A Saskatoon Conservative MP says Indigenous groups should be skeptical of the close to $60 million in spending announcements the Trudeau Liberals made in the province last week.
The Liberals held their caucus retreat in the Bridge City and announced funding for First Nations child and family services and Indigenous languages.
However, Conservative MP Kelly Block says the announcements may just be a lot more sizzle than steak.
“I would suggest that you know when you look at the announcements they made for First Nations, I think there is some angst within our First Nations communities about funding that has not flowed to them that has already been promised,” she says.
Block says the Conservatives are not necessarily against the Liberals spending money in these areas but the Opposition believes the federal government would have a lot more money to spend on Indigenous priorities were it not for some ill-fated spending decisions.
“I think the bottom line is infrastructure announcements, I know those were made. Those are great but can you just imagine how much more could have been announced or have been invested if we had not wasted $4.5 billion to buy a pipeline (Trans Mountain)?”
The Prime Minister also took flack during his time in Saskatchewan for failing to address provincial concerns over the proposed carbon tax or what the future holds for the currently stalled Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.
On Monday, a video was leaked which showed Trudeau in a heated exchange with Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron over what appears to be the Prime Minister’s perceived frustration of Cameron to properly control speaking times of First Nations leaders with him.
The FSIN has denied leaking the video, which was clearly taken at a closed-door meeting between Trudeau and Indigenous leaders.
(PHOTO: Saskatoon Conservative MP Kelly Block. Photo courtesy of Kelly Block MP Facebook page.)