Southern chiefs seek changes to birth name registration
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/02/2022 (1483 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Southern Chiefs’ Organization is calling on the province to change the Vital Statistics Act, after two Manitoba First Nations parents were told the agency would not accept the spelling of their newborn’s name.
“Imagine, being at the hospital following the birth of your child, and not being able to register that little one’s chosen name,” Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said in a release Friday. “That’s the reality facing one of my citizens right now, and likely countless other First Nation families throughout this province.”
According to SCO, Carson Robinson and Zaagaate Jock learned shortly after the birth of their first daughter a traditional Mohawk name which includes a colon would not be accepted by Vital Statistics for a birth certificate.
Under the act, the given name and the surname on a birth registration can only include letters A to Z, accents from the English or French languages, hyphens and apostrophes.
“From where I sit, this is not an appropriate excuse when parents are being denied the right to register the name of their child,” Daniels said, noting the province’s Path to Reconciliation Act states the government must take immediate and long-term actions to respond to the priorities and needs of Indigenous nations and people.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the provincial government said Manitoba is working on the inclusion of Indigenous names and syllabics and exploring potential legislative amendments. Software or technology used by Vital Statistics Branch is not a constraint, the spokesperson added.
“This will, of course, require consultations to ensure changes are made appropriately to meet the needs of community… The VSB does want to work toward a solution with the parents who have come forward.”
The spokesperson said all provincial jurisdictions must also work with federal counterparts when contemplating changes, as that level of government is also responsible for issuing identity documents.