On-reserve shelters struggling

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The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters (AWCS), along with members from shelters located on First Nations in the province, held a news conference on June 9 to raise awareness about the daily problems on-reserve shelters face because of inadequate operating funds.

Kathy Bellerose spoke on behalf of the Sucker Creek women's shelter spoke and the four other shelters receiving more than one million dollars less in operating funds as compared to the provincially-funded women's shelters.

Bellerose talked about how First Nation shelters need parity in funding. She also said that without adequate funds, the shelters are unable to properly help women and children. As a result, women turn up dead or have been beaten and violated.

She drew attention to a letter from federal Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott that said women's shelters had to wait another year before the funding issue could be reviewed.

"We could wait another year, but that's not to say that they will do something about it and that's what we're afraid of," said Bellerose.

"This isn't something new. People are aware of this," she said. "How many more women do we have to sacrifice to violence within the waiting period of one year."

Sucker Creek Shelter receives just enough money to provide basic care to the women and children, she said. If they had more dollars to work with she would have a lower turnover rate with her staff. The shelter has one children's program co-ordinator. She could be taking care of 10 to 15 children at one time. If the shelter received adequate funding, Bellerose could hire additional staff to better serve the women and children.

"We've had some women who have become so frustrated that they end up leaving and they go back to their abuser. It's very sad and we've seen it happen."

According to Chief Rose Laboucan of Driftpile First Nation in Treaty 8, Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan is well aware of the issues that these shelters are faced with on a daily basis. Laboucan said they are not asking for anything out of the ordinary.

"We just want to make those shelters run effectively and efficiently so that they can help the women and children."

Laboucan hopes the outcry from this media conference will be heard. If Prime Minister Paul Martin didn't hear this outcry, Laboucan said they would keep going until they receive proper funding.

"We need to get this addressed sooner than later because we can't bury another woman because she didn't have anywhere to go," the chief said. Laboucan said the reason for the lack of funding is because government representatives havn't experienced what the women and children have.

"They don't realize what this is all about because they haven't been in that situation," said Laroucan. "Policy is policy, but when it restricts the shelters to run effectively, than I have a problem with that. To me it's our human rights violation."

Laboucan said that if McLellan wanted to meet with the shelters, they would go and see the minister.

"We can't just be pushed aside because these shelters need help and they need help now," said Laboucan. "It's not only about the women here; it's about the children."