Algoma U plays host to AFN national chief

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By taking a progressive tack toward real self-government, First Nations could ultimately inject billions into the Canadian economy, says the head of the Assembly of First Nations.

"Simply put, our future is Canada's future," National Chief Phil Fontaine told students, community members and First Nations leaders in Sault Ste. Marie last month.

Fontaine made his remarks on Jan. 20 at the site of the former Shingwauk residential school as a guest of Algoma University College's Shingwauk Aboriginal Students Association.

He said "concrete steps" need to be taken on the road to self-government and economic success.

Fontaine said First Nations programs should be integrated across the country, and changes should be made to reporting requirements for Aboriginal communities. He also called for the creation of a First Nations auditor general to oversee financial management, and for an ombudsman to settle disputes within Aboriginal communities.

"The federal government must improve dispute resolution and initiate a faster and fairer process to settle lawful claims and honour historic treaty obligations," he said.

At the same time, First Nations need a sustainable funding formula from the federal government, with provisions to recognize the needs of inflation and population growth, Fontaine said.

If Canada is going to succeed as a country, he said, Native people need to work together to bring about real self-government and to make serious and fundamental changes.

"Changes that may seem scary to some people, but changes that are necessary and will benefit all of us in the long run," said Fontaine.

Fontaine stressed that the right to self-government is not something that was bargained away in treaty negotiations.

"We always kept that for ourselves. We never gave it up in exchange for certain guarantees," he said. "But government assumed for themselves the right to tell us how we ought to live. They assumed for themselves the right to make decisions that affected us as citizens of our land, our families and our communities."

With a share of resource and revenues, First Nations would have a chance to jumpstart their own economies, Fontaine said.

"Federal and provincial governments, the private sector and Canadian citizens are benefiting tremendously from the development of the land and resources that we agreed to share in treaty negotiations and agreements," he said.

Fontaine cited resource revenue to the tune of $710 million collected over the last 30 years by Ottawa and the provincial governments of B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"A modest share, say 10 per cent, would provide our First Nations in the western provinces with an infusion of $71 billion," he said.

At the same time, he said Aboriginal people will be a key workforce for Canada as the country faces a looming labour shortage.

"The Canadian population is aging and approaching retirement, while more than half of the First Nations population is under 25. That is the workforce of tomorrow," he said.

Fontaine also stressed the link between self-government and quality of life.

"Unless we deal with real self-government, we can at best make only small steps in improving the health of our people," he said.