SPEAKING REMARKS BY THE CONGRESS OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
NATIONAL CHIEF PATRICK BRAZEAU TO THE COUNCIL OF THE FEDERATION
Moncton, New Brunswick
August 8, 2007
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Good afternoon, Premiers, and fellow National Aboriginal leaders. As always, it’s a pleasure to be here in Moncton with you all today.
I’m hopeful our discussions can bear fruit in the weeks and months to come.
I’d like to begin by saying how pleased I am that the annual meetings of the Council of the Federation have come to include regular dialogue between the Provinces and Canada’s five recognized National Aboriginal organizations.
The plight of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples deserves no less than this.
I believe that all of us here today have a shared obligation to do everything we can to measurably improve the quality of life and the extent of opportunity for this country’s Aboriginal peoples, regardless of their Indian status, or where they live.
And yet, as we review where we have been, and what we have learned through the series of meetings we have had in the recent past around Aboriginal health, economic development and women’s issues, it’s appropriate that we consider the very fundamental reality of jurisdiction.
It is a reality that the Federal Government states it holds the responsibility for Aboriginal peoples - specifically, as per the Constitution Act (1982) under Section 91 (24) the Federal government has exclusive domain over “Indians and lands reserved for Indians”.
It is also a reality that the principle area of provincial involvement in Aboriginal affairs is in respect of off-reserve Aboriginal people.
The federal government continues to fund Aboriginal affairs to the tune of over $10 billion annually. This is in addition to the resources your own governments commit.
Despite this, there is little, if any, coordination of expenditures or creation of synergies between federal, provincial and municipal governments’ programming and services.
And, at every turn, there remains real need felt by real people in cities, towns and villages, as well as in the North and on Indian Act reserves across this vast land of ours.
So then, how can we move forward to change this? How do we ensure that the jurisdictional “hot potato” gets dealt with?
How do we, as leaders, mobilize as a united front, and begin to overcome the very real fiscal imbalance in Aboriginal affairs?
I can tell you that the federal government has already committed its intentions in this regard - in its letter to the Congress, received during the last election campaign.
In it, Mr. Harper and his team made the following promise, and I quote:
“A Conservative government will acknowledge its jurisdiction for basic programs and services to ‘Indians and lands reserves for Indians’. Legislation will be enacted in the main program areas. Ottawa will become responsible for results, ending four decades of service gaps and offloading costs onto the provinces.
Legislation will provide a proper basis for accountability at departmental and First Nations levels. The existing financial transfer arrangements will be replaced with ones that work.
The provinces and territories, with federal assistance in certain instances, must take the lead in addressing the incidence of ill-health and poverty among off-reserve Aboriginal people. They must allow off-reserve Aboriginals full access to provincial and territorial programs.
The provinces and territories must be accountable for the federal Aboriginal funding they receive. “Report card” mechanisms must be developed.”
Premiers, there has to be a way we can all work together to bring about delivery on this very significant commitment by the federal government.
If its intention is to share control of this jurisdiction, I say we drive the agenda accordingly.
Let us work cooperatively to push for enabling legislation. Let us together drive the agenda that calls for greater accountability.
Let us work in harmony to forge mechanisms and agreement frameworks that reflect the financial provisions required to bring about sustainable Aboriginal programming and services at the provincial jurisdiction.
To be clear, I don’t believe we have any choice but to do just this - because in the final analysis, if we don’t take the bull by the horns and insist on delivery of these measures, all of our discussions in fora such as these amounts to just so much well-intentioned talk and photo-ops, while the real decisions about priorities and investments around them, are made in Ottawa.
I know I’m a young leader, with fresh ideas. I know some of you may consider my words and my convictions that guide them, as radical, brash and perhaps even naive.
If that’s what it takes to provide positive change then so be it. The reality is we have over 130 years of solid proof that the status quo has failed completely and absolutely. And we, as leaders, are the ones who hold the keys to success.
No one can doubt the sincerity of purpose that has caused us to meet here today.
No one can say that there is not a real commitment to ending the plight of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples among those assembled in this room.
The same Harper letter that brought forth the commitments I shared with you a few moments ago also contained a promise to hold another First Ministers Meeting on Aboriginal affairs to measure progress on overcoming Aboriginal poverty.
The window of timing for such a meeting is, by my estimation, within the next twelve to fifteen months.
I’d rather spend that time working as a collective, across all borders and jurisdictions, to bring about accommodation of all Aboriginal peoples, on federal Indian Act reserves, in the North, and in your province’s cities, towns, villages and rural communities.
I’m offering the full engagement of our organization and our provincial affiliates to do just this.
Work with us and I can guarantee you approaches and results based in creativity, accountability, dedication and rigour.
Aboriginal education needs to be a priority in this country. Allowing Aboriginal people the opportunity to a good education will go a long way in getting people out of poverty-stricken situations. Invest in Aboriginal education and the benefits will have no limits.
Premiers and colleagues, let’s stop looking inward and backward, and complaining about what has not been achieved.
Instead, let us cast our gaze outward and forward towards what can be realized through true, non-partisan partnership.
If there is will, there will be ways.
Together, we can achieve the goal we all acknowledge we have no choice but to overcome.
Are you with me?
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For further information, please contact:
Al Fleming
Director
Public Affairs
613-747-6022 (office)
613-867-8696 (mobile)
al@abo-peoples.org
