Thread by @TamaraMStory

This is my story:

I am 34. I have been fighting to get my children returned back from Child and Family Services in Winnipeg for 10 years.

We stayed eating salt and vinegar packages. That is all we found in the room. And water.

In 2009 I walked Winnipeg to Ottawa w/ my aunt Elaine, sister Melissa & Elders Bev Jones and Melba Sanoffsky 4 my kids & to raise awareness.

My sister Melissa also has her kids in "care". All my sisters except one has their kids in care. My sister who lives in Ontario doesn't.

Metis Elder Melba Sanoffsky from Manitoba is a residential school survivor and her children were taken in the 60's scoop.

Already since starting this account and posting on Facebook there have been so much positive support but also negative assumptions about me.

I am going to present the facts as I have lived them. But I want to make clear that this is more than just about me.

My story is so many Indigenous stories, we who jump through the hoops, have stable homes, drug & alcohol free, still they won't return kids.

Since 2009, I have had 3 risk assessments by Child Welfare Agencies on my home and all turned out positive with no concerns.

I have four children. 3 boys and one girl. All three boys were taken into care in Manitoba. My oldest son has since aged out of the system.

My oldest son kept asking to come home to me and he ran away numerous times. When he was fifteen he ran away and came to my house.

I am now fighting to get my other two boys returned to me. I now live in Ontario with my husband and daughter.

When my oldest son ran away at 15 he came all the way from Winnipeg to our home in Serpent River. The native care agency here was supportive

They supported him being here and he went to school and we went to ceremonies and to powwows. We danced together for the first time at Dokis

The agency here helped to block the Manitoba CFS from removing him with police force.

My son has since had a child who lives in Manitoba now. Although he lives here, the CFS has been in touch with the mother there.

They have threatened to remove the baby because the father, my son, was in "care" as a child. My grandchild is adorable & the mom is amazing

Her home is beautiful, she is drug and alcohol free, her life revolves around her child. They are preying upon Indigenous families.

I know the tendency is to think "there has to be a reason" or "they must not be telling the whole story". It's hard to believe this happens.

It's hard to believe some CFS agencies work against reuniting families. It's easier to believe something is wrong with us, than systemically

FYI, my story is a 10 year quest to get my children back. So I may jump around a bit in the timeline. By the end, it will be a full picture.

I remember sitting in the motel looking at my little brother as he stood on a chair crying, starring out the window crying for our mom...

I was trying to console him telling him it will be ok we will be going home soon... days turned into weeks we were moved again and again...

I found my self weak as I was now the one looking out the window crying for our mom or a worker to save us from the horrible home we were in

My sons and I suffer from inter generational trauma from CFS. My oldest son began to tell me his story a while ago. (Con't)...

He told me when he was 12 he tried asking the foster parents, workers & child advocates if he could go home to live with me.

It was Christmas. He was excited. The worker finially came to pick him up he was so overwhelmed with joy he thought she was driving him home

But he quickly realized he was being taking further away from where he was to another strange home far up north.

He told me he cried and cried asking the native foster lady over n over please help him go home saying please just take me home to my mom.

He told me he was crying just staring out the window waiting hoping for the worker to come back to bring him home to me.

After Friday's announcement of the 60's Scoop Settlement not being eligible for Metis/Non Status wondering about my kid's.

My oldest and youngest child have status, but my two middle boys do not, they are the two who Manitoba CFS refuses to return to me.

Long story short I'm listed as a 6(2) on the Indian Affairs registry even tho my ancestry is from Sandy Bay and Ebb and Flow.

At some point the male line of my family probably was enfranchised and so when my koko married my grandpa, she lost her status.

My koko, her kids including my mom, and me and my siblings never had status until 1985..

Because I'm listed as a 6(2) and my two middle children's father is native but not registered, my children are listed as non-status.

My oldest son and youngest, my daughter, are 'status.'

I had my oldest son when I was 16. I turned 17 a couple months after. I went to school during and after.

I really loved school. I was determined and never liked being late or missing any classes.

I was living with my koko. My mom and koko and other family members were really supportive, by my side, and helping me.

While pregnant I came home for lunch. There was a knock at the door.My koko commented it was strange b/c we lived in a apt. bldg w/ a buzzer

There was a lady there. I remember my Koko telling her, "no, we don't need your help, all you do is ruin families". She sent her away.

At the hospital when my son was born my Koko and mom were there. A CFS lady again tried to "offer help." My Koko told her we don't need it.

My Koko told me to nurse my baby otherwise my stay at the hospital would be longer. Even tho she didn't say, there was urgency to her words.

As soon as the nurses agreed that the baby was nursing well and had his first poop, my Koko packed up and we told the nurses we were leaving

I continued to go to school and brought my baby to the daycare at the school. I wanted to go, and was thinking about college.

The CFS worker came another time to my Koko's apartment when I was there but my Koko told them we didn't need their help n closed the door.

