Talking to the wrong people... (en francais)

The Kelowna Accord

I see this situation the same as a car with an oil leak. Do you buy 10 cases of oil and keep pouring it in every day, or do you fix the oil leak?

As well as funding listed below, the federal government has invested $2.2 billion over the last 10 years in First Nations Water Systems. Right - those same water systems. An average of $350 million a year increase every year for the last five years.

Do we keep pouring good money after bad, or do we fix the leak first?

From the budget:

Government of Canada spending on programs directed towards Aboriginal people, including claims, has increased to $9.1 billion in 2005–06 from $7.4 billion in 2000–01, an average annual increase of 4.3 per cent. While federal programs targeted to Aboriginal Canadians have reduced disparities between Aboriginal people and other Canadians, unacceptable gaps remain.

The Government is committed to meeting the targets agreed upon at the fall 2005 First Ministers meeting with national Aboriginal leaders. The way forward will require a joint commitment by all parties to deal with the root causes and structural issues causing these socio-economic gaps.

The Government will work with Aboriginal leaders and provinces and territories to develop a new approach with workable solutions to meet the established targets. Strong accountability and governance structures will be essential to ensure concrete improvements in outcomes and to ensure programs are effective.

Some of the Aboriginal response:

Budget to feel political heat on aboriginal issues: native leaders
Failure to implement Kelowna Accord will increase frustrations within aboriginal communities, lead to disputes and conflict, First Nations chiefs say.

BC First Nations Leadership Council Joins with Premier Gordon Campbell & the Entire Legislative Assembly of BC in an Urgent Call for Federal Gov't Financial Support for Kelowna Accord Commitments

I continue to view Jim Prentice as the best Minister this file has had in the last 30 years. Maybe if Aboriginal leaders spent more time talking to him instead of the press and their former Liberal friends, some momentum might actually be achieved on this issue.