FSIN Chief Slams Federal Budget

FSIN Chief Slams Federal Budget

Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 15:03

The chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says the Conservatives’ budget, announced yesterday, is a massive downgrade from commitments laid out in the $5.1-billion Kelowna Accord negotiated by the Liberals last November.

Alphonse Bird notes the Tories plan to spend $450 million over the next two years on the four major priorities of First Nations — housing, education, water and socio-economic concerns.

Bird says it’s troubling that the funding is almost as much as the federal government will spend over the next two years fighting the pine beetle infestation.

Bird also says that money will not even begin to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal living standards — especially once it’s stretched across ten provinces and three territories.

Bird credits the Conservatives, though, for coming through on the residential school compensation agreement.

However, he says the entire budget falls far short of the commitments laid out in the Kelowna Accord.

And Bird feels that with an $8-billion surplus projected for this year, it was entirely possible for the Tories to honour the accord.