After a while I wanted to live on my own with my baby. My Koko suggested I go on welfare while finishing school so I could get my own place.

This next part I still don't quite understand. The welfare worker told me to fill out a sheet explaining why I wanted to live on my own.

Then they told me to go to CFS if I wanted to go on "independent living". So I went there. I filled out forms to be able to go on welfare.

I received $120 a month from welfare. I kept my first cheque stub as a reminder that I will never go on welfare again. It was demeaning.

I stayed on it for a while while going to school so that I could also have my own place. I made that $120 stretch and budgeted every penny.

The CFS didn't come to my home. I was in school and taking care of my boy. It was hard but great.

I was pregnant with my second child and still in school when a CFS worker came to the school to speak with me.

I was five months pregnant and I don't really know how they knew I was pregnant except maybe through my doctor? Or the school?

The worker came back several times, each time I told him I didn't need his help. He gave me his card and said if I needed help to call him.

I was so young and naive. I called him after a while because I thought he could help get me into housing so I could move from the small apt.

He told me he could find me resources to help get me into college. But said I needed to sign a paper.

He brought me one sheet called an "Authority of Determination" sheet. I found out it's to have you agree to be with a particular agency.

I later found out is actually a 3 page document. I was only ever brought the signature page.

I am trying to find out more about it. It's quite possible they never closed my own file of when I was 5 put in care for a year.

I recently requested my file (my own file, as they won't let me see my children's files) and went to read the court dockets on my case.

The visits where they were turned away at the door by my Koko were all listed.

In my file they say I was "non compliant" when my Koko turned them away at the door.

My second son was born when I just turned 20. He is non status. His dad is Anishinaabe frmPine Creek but non status. So my boy isn't either.

I'm going to continue my story now about when my kids were apprehended and what has happened in the 10 years since.

Once I had my 2nd son, CFS mostly left us alone. But, this is hard to admit, his dad was violent towards me & it got worse as time went on.

Our relationship was on and off. He was taken into police custody for domestic violence a few times after our son was born.

I was trying to hold everything together for my kids and because it was my son's dad I wanted it to work out.

I became pregnant again and had my third son at the age of 24. By that time the relationship was not good. I was made to feel less than.

If anyone has been in a situation of domestic violence they will know that mentally it's really hard. You feel lost, you can't think clearly

You keep hoping things will change and you lose yourself while trying to hold the household together.

One night I went out to bingo with my Koko. When I got home, he said the kids were sleeping. So I peeked in their rooms and they were asleep

The next morning he said he would get the kids ready for school and take them. So I thought nothing of it.

I got a call from the school saying my oldest son wasn't feeling well. I went and got him. He almost looked drugged.

I knew something was really wrong so I asked him what was wrong. He said he was pushed at school and hit his head on a log.

I felt his head and it felt soft. I took him to the hospital right away and told them he was pushed at school. They ran tests and a CT scan.

The CFS worker came to his room. She asked what happened, I told her what I was taught from my Koko which was to tell her to leave.

She laughed and went away. She came back with the police and I told them they needed to investigate what happened at the school.

They left and I stayed with my son in the hospital. The next day the police returned &said they investigated & nothing happened at school.

They told me I was under arrest and handcuffed me in front of my son in his room and led me outside to the police car.

They bent me over the car and checked my pockets and then put me in the car and brought me to the police station.

They put me in an interview room. For 11 hours different police kept coming in and asked me "how did you hurt your son?"

They wouldn't stop. They kept asking and saying thing like "did you hurt your son the way Phoenix Sinclair was hurt?"

They would go out and different police would come in. They said if I didn't admit it they would go take my kids from my mom's house.

My two other boys were with my mom while I went to the hospital. I told them I wanted to talk to a lawyer.

They said I could have one phone call. I called a lawyer and he told me to just keep telling them the truth, that I didn't hurt my child.

After 11 hours they let me go. I called my mom from the first pay phone I could find. She was crying.

My mom told me police and CFS workers wearing medical gloves came and took the two boys.

She tried to fight them but she couldn't stop them. I then went to the hospital. It was nighttime. The door was locked.

They told me to come back tomorrow. I went back the next morning and they told me my oldest son was no longer at the hospital.

I found out later he was there but they had moved him to a different floor. I was frantic to try to find out information from police and CFS

My ex partner, the father of my two youngest boys, was charged with assault of my son. I have no idea if he was convicted.

I wrote to Winnipeg Police Services to find out information but they wrote back saying they were unable to release the info on his case.

I will write more in the coming days on what happened next.

This is a picture of me & my little baby girl years ago at our first powwow. My daughter has never been in care. My sons remain in CFS. Why?

My heart goes out to the parents and grandparents who have had their children stolen by Manitoba CFS. 💔

In 2009 I walked from Winnipeg to Ottawa carrying my staff and wearing eagle plumes the whole way. All I want is my children back.

