Commission report released in spring

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When the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People releases the first stage of its final report this spring, will anybody really care?

The report, five years in the making and costing a total of $60 million, comes a bit too late to do any good, said Blaine Favel, Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian nations in an interview with the Canadian Press.

The commission has missed the boat and will have little impact, said Favel. The time to get the biggest bang for the buck was when the Liberals were elected to federal power in 1993.

The commissioners could have had an opportunity to influence the new government, but now all the policies have been shaped and commission's impact nullified, said Favel. People have moved on, he said.

The commission was the most expensive look ever into the lives of Canada's Aboriginal people, and the most expensive commission on

Canada's books, going over budget by $12 million.

Georges Erasmus, commission co-chair believes the commission will provide answers to the country's most compelling questions regarding Aboriginal people. In his opinion, it's been money well spent.