(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

FIRST NATIONS AND THE BUDGET

Indigenous government-relations firm said more should have been included in federal budget

Mar 29, 2023 | 3:02 PM

First Nations groups are lending their voice to what the federal government outlined in the 2023 budget earlier this week.

The budget was released by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Tuesday and included billions of dollars in new spending.

Some of that spending will go to support Indigenous communities, including $11.4 million for engagement with Indigenous communities in relation to the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous peoples and accommodate impacts on their rights over the next three years.

Just over $76 million for this year will be given to the Capacity Building for Nation Governments and Tribal Councils. The federal Liberal government is also committing $8.7 million to hold more consultations on Indigenous resource sharing.

But there were some parts in the budget that Indigenous firms like Warshield were not too impressed with, including the money allocated for Indigenous housing.

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“Seeing four billion over the next seven years is not anywhere near what was being asked for,” said Jennifer Laewetz, Community Outreach Lead with Warshield.

Laewetz was also critical of initiatives not receiving funding from the federal government.

“There’s no dedicated funding or mention for opioid or methamphetamine strategy for Indigenous communities which, as we know in Saskatchewan especially, it’s plaguing our communities, it’s an ongoing issue,” she said, adding there was also no funding announced for First Nations policing.

The budget is also being criticized by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and its national Chief Roseanne Archibald. She said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has failed to create more economic opportunities for First Nations and that a new “economic deal” with Ottawa is needed. She added the government continues to underfund First Nations.

For Laewetz, she said their goal is to continue to advocate for the needs of Indigenous communities to make sure their services are properly funded, and First Nations are taken care of.

“Everybody is feeling the economic tightening and the inflation and taxes and everything in between but the government still has a duty to ensure that Indigenous people are not being left behind in that process.”

–With files from The Canadian Press

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock