Band Budget Planning Hindered By Status Questions

Band Budget Planning Hindered By Status Questions

Thursday, February 04, 2010 at 13:21

 

 

The chief of the Thunderchild First Nation says very few people in the country seem to have any idea on how the citizenship issue facing First Nations will play itself out.

 

Dale Awasis is chairing an FSIN task force examining the issue.

 

For the past nine months, the federal government has been examining the prospect of amending certain portions of the Indian Act that a B.C. court has ruled discriminates against children.

 

Ottawa has been given until April 6th to change the legislation, but the proroguing of parliament has derailed things for now.

 

Awasis says his band has held talks with Indian Affairs regional officials about the issue, but has gained little clarity.

 

Awasis notes bands could be faced with the prospect of having several more or several less band members, depending on how the government amends the Act.

 

He says INAC’s regional officials don’t want to touch the funding formula in the first quarter of the upcoming fiscal year — but no promises have been made regarding what happens after that.

 

Awasis says he doesn’t know how bands are supposed to plan for the upcoming fiscal year if the government won’t tell them what to prepare for.