Statesman makes an impact

Page 6

There are far too many who believe that First Nations people don't have the ability to reach their goal of self-government, said former national chief Phil Fontaine to the Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Man. on Sept. 21. His audience was primarily the Aboriginal student body and some of the media department students.

"Today, 90 per cent of the regional budget for Manitoba First Nations from Indian Affairs is administered locally," he said, "The dream continues to realize full control... over the lives of Aboriginal people in Aboriginal communities."

A vigorous question and answer period lasted nearly an hour and covered everything from Native involvement in resource sharing to the state of land claims.

Answering the unasked question, "Are we close to self-government?" Fontaine emphatically, quietly said, "Yes!"

He worried however that the impact of the terrorist attacks has shifted priorities enough to slow progress.

Fontaine spoke out on the state of health care in Aboriginal communities across the country, saying Canada is not what it says it is, the best country in the world to live in, because it has yet to match the quality of life in Aboriginal communities with that of the rest of the country.

He spoke out on the state of education and the need for Aboriginal people to pursue education.

"Not so they can qualify for jobs that don't exist," he cautioned, "but so we can deal with the naysayers and the doubters."