Canadians respond to call for help

The community of Attawapiskat First Nation entered the holiday season in a state emergency, with a housing shortage and deplorable living conditions, including a lack of running water, sewage disposal and heating, central to the nation’s concerns for its people.

The current state of emergency was declared two months ago, and the federal government has been criticized for the slow response to the situation.

To make matters worse, Attawapiskat has been put into third-party management, so leadership has lost control over the community’s finances.

Dr. Pamela Palmater from the Centre for Indiginous Governance at Ryerson University says there are three levels of financial intervention.

“The first level requires the band to do a remedial management plan which will hopefully address any deficit. The second level is co-management which requires that a co-manager be hired to represent [Aboriginal Affairs’] interests.” This means that the federal government and the nation co-manage the budget.

Third-party means that Aboriginal Affairs, said Palmater, completely controls the budget through a third party hired on behalf of the federal government and paid for by the band.

“It is incredible that the Harper government’s decision is that instead of offering aide and assistance to Canada’s First Peoples, their solution is to blame the victim, and that the community is guilty, and deserving of their fate,” said Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence in a press release dated Dec.1.

The press release also states, “Prime Minister Harper has forgone another opportunity to build upon the goodwill developed from Canada’s national apology for the abuses of the residential school system, a once in a generation opportunity.”

The community has received help from the Canadian Red Cross and from other First Nations communities, such as Atikameksheng Anishnawbek (Whitefish Lake First Nation), near Sudbury, Ont.

“During the Assembly of First Nations gathering in Ottawa, which took place on Dec. 6th, 7th and 8th, I did announce to the assembly that our First Nation, Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, had donated $1,000 to Attawapiskat First Nation through the Red Cross,” said Chief Steve Miller. “We also sent Chief Theresa Spence and her community a letter of support.”

While Chief Spence has said the third-party intervention has caused more harm than good, she has acknowledged that her nation has received generous support from the Canadian public, “and many corporate sponsors who wish to address the concerns of my community, for which we are grateful.”

Charlie Angus stood in the House of Commons to thank the Red Cross for their extraordinary response to help the community of Attawapiskat. Emergency teams from the Red Cross have been in the community for weeks bringing in badly needed supplies. Angus says the Red Cross relief has been possible thanks to the incredible outpouring of support from Canadians across the country.

“When Attawapiskat cried out for help Canadians responded. Individuals, school groups and churches raised funds. The Red Cross arrived quickly to deliver supplies that have kept families from freezing or burning to death. To them we say thank you.”

Angus accused the Conservative federal government of bumbling in response to community need, and said at times the response was confrontational.

“Compare the response of average Canadians with the response of the Conservatives, which has been condemned internationally as an attempt to bully and intimidate an impoverished First Nation.”

The MP called upon Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan to stop punishing Attawapiskat and kick out the third party manager.