The chief of the Onion Lake Cree Nation says he has received word his band will be receiving funding on April 10.
The band had been told it must sign onto a new funding agreement or there would be no direct deposit this week — something Wallace Fox says it wouldn’t do, even if it meant losing government funding.
The chief is upset with wording in the new agreement he says compels bands to support any new legislation from the government.
Both he and other leaders have denounced the move as a strong-arm tactic from the government.
“So it doesn’t have any option or opportunity for the nation to be able to speak and get their concerns addressed in any shape or form. So what we’re saying is this is 2013, what you need to do is take a serious look at it. It’s time our people sit at those tables because you can’t keep arbitrarily making decisions on behalf of First Nations.”
However, Fox says he is hopeful that a mutually acceptable funding arrangement can be hammered out between his band and the government.
He says he has received word that a meeting between himself and a deputy minister could happen by the middle of the month.
Meanwhile, a press secretary for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs has e-mailed this statement to MBC News:
“The changes made to the 2013-2014 funding agreements are solely administrative in nature and do not in any way change the authorities or requirements of our funding recipients. There is no explicit or implicit funding condition in any of the current or pending departmental financial agreements with First Nations regarding either C-38 or C-45, both recently passed legislation. The department is in contact with concerned First Nations and encourages any First Nation with questions to contact their local regional office.”