Prentice Accused Of Misrepresenting Native Funding

Prentice Accused Of Misrepresenting Native Funding

Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 15:02

A Liberal MP says Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice is misleading the public about how much money the Conservatives are spending on reserves.

Indian Affairs critic Anita Neville says the Tories’ program spending is nowhere near the amount laid out in the Kelowna Accord.

However, she says Prentice claims the federal government is spending more money on First Nations than ever before.

Neville contends he has been inflating the actual figures by more than 800 per cent by including the billions of dollars included in the residential school compensation agreement — which she argues represents a legal obligation on the part of the Government of Canada, not program dollars.

Neville says Prentice is also taking credit for funding announced under the previous Liberal government.

She also worries next week’s federal budget could have more bad news for First Nations.