AMC tables massive $3 billion housing plan

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The adage of "first come, first served" seems to be taken literally by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Only days before federal Finance Minister Paul Martin announced the federal government was projecting a multi-billion dollar surplus over the next decade, the Manitoba chiefs were in line to unveil a proposal for the federal and provincial governments to spend $3 billion over the next decade to eradicate all sub-standard housing and develop basic sewer and water treatment services and roadways on reserves in Manitoba.

Tabled at the AMC's annual fall general assembly, the ambitious plan calls for the feds to contribute just over $200 million each year with the province kicking in $100 million and Manitoba First Nations approximately $10 million annually from their existing annual capital projects allocation.

While the plan stunned many observers in the province because of the staggering financial commitment required, AMC Grand Chief Rod Bushie emphasized that the improvement in basic living conditions for First Nations would provide the impetus for them to become self-sustaining. In fact, it would reduce costs for the federal government in the long-term due to improved health, education and social conditions for the province's reserve population.

"This has a direct spin off benefit for the government because the Third World housing conditions on reserves and the lack of basic infrastructure creates a lot of problems for our people that the government is forced to try and correct through health, economic and social programs that cost them millions of dollars every year.

"We're saying that this plan would directly improve the conditions that have been undermining First Nations' ability to move ahead and become self-sufficient," said Bushie.

While federal response to the plan was noncommittal and summarized by a commitment by Indian Affairs to look at the plan, the proposal may already have been dealt a death blow by revelations of an expected $270 million to $400 million deficit projected by the new Manitoba NDP government.

While Eric Robinson and Oscar Lathlin, two Aboriginal MLAs and cabinet members, expressed initial willingness to review and support the concept of significant housing renewal and infrastructure development for First Nations communities, the unexpected magnitude of the deficit the government appears to be facing may have nixed any chance the province would even consider such an investment.

Even prior to the revelations of an expected provincial deficit, some government sources said the province would be leery to commit to such a scale of investment.

"It would be problematic in some ways because the provinces have been convinced for some time that the federal government is moving towards off-loading financial responsibility for First Nations to the province. If the province were to say 'yes, we'll kick in $100 million for this every year when it isn't technically our responsibility,' it could set a dangerous precedent. It would have to be provided in some other fashion in order not to create this type of problem, but I guess it's all moot now with the unexpected deficit the government is going to have to deal with," said the source.

But Bushie said the situation on the province's reserves is critical, citing statistics that 26,000 housing units are currently required to adequately shelter the 100,000 people presently living on reserve, yet there are only half that many available.

"There are 3,000 housing units in need of major renovation today and that number will only get worse if nothing is done," said Bushie.

The plan by the AMC also caught other Indian organizations off guard, most notably the Assembly of First Nation's housing secretariat, that one AFN source said had been working on a national proposal of their own.

"I don't think they knew the AMC proposal was even coming, which says a bit about how well we're all communicating right now," said the AFN source.

"It's not going to work if we ave all these separate groups coming up with their own proposals instead of a national action plan which gives the feds more political bang for their buck, which is what they're going to be looking for. I give the AMC credit though. It's ambitious and innovative, but there's no way the feds would go for it because you'd have every other region clamoring for the same type of commitment and, let's face it, there's only so much money to go around and every one is after Martin for their piece of the surplus."