Federal Aboriginal Affairs officials travelled to Attawapiskat at least 10 times this year, including three times in October, but it appears none of these visits triggered any concerns with the department about the state of housing on the reserve.
The Conservative government announced Wednesday it would be immediately turning over the management of the community to an outside consultant following a visit by department officials who concluded the health and safety of residents there demanded immediate action. The department also has an engineer on site tasked with finding a way to get residents into warm and safe housing.
Several families are living in tents and in shacks with no running water as deep winter-like temperatures have begun to settle over this community of 2,000 on the shores of James Bay.
The living conditions in the community have been described as “inhumane” and “life threatening” by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario.
Quote:
“This government has invested more than $90 million into this community since coming into office,” said Harper. “We will be announcing additional steps to deal with management problems in this community.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus, who has championed Attawapiskat’s cause, accused the government of blaming the community for its woes.
“Their solution is to blame the community,” said Angus, whose riding includes the community. “Why is it when a First Nation community is in distress does this government’s response is contempt?”
Despite Harpo's claim that it is their own fault for living in a native community something needs to be done very quickly.
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It's Un-Canadian to oppose a warming trend.
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I think this is a good idea. it couldn't get much worse. Kudos to the Conservatives for trying something new.
I love Angus's impossibly messed up quote: “Why is it when a First Nation community is in distress does this government’s response is contempt?”
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Seems to me who does what is moot at this point. If an abnormal solution betters their lives more quickly than the government dragging their feet, so much the better.
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Seems to me who does what is moot at this point. If an abnormal solution betters their lives more quickly than the government dragging their feet, so much the better.
Exactly. Clearly if local management can't get the people into safe, clean housing after burning through millions of dollars, it's time to try something new.
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Seems to me who does what is moot at this point. If an abnormal solution betters their lives more quickly than the government dragging their feet, so much the better.
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Originally Posted by Macfury
Exactly. Clearly if local management can't get the people into safe, clean housing after burning through millions of dollars, it's time to try something new.
Pardon me for asking but what is this new radical plan you speak of?
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Be wary be very wary of Ostentatious Grandiose Lambaster
This is nothing new. I saw 8'x12' shacks in Arrowland, north of Geraldton in the summer of 1975. I have long maintained that north of Highway 11 you are entering the third world. So these types of conditions have been happening in various places through a whole string of governments.
What is different here is taking over band finances. Bands have guarded their ability to disburse as they saw fit. The government says they have piled over $90,000,000 in the last six years. The bands and the opposition are going to scream. Personally, I will be glad to see some accountability and I am glad that it is a third party doing it. I would like it to be non partisan. Then you have a chance at getting to reality. Is it not enough money? Is it money wasted? a little bit of both? I'd like to know.
They interviewed an auditor on CBC radio this afternoon who had gone over the financial statements for the band. Her comments were interesting. first she indicated that the amount of money was tight. On the other hand she indicated that the ban had no budget and had not had one for years and that the statement showed money for housing to be there yet the band line of credit was maxed out.
so yes, I think that there is probably stuff to look at under the accountant's eye as opposed to the band or the politician's eye.
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This is nothing new. I saw 8'x12' shacks in Arrowland, north of Geraldton in the summer of 1975. I have long maintained that north of Highway 11 you are entering the third world. So these types of conditions have been happening in various places through a whole string of governments.
What is different here is taking over band finances. Bands have guarded their ability to disburse as they saw fit. The government says they have piled over $90,000,000 in the last six years. The bands and the opposition are going to scream. Personally, I will be glad to see some accountability and I am glad that it is a third party doing it. I would like it to be non partisan. Then you have a chance at getting to reality. Is it not enough money? Is it money wasted? a little bit of both? I'd like to know.
They interviewed an auditor on CBC radio this afternoon who had gone over the financial statements for the band. Her comments were interesting. first she indicated that the amount of money was tight. On the other hand she indicated that the ban had no budget and had not had one for years and that the statement showed money for housing to be there yet the band line of credit was maxed out.
so yes, I think that there is probably stuff to look at under the accountant's eye as opposed to the band or the politician's eye.
You can't be aware that the Federal Government and the Band were jointly administering the money. The First Nation was not doing things in the way that is stated here.
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Originally Posted by SINC
Had you read the quotes CubaMark posted, you would have no need to ask that question.
I did not see anything in CM's quote that was radical or new. I see the same old knee jerk reaction of Conservatives to blame someone else.
I imagine it appeals to the base of Conservative supporters.
Take the focus off the Government's failures:
that for 30 days the Government ignored the appeals for aid;
that the Red Cross had to be the first responders to show up with the aid (sleeping bags and heaters) for the community;
that for 12 years the community is waiting for the replacement school;
that the community is built on a flood plane;
that there are another 100 northern First Nation's communities in as bad shape as or in worse shape than Attawapiskat.
It must be difficult to see the Conservative Government handle the situation so badly, not to have complete control of the message track.
I fear the reason for the third party control of the books is merely a tactic in an attempt to regain control of the message track. I also fear it will signal to other First Nation communities not to start complaining publicly about their dire circumstance at this time.
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Be wary be very wary of Ostentatious Grandiose Lambaster
You can't be aware that the Federal Government and the Band were jointly administering the money. The First Nation was not doing things in the way that is stated here.
I did not see anything in CM's quote that was radical or new. I see the same old knee jerk reaction of Conservatives to blame someone else.
I imagine it appeals to the base of Conservative supporters.
Take the focus off the Government's failures:
that for 30 days the Government ignored the appeals for aid;
that the Red Cross had to be the first responders to show up with the aid (sleeping bags and heaters) for the community;
that for 12 years the community is waiting for the replacement school;
that the community is built on a flood plane;
that there are another 100 northern First Nation's communities in as bad shape as or in worse shape than Attawapiskat.
It must be difficult to see the Conservative Government handle the situation so badly, not to have complete control of the message track.
I fear the reason for the third party control of the books is merely a tactic in an attempt to regain control of the message track. I also fear it will signal to other First Nation communities not to start complaining publicly about their dire circumstance at this time.
Your own post contradicts itself. You say at the opening you did not see "it". Then you comment on "it".
It is a departure from normal government reaction, Liberals of old when they were a party, included.
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Native Canadians & the Federal Gov't (Attawapiskat, etc.)
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