Housing protest continues

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An Opaskwayak Cree Nation man has been living in a tent outdoors to draw attention to overcrowding on the reserve near The Pas.

Samuel Rodrick McGillvary, 40, pitched his tent beside the Gordon Lathlin Memorial Centre on OCN on July 4. McGillvary said overcrowded housing conditions lead to young people having to leave the reserve and subsequently making what he calls "dark" lifestyle choices in the city.

"I commit myself to [staying here] 20 hours a day. Four hours I sleep, and that's my sacrifice to the youth," McGillvary said in an interview on Oct. 11. "I don't want the children to end up like I am. I went through too many systematic events in my life-legalities, education, welfare, group foster homes, foster homes. There are many psychological disadvantages to being homeless. That leads to loss of life, suicide, death, power struggles."

McGillvary's tent, with a pole flying the Canadian flag nearby, is visible from Highway 10 running through both OCN and the neighboring town of The Pas. As of mid-November, McGillvary was still there.

McGillvary has faxed statements of his views to more than 45 recipients, including federal Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault, Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, Churchill MP Bev Desjarlais, several Manitoba MLAs, federal and provincial government offices, First Nations organizations and media across Manitoba and Canada. He'd also contacted reserves in the United States.

McGillvary said he does not blame OCN for the housing shortage, as the band has many financial commitments.

"They have to take certain amounts of money from every department in our social structure in order to maintain this balance. They have full and good intentions to help their people to develop their family values and independence."

OCN is not managing its money badly, McGillivary said.

"There is not enough in the first place," he said. When asked if OCN should be receiving more money from the federal government, McGillvary replied, "Absolutely."

"I was thinking $1 billion annually for all First Nations across Canada, just for housing. This should be dealt with by the United Nations, and also by Pope John Paul."

McGillvary said he is prepared to continue living in his tent until he feels his concerns are truly being heard.

"I will not fail. I will not falter. I stand fully committed for the children and their children. This is the 20th century and we're still living in the '30s."

There's a backlog of 600 homes on the reserve right now, OCN Chief Frank Whitehead said in an interview Nov. 3. About 3,200 of OCN's 4,000 members live on the reserve.

The housing shortage on reserves is a big problem.

"It's so big that it creates social problems because of the overcrowding.

"There is not enough funding. We receive $330,000 [per year] from INAC for social housing. In addition to that, we usually allocate $600,000 [per year] from our capital monies. You build eight or nine, the backlog is still 600 every year. The priority goes to families."

Whitehead said he had last spoken with INAC about the issue in September.

"The only thing they agreed to was to review the needs in the region. This would include the possibility of addressing overcrowding and mold. But that was not guaranteed in terms of a positive outcome."

With respect to McGillvary, Whitehead said, "We made offers in the past, but he refused our help to set him up somewhere. In the summer, we made an offer of paying his rent to move into suitable accommodations, much like what we would offer anyone. He didn't agree to what was presented to him at the time."

Whitehead said some members of the community also came forward to offer accommodation to McGillvary.

Whitehead added OCN has approached the town, Regional Municipality of Kelsey and the region's major employer, lumber and kraft paper producer Tolko Industries Ltd., about partnering on low-cost housing.

OCN is looking at a bigger, broader picture, Whitehead said.

"If the government, oth levels, can look at this problem other than just social housing, but also in terms of creating housing opportunities, affordable housing and employment opportunities at the same time, we will have created an industry that will support itself through mortgages, rents. They need to focus on that and help us establish ourselves that way, and provide development dollars to that end."

In the last year, OCN has adopted a land code under the First Nations Land Management Act, with the intent "to utilize our lands to their maximum potential, including designation of land for residential housing market potential," Whitehead said.

"We need co-operation from Indian Affairs to make sure we have adequate shelter funding to pay for that. INAC has indicated that's a possibility."

Representatives of INAC's Winnipeg office were contacted by Windspeaker with respect to this article. The correspondent did not receive any comments or information specific to McGillvary or the housing situation on OCN.