Budget sounds death knell for Kelowna Accord

Page 1

Hopes raised. Hopes dashed. That's the story of the Kelowna Accord as of federal budget day May 2.

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine said he was disappointed with the Conservative budget presented to the House of Commons by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. He said the $5.1 billion deal made by the Liberal government at the first ministers meeting last November was a reasoned plan designed to eliminate Aboriginal poverty and close the gap in quality of life for Native populations. The Conservative budget means that those commitments will not move ahead, Fontaine said.

The Kelowna Accord had unprecedented support from the premiers and territorial leaders across Canada, he said. The budget relegates First Nations to the back of the agenda.

"First Nations will remain in last place as a result of today's so-called "Building A Better Canada" federal budget," a press release from the national chief states. "This disappointing budget does not begin to address the gap in quality of life between First Nations and other Canadians and could increase the gap through inaction."

The AFN points out that of the $3.2 billion figure dedicated to Aboriginal peoples in the budget, $2.2 billion was old money set aside last November for residential school survivor compensation.

The $450 million earmarked over two years to address socio-economic and infrastructure gaps faced by First Nations is only one-third of that allocated to quality of life issues set out in the Kelowna agreement.

"The Minister of Indian Affairs, Jim Prentice, has stated publicly that he was committed to 'putting the wheels on Kelowna.' Why is it now necessary to reinvent the wheel?" Fontaine asked.

Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Alphonse Bird is disappointed in what appears to be "the demise of the Kelowna Agreement."

"With an $8-billion surplus projected for 2005-06, it was entirely possible for the Conservatives to honour the hard-won Kelowna Agreement," Bird said.

"How can $450 million stretched like a fiddle string across 10 provinces and territories ever hope to fulfill these desperate needs in on-reserve First Nations communities?"