This story was written in the Grassroots News. I have to say one thing before you read this… It is somewhat surprising that more editing staff is not being utilized at this news source…but as so many of you in Manitoba have clearly laid out … this is a David controlled paper … the advertisement for employment at the newspaper must read …No writing experience required. The article does run on and has very little focus but it does contain the information in relation to several recent news items - so I have not edited its' content.
NEWS BRIEFS – Breaking News By GRN Staff
First Nations leaders, especially Chiefs, can take some solace in the news that over $9 million was "misplaced" and not accounted for properly by staff at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Chiefs are often maligned for failure to comply with proper accounting procedures, and Grassroots News has become convinced over the years that, while there are some Chiefs who have abused the system, most are trying to run governments with minimal resources while trying to comply with reporting procedures that are completely overbearing and often repetitive and unnecessary. The good news is that First Nations citizens are rising up against corrupt Chiefs (sometimes against all odds because those same Chiefs who rip off the system are usually backed by the power of handouts, nepotism and the authority that goes with the office). The bureaucrats at INAC were accused of mismanagement, inappropriate use of authority, playing favorites, running their Department like a dictatorship, massive absenteeism (stop us when this starts sounding familiar). But, unlike First Nations, who can rise up and oust a crooked leader, the bureaucrats at INAC who @#$%^&'ed up all kept their jobs (two were demoted, one kept his position). Then again, what's $9 million?
The confusion surrounding whether or not all those nice, tidy little homes along Kenaston Boulevard (formerly home to the soldiers of Kapyong Barracks who were transferred to Edmonton) can be used to provide badly needed housing for low income working families, or shelter for single moms on social assistance, or even the homeless got.. more confusing.. as federal Tory bag man Vic Toews implied that the housing will not be made available to First Nations unless they drop their land claim.. but then Toews said he didn't "mean they had to drop the claim". Meanwhile, First Nations leaders, who have indicated that the houses along Kenaston could indeed be used for First Nations citizens in the past, have indicated that they are not interested in the Kapyong property for housing.. their claim is to turn the property into an urban Reserve. Most confusing to the public is the fact all this money is being spent to heat, clean, repair, mow the lawns and even paint these houses while they sit vacant year after year after year.
The fate of three multi-billion-dollar pipelines, and the role of First Nations in approving such projects, and the claim for royalties and compensation to be paid to First Nations if the pipelines go ahead, rests in the hands of a Winnipeg judge. Treaty One First Nations (1871) claim that there is a duty to consult with them before these pipelines are built and this was not done. The seven Treaty One First Nations are demanding Judge Robert Barnes order a halt to construction unless they are consulted and paid royalties and compensation. Lawyers for pipeline companies Enbridge and TranCanada, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and the federal government claim the pipelines have little impact on Treaty Rights and that even if consultation is required, it would be "at the lowest end of the spectrum". There are billions of dollars at stake here (in construction costs of the pipelines, the value of the sale of oil which flows through the pipelines, and royalties/compensation). Judge Barnes wouldn't say when he would reach a decision but Grassroots News wonders why lawyers for the federal government are always lined up with whomever the Indians are fighting with to gain their rights. Isn't the federal government supposed to be on the side of First Nations in protecting Treaty Rights? And, of course, what kind of justice can we expect when the game is always played by the white man's rules, in the white man's court, subject to His laws?
Meanwhile, Enbridge has given five Dakota First Nations 100 grand each but they had to withdraw their intervener status with the National Energy Board and sign a Memorandum of Understanding. This "bird in the hand" might cost them billions in the bush.
The Assembly of First Nations has asked the federal government for an $8 billion dollar stimulus that would reinstate the Kelowna Accord and add new money for thousand of new houses, upgrade water treatment systems and build new schools. National Chief Phil Fontaine had dinner with Prime Minister Harper on January 15 and said the AFN came away "pleased" with the PM's response. The new federal budget is announced on January 27th, 2009 (the same say Grassroots News is published so we have no news about what is in that budget). You can find out how much money has been set aside for First Nations by searching the internet, reading one of our daily newspapers or on the TV news. Is Phil still pleased?
About 200 students gathered at the University of Winnipeg to protest a proposed move by the federal government to transfer the administration of post-secondary funding for First Nations students from INAC to the Canada Student Loans Program (picture appears elsewhere in GRN). The federal move would mean funding for tuition, books and living expenses would be a loan, making it even more difficult for First Nations students to improve their lives through education (as if it is not bad enough that funds for post-secondary education have been capped at 2 per cent since 1996 creating a long waiting list, and don't forget that many First Nations students already take out loans to supplement their meagre incomes). Look! We can't have it both ways! The Canadian public is always claiming it wants to help improve the lives of First Nations, mostly the economic standing of First Nations, and the best way to do that is through education. Just 4 per cent of Canada's Aboriginal population have university degrees while 15 per cent of the rest of the Canadian population have degrees so "do the math". We can't make it harder for First Nations to escape poverty. Besides, education is a treaty right (and don't give us that crap about "universities never existed when the Treaties were signed so they weren't talking about post-secondary education, just K-12". Yeah, right! Give us a break! The whole word was different back then. The Treaties are meant to cover things generally, this is why health care is referred to as "the medicine chest shall always be full" and economic development is covered by "the provision of plough shares" Education is education and what was meant in the Treaties was not restricted to elementary or high school or university.
Another crowd of about 200 First Nations and Metis citizens gathered at the Aboriginal Centre on Friday, Jan 23rd, 2009 but this was a much happier lot as they were celebrating extension and expansion of the Aboriginal Aerospace Employment Initiative. And that means 200 more Aboriginal citizens will get training and employment experience in one of Manitoba's oldest and most established industries. The federal and provincial governments, along with the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development (CAHRD), the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, MKO and the Southern Chiefs Organization are teaming up to sponsor the program which will provide literacy, like skills, classroom and on-the-job training leading to full-time and permanent employment. Say what you want about CAHRD and the Aboriginal Council, these guys are good at getting government grants (this latest one is worth a whopping $13.9 million in total), and they must doing something right because they are building on an existing program that must have been accountable and produced results in the past. Hey, if they are graduating people with skills in a complicated industry like aerospace, and helping Aboriginal people get permanent, good-paying jobs in one of Winnipeg's most stable labour markets, more power to them (see picture elsewhere in GRN).
And finally, about 200 students from Gordon Bell High School gathered on Portage Avenue at noon on Friday, Jan 23rd to yell "Gimme a G R E E N Gimme an S P A C E" and tell Canada Post that the large, one black square property which used to be Midway Chrysler would be better used as a sports field than a postal service outlet. The high school has been concrete bound since it opened 49 years ago but now has an historic chance to create a badly needed recreational facility right beside their classrooms along Canada's most famous freeway. This one is such a no-brainer, Grassroots News staff will lay across Portage Avenue during rush hour if the students don't get their way (well, at least the Editor will). Picture also appears in this edition of GRN.
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