AFN Chief Calls For Federal Funding Restructuring

AFN Chief Calls For Federal Funding Restructuring

Wednesday, November 04, 2009 at 13:35

 

 

Canada’s national chief says he’s hopeful some good came out of a session this week between himself and the standing committee on finance.

 

Shawn Atleo says he told the parliamentarians a new mechanism has to be developed for First Nations funding.

 

In particular the Assembly of First Nations grand chief says a stable and predictable fiscal transfer system needs to be designed, with escalators built into it.

 

Atleo says that unlike the systems set up for provinces and other jurisdictions, funding arrangements for First Nations are very arbitrary.

 

He says so-called “real indicators” like inflation and birth rates aren’t woven into the formula.

 

“The problem is that we’ve got a system that is too arbitrary. It lurches from year to year. It’s got major inconsistencies and inequities in it, and what we need is a radical re-orientation of the machinery of the federal government, in relation to how it deals with (funding) transfers,” Atleo says.

 

Atleo says education is an especially big problem.

 

He says First Nations are about $1.2-billion behind where they need to be.

 

And that isn’t even including the need for specialty services in schools, such as special education programs, libraries, sports programs and new technology.