Robert Laboucane's statement

Page 8

As a public servant, I am accountable to the minister, Mr. Crombie, as are all

other civil servants in the department. Some of us are also accountable to our clients

while others feel they are not. This is demonstrated by the actions and attitudes.

When do the "policy" makers become accountable to those affected by these policies?

The minister, I believe, is accountable to Parliament. Parliament is accountable to the Canadian people. The obvious conclusion one draws from all this is that the Canadian people are supporting and condoning what is being done to the Native people of this county. I cannot.

I say Shame, Shame, Shame, Shame, on all of us. Let the records and statistics speak for themselves. The situation is deplorable and unacceptable to any thinking person.

Let me assume (this audience) that apathy prejudice and discrimination are alive and well in Canada today.

The people's wages you pay with your taxes represent you. Responsibility cannot be bought off, blamed on someone else or explained away. Are the results achieved over the past 50 years considered to be successful and acceptable or have we all failed miserably?

I believe the results are exactly what has been planned. Therefore, I suppose the Canadian people have gotten their money's worth.

The rhetoric continues, the funding deceases, the statistics get worse, many Native people die or continue to exit in poverty, or a state of oblivion and hang on to a more glorious past because there is no future .... check the statistics. Are you wondering why the problem won't go away? Do you even ask, what can be done?

The absolute contradiction continues ... What is said and what is done are opposites. Is there anyone asking, just what is it we are trying to accomplish for whose benefit?

As a result of the recent government freeze on spending and in anticipation of the new budget announcement, I wish to express my concerns. By freezing the budget at this point in time, the government has seriously damaged my credibility, professional and personal integrity.

These are not for sale or available for compromise by any person or government ... two years of hard work wiped out with a stroke of the pen.

The economic and employment development program has spent a great deal of time and effort establishing a trust and rapport with Chiefs, elected councils and Indian program managers. Commitments for funding were made, projects and training started, people hired, countless hours spent on proposal development with other agencies only to have the projected cancelled in mid stream. Reimbursements of funds to bands for wages paid and consultants hired will have to come from new year funds.

The budget is very meager to begin with and cannot possibly address the needs. The new budget will be even tougher and I anticipate a reduction in the economic development budget for 1986/87 even though the minister has identified self-government and economic development for Indian people as the department priority.

Without adequate funding to respond to the various Band priorities, the futility of all we have done becomes apparent. Again, we have here an absolute contradiction between what is said and what is done.