Ernie Daniels: How Ottawa could turn $200 million into $4 billion for Indigenous infrastructure
Move First Nations away from managing poverty to sharing in Canada’s prosperity
Author of the article:
Ernie Daniels, Special to Financial Post
Published Mar 21, 2023 • Last updated Mar 22, 2023 • 4 minute read
If the past has taught us anything, it’s that Ottawa doesn’t always know what’s best when it comes to policies that impact Indigenous Peoples.
Whether it’s residential schools, First Nations Child and Family Services, health, housing or economic development, paternalism doesn’t work. Initiatives that involve partnerships with Indigenous peoples on a Nation-to-Nation basis have the greatest chance of success.
As the Government of Canada prepares to announce the 2023 budget, First Nation peoples are hopeful that there will be new funds allocated to build the infrastructure that’s required to improve living conditions in their communities.
But will it be enough to eliminate the boil water advisories and build the housing, education centres, roads, health facilities and other infrastructure to lift Indigenous Peoples out of poverty?
The answer is almost certainly no, because the reality is that the infrastructure gap between First Nations and the rest of Canada continues to expand with each passing year despite Canada’s good intentions.
The Trudeau government has pledged to close the gap by 2030 as outlined in the prime minister’s December, 2021 mandate letter to Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu. However, a new report prepared jointly by the Assembly of First Nations and Indigenous Services Canada and referenced at a recent AFN panel discussion puts the infrastructure gap at a staggering $349.2 billion.
The disparity, according to the report, is due to “decades of underfunding, failed fiduciary duties, and unfair distribution of Canada’s wealth as a country.”