Grants help Native groups, tabbed 'slush fund'

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Six Native organization projects will benefit from the $24.9 million that was approved by the Community Facility Enhancement Program detailed in a tabled report at the legislature

last Thursday.

There were a total of 686 projects approved for funding under the program.

The three-year program, drawing from a $100 million pot of provincial lottery funding was announced last October by Premier Don Getty and Ken Kowalski, administrator of the

grants.

MLA Mike Cardinal is pleased that his ridings will receive the highest amount of dollars awarded at $811,784.

One of 22 projects that will share in the grants within the Athabasca-Lac La Biche constituency is the Imperial Mills Metis Association, which will receive $4,800.

"There is definite need by the communities in my constituency. It seems that they were left behind when it comes to programs," Cardinal said.

He recognizes the needs in the Native communities are much greater due to their geological location.

These communities have to rely on job creation and career development programs until they become more established, he said.

Cardinal sees himself as an effective candidate, which allows Native people better access to cabinet.

In MLA Pearl Calahasen's riding of Lesser Slave Lake, three projects were approved for grants totalling $202,532. The Grouard Indian band will receive $20,000 of that total.

In the Bonnyville area, The Elizabeth Metis Settlement Association will receive $30,000.

In the Fort McMurray region a total of $121,800 was awarded to four projects. Two of the projects to benefit are the Janvier Indian band, who will receive $40,000, while the Fort

McMurray band will receive $75,000.

The government grant program metes out more grants to Conservative ridings, charged Opposition Leader Ray Martin who referred to it as a Tory slush fund last week.

Only two of the 24 ridings held by opposition MLA's received more than 10 grants.

Meanwhile, Kowalski's riding of Barrhead received 30 grants totalling $727,021. Based on population of 14,426, the per capita is $50.40.

The Athabasca-Lac La Biche constituency received a per capita of $58.26 based on a population of 13,933. The lowest per capita received was by the Edmonton Gold Bar riding.

The average number of approvals per constituency is approximately eight, in contrast to Don Getty's Stettler riding which received 26 approvals.

When the program was unveiled it was publicly declared that all MLA's will play a community liaison role in the implementation of the program.

This is not the case, according to Liberal MLA Percy Wickman, who challenged Kowalski saying non-government MLA's have been excluded from the program.

Martin would like to see a fair distribution of grants.

"The reason that Barrhead got the most grants is that Kowalski administers the funds. Kowalski wants to stay in the good with the Premier that's the reason Stettler got the second

highest amount of grants," he said.

"This is an unacceptable way to do business. Having the government not being accountable to the legislature.

"Kowalski is a sort of godfather of the government, handing out money where he pleases," said Martin.

Martin's riding of Edmonton-Norwood received four grants worth $228,500 while Liberal Leader Lawrence Decore's riding received four grants totalling $71,000.