate for Treaty rights, cultural protection, and Indigenous justice.

Panelists

  • Bio Coming Soon…

  • Karen McCarthy is the CEO of Inspire Group of Companies Ltd. and a proud band member of Whitefish Lake Cree Nation #128. A dynamic entrepreneur with over 21 years of experience, Karen has built a reputation for advancing Indigenous-led initiatives in training, housing, governance, and economic development. As a graduate of the University of Lethbridge with a degree in First Nations Governance, she combines academic insight with lived experience to champion community-driven solutions. Karen is deeply committed to creating pathways for Indigenous youth, families, and communities through meaningful partnerships and impactful programs. Her leadership reflects a strong foundation in cultural values, community service, and forward-thinking strategies. Beyond her professional achievements, Karen is a proud mother and grandmother whose dedication to family fuels her passion for Indigenous advancement. She continues to lead Inspire Group with integrity, vision, and a deep respect for the sovereignty and self-determination of First Nations people.

  • Iskwew kapaw apih Musqua (karen pelletier) is from the Musqua family of Keeseekoose First Nation and is a proud Ashnishanabe/Nehiyawak mother and grandmother. Her immediate family is all females and quite independent, brave, courageous and fearless. She comes from a family of RCMP members; that includes her mother, two sisters and herself, who is a Retired RCMP Sergeant. Plus, her family has military backgrounds on both sides with over a 100-yr history that continues today and includes herself serving in the Militia. After a three-day retirement from the RCMP, Musqua began her next chapter as Director of Child Welfare & Social Development with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). Her ability to build organizational capacity is reflected in the words of a former staff member: “I worked under Ms. Musqua’s direct supervision for five years with FSIN’s Child Welfare & Social Development. Her vision and leadership directly contributed to the development and advancement of numerous child welfare initiatives. Some of the work accomplished during this period remains among the work I am most proud of in my 20-plus-year legal career. She is an exceptionally fair, disciplined, compassionate, and respected leader whose integrity is second to none.” —Diana

  • Emcee: Orest Zwozdesky

    Indigepreneur & Coach | Visionary Speaker | Retreat & Workshop Leader

    Orest has spent thousands of hours learning from Elders, Mystics, and Visionary leaders, weaving together sacred teachings, ritual, and personal reflection to shape a leadership style that is both deeply ancestral and fiercely modern. He has worked with thousands of people in person and online from 15 different countries around the world, leading powerful workshops, retreats and Firewalking rituals, delivering thought-provoking talks, and holding space for real change.

  • Conference Elder: Bob Merasty

    Cree Language Leadership | Traditional Knowledge Teaching | Community Empowerment

    Robert (Bob) Merasty is an Indigenous leader, economic development strategist, and traditional knowledge teacher with decades of experience in business development, governance, and Cree language revitalization. A former Chief of Flying Dust First Nation and Second Vice Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Bob is dedicated to advancing Indigenous economic self-reliance, community empowerment, and the preservation of Cree culture and traditions.

  • Fly-In-Eagle Drum Group

    Little Pine First Nation, SK

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