Shift in funding doesn’t provide “equal balance”

The federal government is putting more money into skills training for Aboriginal youth in light of a labour shortage – but it’s coming at a cost to other Aboriginal programs.

“I think an equal balance is what we look for because in our culture the whole realm of healthiness has to evolve, has to be equal,” said Chief Cameron Alexis of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation.

Alexis made his comments following a lunch time address to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce last month by John Duncan, federal minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
“The answer to Canada’s long term labour needs must include Canada’s Aboriginal population,” Duncan told chamber members.

The Aboriginal population is the largest growing segment in Canada. By 2026, it is expected to rise to more than 1.5 million with 40 per cent of those under the age of 25. Edmonton is home to the second largest urban Aboriginal population in the country.
Duncan noted that a labour shortfall of more than 110,000 workers is expected in Alberta over the next decade.

He said the Canadian government invests more than $400 million annually in direct funding for Aboriginal skills development and training.  Provincial and territorial governments invest another $2 billion toward this end as well.

“We just announced some additional spending for youth, which includes an Aboriginal component,” Duncan said. That funding will come as a new initiative through the existing Youth Employment Strategy and will be dedicated to projects that will train youth in fields that are in high demand for skilled labourers.
However, investment in skills training has resulted in a shift in funding from other programs aimed at the Aboriginal population.
“We’ve changed the priority and there will be some changes,” Duncan said, speaking after his address to the chamber.

One of those changes is a cut in funding to friendship centres.
Duncan defended the move by saying the government had undertaken the cuts in consultation with the National Association of Friendship Centres.

“The feedback we’ve been getting from the national organization … is that these changes were productive changes, probably overdue and we’ve now made them,” he said. “Everything is moving, I think, in a very good direction.”

However, Alexis not only questioned Duncan’s shift in priorities, but Duncan’s decision to cut core funding to Aboriginal regional organizations without consultation.

“I feel very strongly that we should be consulted. We, the First Nations, live in the reserves as he stated, however we know what the problems are on the Nations and what the drivers are,” Alexis said. “If we are the fastest growing population then we do need cohesive adequate dollars to do the job.”

In the weeks prior to his Edmonton stop, Duncan announced major cuts to national and regional Aboriginal representative organizations, as well as tribal councils. Cuts will be made over the next two years with a cap of $500,000 in core funding or a reduction of 10 per cent cut.

“We did not (let them know ahead of time).  That was not a requirement for us to make a major budgetary decision. We are the senior level of government. We have budgetary commitments that we have to make,” said Duncan.

“I don’t think cutbacks are the answer. I don’t think necessarily additional dollars are the answer as well. But a cohesive approach is the most prudent way to go in ensuring that we, the First Nations, have our First Nation decision-making processes involved as well,” Alexis said.

Duncan suggested that organizations make up the shortfall by soliciting corporate funds.

“That’s becoming very difficult. From that statement alone it’s almost to a degree stating that the fiduciary responsibility of the government is going to be downloaded to industry,” Alexis said.
In a province like Alberta, where the largest corporate donors are oil and gas developers, that presents significant issues for First Nations treaty councils, who have members that are fighting development on their traditional lands.

The answer, Alexis says, is for the government and industry to step up to the plate and resource revenue share.

Resource revenue sharing was an issue discussed at the January First Nation-Crown Gathering. Prior to that, it was the focus of a rally in October 2011 on the steps of the Alberta Legislature.

 “Industry has the obligation to all Albertans and Canadians, especially First Nations, relative to revenue sharing. The revenue sharing has not been totally ironed out in respect to the treaty process which is international realm of law,” Alexis said.