Investment of $8.4 billion encouraging to most, but implementation will be the key measure of success
OTTAWA—Reacting to the 2016 federal budget, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says he is pleased with what he heard in the federal budget last week, but he will need to see more details in order to ensure that Anishinabek First Nations’ priorities are reflected in the budget.
“We applaud the fact that the federal government has recognized the need to make First Nation issues a priority in this budget,” said Grand Council Chief Madahbee. “The 2016 budget proposes to invest $8.4 billion over five years to improve the socio-economic conditions of indigenous peoples and communities and will bring about transformational change. This amount is very encouraging, but we will be interested to see the implementation plans for the budget. We are pleased that the budget removes the two percent funding cap. The funding cap has been a burden to First Nations over the past 20 years.”
“It’s way better than Kelowna,” agreed Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde, referring to the $5 billion 10-year agreement signed by then Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2005 but never fully implemented after the Conservatives took office in 2006.
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Chief Dwight Dorey, who works on behalf of indigenous people living off-reserve, called the budget “a good start and a positive change in attitude from the previous government who continually slashed crucial funding.”
“You don’t overturn years of two percent caps overnight, even this announcement isn’t going to be enough to do that,” agreed Aundeck Omni Kaning Chief Patsy Corbiere. “But it is certainly a start. We will have to wait and see how this is implemented.”
Chief Madahbee and Chief Corbiere’s sentiments were broadly reflective of the reactions of many First Nations leaders across the Island.
“I will wait and see how the funding is treated by Indian Affairs,” said long-time First Nations education advocate Louis Debassige. Mr. Debassige, who has spent a lifetime working in First Nations education at all levels, explained that his concern is that the bureaucracy in the government will spread the money laterally, creating more bureaucracies and civil service jobs at Indian Affairs than will trickle down to the front lines of the educational trenches. It will take more concrete action than fine words or even money to address the issue, he notes, it will require real progress with the educational realities faced every day by First Nations students, where it counts, to overcome generations of neglect and indifference.
“I am pleased that the budget provides $40 million over two years for a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls,” said Chief Madahbee. “This inquiry is very important to all First Nation citizens.”
Money has been identified in the budget for primary and secondary education on reserve, early learning and child care, First Nation education infrastructure, improving housing conditions on First Nations, a pilot project to enhance training that aligns with community needs and support for social infrastructure and housing needs on reserve, noted Chief Madahbee.
“All of these initiatives are very important to the Anishinabek Nation,” he said. “We are looking forward to working with the federal government to determine how the budget can be implemented most effectively.”
Chief Madahbee added that the budget details will be required to determine how quickly the budget dollars can be delivered to the areas where they are most required. That is what is most important to First Nation citizens.
“The devil is always in the details,” he said. “We have learned to wait and see before we get too excited, but so far it looks like good news for sure.”
Children’s Services advocate Cindy Blackstock, whose class action suit in partnership with the Assembly of First Nation before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal saw a ruling recently brought down against the federal government for systemic discrimination in the provision of children’s services to First Nations children living on reserve, was adamant that the budget does not address the needs of children living on reserve.
“My feeling is, that bar falls far below what is required to meet the order that is required by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal,” Ms. Blackstock said. “It is $71 million in year one and then $99 million in year two,” she said. “If you look at the overall figure it is over $600 million, but that’s back-ended.” Ms. Blackstock said that in order to meet the needs outlined in the Human Rights Tribunal decision, she was looking for $200 million in the current budget.
Included in the 2016 budget speech was: $1.8 billion over five years to improve water quality on reserves; $2.6 billion over five years for primary and secondary education, including what’s left from funding announced by the Conservatives in 2014; $635 million has been allocated to strengthen the First Nation Child and Family Services program over five years; $554.3 million over two years to address poor housing conditions; $270 million over five years for health care infrastructure, including repair of nursing stations; and $10.4 million over three years for renovation and construction of shelters for victims of violence.
“We simply cannot claim to be successful as a country as long as indigenous peoples aren’t given every chance to succeed,” said Finance Minister Bill Morneau following the tabling of his budget.
