Key to prosperity on reserve is self-government

A report released in November by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is "probably extremely misleading to the uninformed," contends Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie.
Report author Mark Milke, former director with CTF and presently director of research for the Frontier Centre, makes no new recommendations in the report entitled "Life is Better in the Cities: How Canada's Aboriginal and general populations fare on reserve and off-reserve." He notes however, that "past studies from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and others have recommended a litany of changes to reserves, including their abolishment. This paper serves ... as a reminder to those on reserves, and those concerned about reserves, about the actual conditions..."
In an interview with Windspeaker, Milke states that as towns and cities "let natural forces take effect and abolish themselves when an industry dies," so should reserves.
"You're not artificially propping up towns and villages, but reserves are functioning on federal money propping them up," Milke explained. "If you have incentives to stay on reserves, I think that's the most cruel thing you can do. It's simply not going to be very helpful for anyone's personal development."
Milke's report is based on 2006 census data in which he concludes "for those who live on reserves, economic and social indicators consistently rank below those of Aboriginals in urban (non-reserve) communities and of non-Aboriginal Canadians. In general, Aboriginals on reserve fare the worst, Aboriginals off-reserve fare better, and the general population (also off-reserve) fare the best."
According to 2006 statistics, median earnings for those living on reserve was $29,014 compared to $37,447 for those living off-reserve.
Louie agrees that economically "on the whole" many First Nations people do fare better in the larger centres than on First Nations land. He also agrees with Milke's reasoning that the isolated living conditions and the remote locations of many communities are two key factors impacting the ability to thrive economically.
But abolishing reserves and giving up rights to land is not going to happen, said Louie.
"If you took it to most of the First Nations, you're not going to see First Nations across Canada say, 'Well, we'll throw in the towel, give up our reserve lands.' I think they'd rip up that paper and throw it in the garbage, because that's not going to happen."
Both men point to the quality of governance as having a substantial impact on Native living conditions on reserve, but have entirely different perspectives on the subject.
"There's no mystery that some reserves are badly governed and not accountable," said Milke.
But it's the lack of self-governance that Louie contends is the reason why First Nations don't thrive.
Milke singles out Westbank First Nation and Osoyoos Indian Band as examples of "laudable exceptions and examples of reserves in Canada that have defied the statistical stereotype and succeeded."
Both Westbank and Osoyoos make economic development a priority and self-governance has made that happen.
Westbank started its move toward self-governance a number of years ago with its own land code under the Land Management Act, and later rolled that land code into Westbank's self-governance structure.
"That means we have jurisdiction over our lands, our resources and our people, and the people include all residents, non-Natives as well," explained Louie.
With jurisdiction came taxation and control over what developers do on reserve lands. This in turn has accelerated the growth of development in Westbank First Nation. Louie points out that Westbank accounts for as much as 25 per cent of development in the 633 First Nations across the country.
"Self-governance has taken (development) out of the realm of the (federal) Department of Indian Affairs and the red tape of bureaucracy and put it into our hands as a governing First Nation. That has done things like promoted and accelerated the rate of growth by providing security and comfort for third party development," said Louie.
There are only a handful of First Nations that are self-governed, although almost two dozen have begun taking incremental steps in that direction.
Louie admits that, unlike many other First Nations, Westbank also has location as an asset. Situated in a growing urban centre in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, Westbank has a population of 9,000 to 10,000 souls, and with infrastructure in place and self-governance, Westbank has been able to capture non-Native investment.
While location helps, it isn't everything. Louie points to McLeod Lake Indian Band, an isolated First Nation two hours north of Prince George, B.C. that has begun its move toward self-governance.
McLeod Lake has implemented its Land Codes, which gives it jurisdiction over its resources, including $10- to $20-million worth of timber, for which they issue their own timber mark and set up their own forestry laws.
"If they didn't have that, they would have to rely on provincial jurisdiction and that would slow them down immensely," said Louie.
In his study, Milke further contends that "an over-reliance on immediate culture (one's own) and separateness now regrettably hampers success for many of Canada's Aboriginals; it is a separateness that is encouraged by some Aboriginal leaders a separateness which goes beyond the useful sense of mutual dependence and ethnic solidarity, to one that hampers the possibility of economic opportunity, higher living standards, and better social conditions."
But, said Louie, "We're living proof that what works here really works. You don't need to get rid of our reserve lands. We'll never do that. Our people are very strong on that point."