SaskParty Responds To Chief’s Rebuke
Friday, November 03, 2006 at 15:54
A Saskatchewan Party MLA feels a First Nations chief is playing the race card in attacking the Opposition’s assessment of the troubled Oyate Safe House.
The shelter is temporarily closed, now that it has come to light some children staying there continued to be exploited while it was open.
Yesterday, the chair of the Oyate board, Chief Marie-Anne Daywalker-Pelletier, blasted the Saskatchewan Party for the way its MLAs were addressing the issue in the media and in the legislature.
But Opposition member June Draude says Daywalker-Pelletier is being unfair in suggesting the Saskatchewan Party is attacking the board because its First Nations-controlled.
Draude maintains her party’s interest in this issue is due to the fact it involves the welfare of children. She also says the Opposition’s involvement would be the same if it was non-Native kids and a non-Native board that was involved.
As well, Draude says the Oyate board seems to be attempting to protecting Community Resources Minister Buckley Belanger, who has repeatedly said the Oyate board should be given a chance to redeem itself.
The Saskatchewan Party says Belanger should resign or be fired over his handling of the affair.