NDP employment critic Cam Broten is blaming the Brad Wall government for the growing rate of unemployment in Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal community.
The rate stands at 21% for First Nations people and 10% for Metis.
It comes at a time when the province is experiencing record employment.
Broten says rather than cutting employment programs for Aboriginal workers, the Wall government must come up with a growth plan that includes the Aboriginal community.
“I just don’t think this has been a priority for the Sask. Party government with respect to the training and employment programs that need to occur in order to reverse this very concerning trend.”
Statistics Canada reports the number of First Nations people working in the province is down by 1,400 from a year ago, while the number of employed Metis has dropped by 1,500.