I have had 3 home assessments by CFS/CAS and they were all perfect. I have done every course they asked me to. Still they won't return them.

The day my children were taken from me was devastating. I felt so helpless. I believed my son when he told me he got hurt at the school.

For days after I kept calling the I kept calling the ANRC office, where children are placed before they officially get put with an agency.

The lady who answered kept telling me she couldn't help me and that I should try call the head office and see if I could speak to someone.

I finally spoke to the CEO of the general authority of CFS he told me to stop trying to get my kids, he said "they're no longer yours."

I wouldn't give up. I kept calling the 1 800 number and just let the lady know what number I could be reached at and gave her my address.

Finally a worker from Winnipeg CFS called me & told me to come meet with her so I went.

I took a worker from E.A.G.L.E Urban Transition Centre with me for support. The worker told me she couldn't discuss my case b/c he was w/ me

I asked where my boys were, if they were all together and if they were with a First Nation family. She wouldn't tell me anything.

The next day I went to the head CFS office to write up a letter to request an "authority of determination protocol."

I called and wrote and got no reply from the agencies. I spoke to advocates, workers. Anyone and everyone to get information.

I was finally allowed to see my youngest boy Darius one year later in 2008. He was still breastfeeding when they apprehended him.

I was allowed 3 supervised visits for a half hour each with him. They told me I could see him every week.

After those three visits, without warning or explanation they cut off all visits between me and my youngest son.

I didn't see him again until 2011.

They never gave me any updates about him except to say he was happy in his home.

I didn't get to see my oldest boy Lee til 2009. & I didn't get to see my middle boy Anthony until 2011. 4 yrs after they were apprehended.

I asked and asked but was never told how they were, where they were, if they were together or not.

This is one of the emails I wrote in 2010:

The reply I got back said my kids case plan was to "meet their needs." And they couldn't share video because of privacy legislation.

I'm sorry if I messed up the thread. Some tweets appear not to be linked. Scroll down on my page and read from the bottom to see all.

Anyway, I'll continue. I forgot to mention earlier how I found out what happened to my boy. I met with a worker at CFS.

The worker asked me if I knew why my children were in care. I asked her if it was because my son got hurt at school.

She said "No, Tamara, your son was hurt by your ex." She asked if I was aware of this. I told her no and I cried. I felt so hurt and angry.

This was the 1st time I knew what actually happened. I knew he was abusive to me. I didn't know he was doing this to the boys when i was out

As I mentioned earlier, he was charged with Abuse causing bodily harm. I have never been able to find out if he was convicted.

The worker asked me if I knew where he was. I said no. Right after the boys were apprehended I left him. We've had no contact since.

On Feb 5, 2009 I got to see my oldest son Lee for the first time since he was apprehended on Oct 16, 2007.

The next time I got to see him was a year and a half later on Aug 31, 2010 for a two day unsupervised visit with my Koko.

Six months later a few days before Christmas in 2010, I finally got to see all three of my boys as once.

This was the first time I was able to see and hold Anthony in four years. They met Miah their baby sister for the first time.

As I mentioned Miah has never been in care. The CAS here in Ontario is trying to help me get my kids back from Manitoba.

March 30, 2011 was the next time I got to see all my boys. They made me have a supervised visit for an hour with Anthony and Darius.

But for some reason Lee was allowed to stay with me in the hotel overnight. I'm grateful of course for these movements. But don't understand

Why my two younger boys required supervised visits?

May of 2011 I was allowed an unsupervised overnight visit with Lee and Anthony.

Another overnight visit in July of 2011 with my two older boys.

I didn't see my baby boy again until Nov 1, 2011.

At the visit Nov 1, 2011, they said I could have two hours at the CFS office with all 3 boys. The workers brought in my baby boy 1/2 late.

My husband daughter & I travelled so far. We were not permitted an unsupervised visit and only for two hours. Each 1/2 hr was precious.

Once when I travelled all the way to Winnipeg for a scheduled visit the worker told me she didn't know anything about it and had to cancel.

They kept moving the goal post, and keep moving it. A worker once told me I will never get the kids back. Another told me to give up.

Another worker told me "these are my kids now". Another told me "all native women get their kids taken away."

My Koko passed away in 2012 and my dad passed away in 2013. I asked but CFS wouldn't let my boys attend the funerals either time.

CFS told me "your boys don't know them" when I asked if they could attend my Koko's and my Dad's funerals. I was heartbroken.

In 2014 I contacted Dilico in Ontario thinking maybe the CAS here could assist. I recently requested a history of our dealings in writing.

This is page 2 of the letter. The agency was transferred a few times so they were unable to see it through.

The letter outlines several important points, #1, the "ward" status of my oldest son Lee was to be rescinded. It never has been to this day.

#2. At "no point" did this agency have any concerns about me or my home. #3. The level of frustration Dilico faced trying to deal w/ WRCFS.