Healing foundation nears end

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The man leading British Columbia's residential school survivors organization says the government has refused to consider extending the mandate of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF).

"The federal government really has no long-term strategy for community-driven healing and it's tragic. Really tragic. One of the most wonderful things that's happened in the Aboriginal community is the notion that we can seek wellness and move forward. It's probably the best money that's ever been spent on Aboriginal issues," Chief Robert Joseph, executive director of Vancouver's Indian Residential School Survivors Society told Raven's Eye on March 26.

In 1998, Jane Stewart, then the minister of Indian Affairs, announced a $350 million fund to help in the healing of residential school survivors. It has been administered by the AHF under the leadership of former Assembly of First Nations Chief Georges Erasmus since then. Its original mandate is scheduled to expire at the end of the year. Joseph said the last deadline for new proposals was Feb. 28.

"In September, they'll give out all the money and that's it," he added.

Joseph said many survivors are discovering that monetary settlements are not enough to help them put the unpleasant memories and emotional scars of their residential school experience behind them.

"They still need help to heal even after receiving settlements," he said. "Hopefully we can move to a stage where we can really begin talking about what's paramount, which is healing. That's why we're really deathly afraid that the federal government refuses absolutely to extend the mandate of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. I think healing has just started in many communities and there's huge momentum that needs continued support and the federal government is terribly, terribly wrong not to extend the mandate. They've simply refused to discuss the possibility," he added.

Joseph recently drafted an open letter to prime minister asking him to intervene in this matter. He said he has secured a commitment from all the national Aboriginal organizations to endorse the letter.