For better or for worse

Page 5

The cat's definitely out of the bag now: things are transforming on the national Aboriginal political stage.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and Prime Minister Paul Martin, with Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott close at hand, signed a deal May 31 and-especially in the case of Scott-uttered some words that should mean that things will change dramatically and permanently.

But the "no money yet, wait a little longer" part of the scenario is especially troubling to us and to many veteran observers of the parliamentary scene as well. Media shy, but very knowledgeable Ottawa sources tell us that the prime minister has shelled out close to $30 billion over the last few months to shore up support for his shaky minority government. With $30 billion already committed, we're told the government has no money left after keeping all the promises Martin made to mainstream governments and citizens. Our sources say that's why there was no cash on display after the cabinet retreat with Aboriginal leaders. That's also why residential school survivors were asked to wait another year (or two) before the government follows through on what is, at this point, only a promise of future monetary compensation.

The Indian Affairs minister hinted at-and in some cases outright promised-that significant new money will be "invested" in the many areas where First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities lag sorrowfully behind the Canadian mainstream. (Story on pages 10 and 11.) We'll see if any of that promised future funding will be based on demonstrable need (or better, on recognition of the rights-based entitlement) rather than on how little the government can get away with spending.

When Phil Fontaine gripes privately (as detailed in a memo penned by Quebec regional Vice-chief Ghislain Picard in our story on page 12), but says not a critical word when he and the people whose interests he's expected to represent are told to go wait a little longer, it looks bad.

In the frequently dishonest game of creating political optics, it's always wise to watch what folks are doing with one eye while keeping the other alert for prestidigitation. Too many times in this set of recent pronouncements, government officials used one word when another would have provided more clarity. Minister Scott said Aboriginal groups will now be considered "full partners" of the federal government in policy development. He didn't say "equal" partners and that, to our way of thinking, means simply that the federal government will continue to reserve the ultimate authority for itself-just as before.

As for promises that provincial/federal rivalries can be reined in and the jurisdictional ping pong game that has been used to frustrate First Nation, Metis and Inuit ambitions for all these years will finally come to an end, well, we'll believe it when we see it.

Ditto for the minister's claim that the federal agenda of extinguishment of Aboriginal and treaty rights is now a thing of the past. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been chewed up by lawyers and bureaucrats in Justice, Indian Affairs, the Privy Council Office and the Prime Minister's Office over the years creating the landscape that exists today. We don't see how a decision reached by the Indian Affairs minister-who is not all that big a fish in the pond-can bring that to a screeching halt.

One note on accountability: since the comments of Minister Scott and the prime minister imply that the federal approach to Indian Affairs up until this point in history has been dead wrong and lamentable, shouldn't somebody apologize? And shouldn't the worst proponents of that approach, many of whom are still working within the federal bureaucracy, be rooted out and sent packing?

There's lots of them out there and the current wisdom is that they messed up large and cost the taxpayers billions and cost Indigenous people inestimable amounts of suffering along the way.

We think that's acrystal clear definition of failure and failure of that proportion in a position with a six-figure salary and an indexed pension would not be rewarded-or tolerated-anywhere else but in government.

Just asking.