FSIN Vice-Chief Bob Merasty pictured in January. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski
A vice-chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says it is no surprise the welfare rates on Saskatchewan First Nations are so high, but predicts big changes in the statistics in coming years.
Vice-Chief Bob Merasty cites years of neglect and underfunding by the federal government for the numbers that were released last week.
Saskatchewan has one of the highest income assistance rates for First Nations people in Canada according to statistics from the Aboriginal Affairs department for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. On average it was 44 per cent.
Merasty questions the accuracy of the numbers, but does say a big part of the equation is the lack of opportunity, education, and commitment on the part of the previous Harper government.
He is optimistic the income assistance dependence rate will go down as education funding goes up.
“All of our budgets were cut down to the barebones in all sectors,” he said. “You name it – in education, in health in economic development.”
The lowest income assistance dependency rate was on the Whitecap Dakota First Nation at 27 per cent, and the highest rate – at more than 68 per cent – was the Big Island Cree Nation.
Merasty says education and a new attitude among young First Nations people is driving a shift from government dependence to self-dependence.
“These are exciting times and I’m very encouraged,” he said.
“I see we have smart young leaders now that understand our governance and our capacity for major economic development, or educating our people, and other initiatives to benefit our communities. And that is happening now.”
The Liberal government has promised to invest $8 billion in Canada’s First Nations over the next five years, including more for education and lifting the two per cent funding cap for other expenditures.
Merasty says that type of commitment and increased partnerships with the private sector are what is needed to improve the economic outcome and increase hope on Saskatchewan’s First Nations.