Regional chief sounds alarm on minister

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Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse sent out a letter to the 139 Ontario chiefs on Sept. 20 that warns that the Conservative Party of Canada government is not prepared to listen to First Nations as it moves forward with its "narrow agenda."

The letter, which was leaked to this publication without the regional chief's knowledge, was sent to Ontario chiefs a week after Toulouse met with Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice in Timmins.

"It has been approximately eight months since this government was elected into power by a slim minority. I believe we have a clearer picture of what we are dealing with and what the government's agenda is with regard to the First Nations' population," the regional chief wrote.

"This is a government that will divide us to their political advantage. Given my meeting with Minister Prentice and the substance of it-or lack thereof-it is apparent that now, more than ever, First Nations in Ontario need to clearly present our priorities with a strong, united voice."

Sources say the meeting did not go smoothly and the minister was clearly not interested in hearing Ontario's position on a number of issues. While political staffers at the Chiefs of Ontario office would neither confirm nor deny that assertion, Toulouse's letter makes it clear that he did not feel he had the minister's attention.

"My meeting with Minister Prentice ... further reinforced to me the inflexibility this government has toward First Nations' priorities. I am concerned that if our priorities are not consistent with the stated priorities of this government, we will have a huge challenge in getting attention and action on them," Toulouse wrote.

Toulouse, the Ontario representative on the Assembly of First Nations national executive board, started his two-page report to the chiefs by saying that after he requested a meeting with Prentice, he waited several months.

"Unfortunately, it would appear that the length of time that it took to secure a meeting with the minister is reflective of the federal government's priorities," he wrote. "Essentially, Minister Prentice's response was consistent with the line that we have heard time and again from this Conservative federal government-'We have our priorities.'"

Toulouse then listed the federal priorities as described by the minister.

"The priorities include consultation and legislation with respect to matrimonial real property; the formation of an expert panel on water to make recommendations on standards leading to the development of legislation; education-Minister Prentice is particularly supportive of the British Columbia tripartite agreement and would like to see First Nations in Ontario pursue a similar model; and lastly, housing," he wrote.

Toulouse warned the chiefs that the Indian Affairs minister and his government appear to have made up their minds about housing.

"The specifics regarding [Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's] plan for housing are not yet clear, although it would appear to include institutional developments and a push for market housing," he wrote.

Shortly after the letter was written, Prentice told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix that his government believes private ownership of property on reserves is something to be pursued. That strategy has been rejected by First Nation leaders and experts who point to the checkerboard reservations in the United States, where land was privatized and then lost if mortgage payments were defaulted. Many academics say the goal of privatizing reserve land has been sought by many assimilationists during Canada's history.

Twice in his letter, Toulouse felt it important to tell the chiefs that issues he raised with the minister received no reply at all.

With the occupiers at Caledonia getting ready for their second winter on the site, Toulouse told Prentice that the need to settle land claims quickly and fairly was a pressing issue.

"I emphasized that 'speeding up the process' will not result from hiring more lawyrs to invalidate claims quicker," Toulouse wrote, later adding that an acceptable solution will "require fundamental changes in the way in which claims are dealt with, including a review of the federal government's role as judge and jury in the settlement of claims.

"There was no response from the minister on this issue," Toulouse added.

When the minister was asked about reductions to funding for a First Nation special education program, Toulouse reported that Prentice "had no response and did not express any concern."

In a follow-up letter written to the minister, Toulouse made it clear that he is not pleased with the heavy-handed approach being employed by the Conservatives.

"Minister, to be completely frank with you, I was quite disappointed to hear that the federal government does not appear to be willing to engage in discussions relating to First Nations' priorities if they do not correspond to the stated priorities of the government," he wrote. "I find this approach inflexible and certainly not First Nations driven. I believe that you have spoken to First Nations about their priorities but rather than allow the First Nations to set the priorities, the government has instead been very selective in choosing which issues to pursue for reasons known only to yourselves. For years First Nations have been saying a unilateral, top-down approach will not work. This approach will not result in a narrowing of the gap between First Nations people and the rest of Canada."

Reached for comment on the regional chief's remarks on Sept. 27, Minister Jim Prentice said "Chief [Angus] Toulouse was complaining during the meeting so I guess I shouldn't be surprised he was complaining after the meeting." The minister said he would have listened to any initiative Toulouse wanted to put in front of him if there'd been a specific and detailed plan.

"I like to take a business-like approach. If there's something specific to talk about, I'll listen, but Chief Toulouse did not put anthing specific in front of me," he said.

The minister was clearly annoyed at the allegation that he didn't care about speeding up the settlement of land claims.

"That's just nonsense," he said. "We are working on the claims process. I'm working very closely with the national chief to see what can be done to improve the Indian Specific Claims Commission. Chief Toulouse will be proven wrong over the next six months."

The minister rejected claims he is not interested in listening to chiefs, saying he recently met with all the Manitoba chiefs and stayed for four hours rather than the scheduled one hour. And he said the chiefs there told him it was the first time an Indian Affairs minister had met with them in 12 years.