NDP remain firmly committed to resource revenue sharing with First Nations

The New Democratic Party still stands behind its policy of resource revenue sharing with First Nations.

Any indication otherwise, said Trent Wotherspoon, NDP finance critic, was a “miscommunication” on his part.
“Some of the confusion arose …from an interview in which I intended to speak on the shift of focus we, as an opposition, bring moving out of an electoral cycle and focusing back on the solutions and challenges that exist in our province,” said Wotherspoon.

The NDP still stands firmly behind the need to address the challenges that face First Nations when it comes to health, housing, education, economic development, and social issues and will continue to press Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party to find solutions. Resource revenue sharing, said Wotherspoon, is a viable option to address these concerns and was a policy formed through consultation with Saskatchewan people and First Nations.
“Our commitment is steadfast to addressing absolutely unacceptable circumstances as it relates to disparities and inequalities in First Nations communities,” he said.

The NDP will have to fight harder, though, having been knocked back to nine seats from 20 following the Nov. 7 election.  NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter lost his Regina Douglas Park seat and resigned his position with the party. Lingenfelter was a strong proponent of resource revenue sharing with First Nations.

“It was a mixed reflection that was brought forward from the public in respect to that proposal,” said Wotherspoon. “Much of the (concerns) came down to a lack of understanding of what in fact we were proposing and for what reasons.”

Wotherspoon said the Saskatchewan Party also came out against the proposal.

Larry Cachene believes that the voter climate is not there for resource revenue sharing because the Saskatchewan public doesn’t understand what it would mean to First Nations.

“We’re looking for resources for our communities and I don’t think the general public understands the need for developments in our communities,” said Cachene, Chief of the Yellow Quill First Nation.

Funding received from the federal government alone is not enough to pull First Nations out of the crisis situation they are in. Cachene pointed out that the money Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada targets for First Nations is whittled down before it makes its way to the First Nation.

“It’s pennies on the dollar that we get once it’s filtered down through all the government departments it goes through,” said Cachene, adding the public doesn’t understand that.

“The legacy that (the federal and provincial governments) are going to leave is down the road, 10, 15, 20 years from now, we’re going to have such a high cost in dealing with the social issues then,” he said. “This is the legacy you leave if you don’t deal with the problems today. I think the Canadian public needs to understand that.”

Wotherspoon said a significant part of the treaties in Saskatchewan is a “commitment to shared prosperity… and that has not occurred in this province.”