Alberta budget steers clear of Aboriginal commitment

Alberta’s Indigenous people earned a single-pointed mention in this afternoon’s budget tabled by the province’s finance minister Joe Ceci. It was the first budget brought down by the NDP since forming the government in May.

Ceci said three per cent of the Heritage Fund – or $540 million – will be used for growth-oriented companies.

“With access to a little more capital, there are remarkable opportunities for growth and diversification right across the province … and among the rising generation of bright, eager and entrepreneurial young Aboriginal people, on and off reserve, right across Alberta,” he said.

Ceci committed to restored health funding and education funding, but specified no commitments to closing the gap for the Aboriginal population on either front.  Last week, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman announced the creation of the Alberta Health Services board and stated that “one of our big objectives (is) closing that gap in terms of health outcomes for Indigenous peoples.” Almost three weeks ago, Education Minister David Eggen addressed a symposium on First Nations, Metis and Inuit education saying it wasn’t right that students on reserve received less education dollars than their provincial counterparts.

Ceci announced an increase of $25 million in funding to Family and Community Support Services to “give a helping hand to children and families in most need of help.” He also made a commitment from the government to address family violence, which would include enhanced supports to women and children and $15 million in additional funding for women’s shelters.

There were no details on how the government would move forward in addressing climate change and reforming environmental policies.

“Getting our environmental policies right will create jobs and promote economic efficiency, competitiveness and growth,” said Ceci.

As revealed last week, Ceci said the budget would not be balanced until 2019-2020 and that the 2015-2016 budget would run a projected deficit of $6.1 billion because of the current drop in oil prices, which has resulted in lower royalty, corporate and other tax revenues.

“Our plan balances our budget in a reasonable time frame without radical cuts or front-line service layoffs,” said Ceci. “With this budget we will support jobs and we will support families, the Alberta way.”