Feds neglect kids

Page 5

Dear Editor:

When is the government of Canada going to understand that Attawapiskat First Nation (Ontario) of 1,700 citizens is indisputably in desperate need of an elementary school?

Where's the wealth that they are always talking about when they are put in a news spotlight around the world? Our government has shown clemency to some African nations, and recently or showed clemency to Iraq and have written off millions of dollars in debts owed to our country. I think they should be looking in their own backyard first before they go start bragging to other nations about how prosperous Canada is.

It all began in 1999 when the elementary school was closed due to fuel contamination. The children and staff were getting sick from the fuel vapors that were present in their surrounding. Since then, the children of this community have been going to their classrooms in their separate portable buildings, even with the fire code violations. The portables don't even have fire sprinkler systems in place and the community has been without a fire truck for over a year now.

Our leadership has commenced proceedings in the court to prove neglect by the federal government in this situation, but the children cannot wait for the results of a court decision. Why not build the school now while everything is reasonably priced. This waiting not only hurts the citizens of this community, but it may also hurt this country. Maybe one day a young graduate from the school could stumble upon a serum that could treat diseases and help the whole world.

-Lucien Lazarus