Federal Budget Very Unpopular With Native Leaders
Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 14:06
Yesterday’s federal budget is going over so poorly with Canada’s Native leaders, there is renewed talk of Aboriginal civil disobedience to get the government’s attention.
Assembly of First Nations national chief Phil Fontaine says a recent Senate report on the state of land claims in this country says it all. The report is entitled, “Negotiation or Confrontation: It’s Canada’s Choice”.
The AFN had previously announced that June 29th has been circled on the calendar as a day for First Nations to voice their displeasure over the government inaction.
AFN regional chief Angus Toulouse says it’s up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to decide how he wants it to go.
Other chiefs say they give credit to Fontaine for attempting diplomacy with the Conservative government, but add the Tories are clearly not listening.
The president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada describes Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s financial plan as “patronizing” and “paternalistic”.
Beverly Jacobs says she can’t find any mention of Aboriginal women and children or how the government intends to help them climb out of poverty.
Jacobs adds she can’t believe the budget talks about protecting the vulnerable — but excludes Aboriginal kids.
Jacobs adds the Tories seem to be ignoring the countless commissions and reports chronicling the plight of Aboriginal people.
She wants to know where Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was when the budget was drafted.
A spokesman for the Metis National Council says it’s clear Aboriginal people have been ignored in the government’s budget, in favour of other groups.
Tony Belcourt insists the MNC wasn’t expecting to receive social assistance. He says all the organization wanted was some economic development dollars to help grassroots Metis start businesses and companies.
He says that’s what the Conservatives had been championing over the past year, but they failed to deliver.
Belcourt says it’s difficult to see anything positive in the budget.
However, former Desnethe-Missinipi-Churchill River MP Jeremy Harrison insists this is a “great” budget for Aboriginal people across the country.
Harrison says the Conservative government has set aside nearly $1 billion in new spending for Aboriginal Canadians over the next three years.
He says $300 million has been earmarked for the development of private on-reserve housing.
Harrison notes there are also commitments to overhaul the specific claims process and to address Aboriginal labour participation.
He says the government has also committed to an Aboriginal justice strategy, which he says will increase and expand programs for community policing and justice in Aboriginal communities.
Harrison believes the budget benefits Aboriginal people and they have reason to be happy with it.
But northern Saskatchewan Liberal MP Gary Merasty says the absence of hard numbers on many of the Tories’ commitments isn’t a good sign.
He also believes the Tories are misrepresenting how much money is in the 2007 budget for Aboriginal people, noting that much of what the Conservatives are highlighting has been previously announced.
Merasty says the Tories have given no indication of how they intend to fund programs like the safe drinking water strategy for First Nations.
Merasty notes the Conservatives seem to be favouring a market-based approach to solving the housing crisis on First Nations land, instead of providing more resources.
Meantime, Liberal finance critic Ralph Goodale says it’s clear to him the Tories have officially done away with the Kelowna Accord with this document.