Budget 2016: All smiles around budget, despite lack of detail

Indigenous leaders are pleased, saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has followed up on his campaign promises with funding. The federal budget delivered by the Liberal government on Tuesday committed $8.4 billion to Indigenous peoples over the next five years.

But while one Indigenous leader sees this budget as a strong step forward in closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, another Indigenous leader says he is unclear as to exactly how this budget will impact urban Indigenous peoples. More than 70 per cent of Indigenous people live off-reserve.

“I’m feeling fairly optimistic, although we still have to go through the details and there are matters to get clarified. But overall, it’s a good feeling kind of budget,” said Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Chief Dwight Dorey.

CAP is the national voice for Métis, status and non-status Indians, and southern Inuit Indigenous people living off-reserve.

The federal government is providing $2.3 billion to the provinces and territories for affordable housing, with a “significant portion” toward Indigenous housing. But Dorey says he doesn’t know what constitutes a “significant portion.”

As well, core funding for Aboriginal representative organizations has been set at $96 million over five years, and then $10 million thereafter, but Dorey is unclear whether CAP’s affiliate organizations will qualify for that funding.

The budget renews funding at $14 million for the upcoming fiscal year for the Urban Aboriginal Strategy, as well as provides $15 million over two years for Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training, both of which Dorey is pleased about. But once again, there are no details offered.
“I would have liked to have seen more specific allocations toward off-reserve people. That’s not really kind of spelled out. They spell out significant funds for First Nations on reserve. There’s significant allocations like $25 million for Metis National Council and economic development. There are specific allocations for the Inuit,” said Dorey. “This is where it’s going to take us a little bit of time to go through it and see where we can find our fit for allocations.”

Dorey says he’s pleased to see the $40 million over the next two years for the murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls national inquiry.

Dorey does concede that federal government investment on-reserve, especially in such areas as education and housing, will have a positive impact later if those on-reserve residents move into urban centres. They will have a good background, good life, good education, good health, good living conditions, so they'll be moving into urban centres healthy and won’t be living on the streets.

He also says that increased post-secondary dollars will help First Nations members improve their opportunities both on and off reserve.
“There’s no question there’s value here for people on reserve… overall, that’s what I’m saying. It’s a good looking budget,” said Dorey.

But he notes that the five-year fiscal plan outlined by Liberal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has the bulk of funding coming at the tail end of that time span, which also goes past the next scheduled federal election in fall 2019.

“We need a good chunk right up front. It’s catch up for us because of all the cuts the previous government has made,” said Dorey.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde says this is a “historic budget,” which indicates that the Trudeau government is listening to First Nations.

“This budget begins the process of addressing decades of underfunding and neglect,” he said. “At long last we have a budget that will help lift those with the greatest need out of poverty.”

The federal government committed to eliminate the two per cent cap. There is a total investment of $3.7 billion for education initiatives over five years, as well as investments in infrastructure and housing; languages; green infrastructure; clean drinking water; and child and family services.

“This is one budget, one fiscal year. We’re not going to solve all the problems in one budget, but there is also a commitment within the budget to establish a working relationship with the Crown,  to work towards a long-term, sustainable new fiscal funding framework with the Crown, so that all the needs will eventually be met,” said Bellegarde. “So we’ve got to make sure we get that relationship and that process started as soon as possible.”