Native People Virtually Ignored In Federal Budget

Monday, March 19, 2007 at 15:30

 

 

The budget that promised something for everyone excludes the poorest of the poor.

 

New cash for Aboriginal people is conspicuously scant or missing altogether.

 

There’s just $70 million for Aboriginal people over the next two years for job training, to enhance the Aboriginal Justice Strategy and to help First Nations join the East Coast commercial fishery.

 

The budget contains no new cash to fix or replace housing on more than 600 reserves that the auditor general has warned is increasingly decrepit.

 

And there’s no help for Native education and health service standards.

 

FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph told MBC that he tried to find something positive in the budget, but there is nothing there.

 

(courtesy of Broadcast News)