Things are improving for aboriginal peoples through their own political will and organizational abilities but there is still a long way to go. Basic issues such as adequate and cost-effective access to food and water services are being taken more seriously only because the people are making their voices, socio-economic interests, and when necessary, their votes well known.
Northern Shipping
In the article of May 19, 2010 (Serving the True North – The North West Company Should Not Be Involved) it was argued that the North West Company should not take a principal role in replacing the Canada Post Food Mail Program privatization through that company would only serve to narrow public options and increase costs. A recent article on page 9 of Grassroots News, June 1, 2010 (1) indicates that although INAC officials presently indicate that they are still reviewing, sufficient backlash and demand that First Nations be involved in the review and consultations. An announcement is to be issued by INAC but unconfirmed rumours are that 1) INAC itself will take over administration of the Program and 2) Northern Stores will not be involved in the program in Manitoba. Hopefully, North West Company/Northern Stores will not be a factor in the future of the program and there will be a real chance to bring consumer costs of essential foods in line with the economy of the communities.
However we await the official announcement to find out if the program will truly serve the peoples involved.
Clean Water
In a second article in Grassroots News (June 1, 2010, p.1), the Water and Wastewater issue has taken another step forward as the federal government is putting some numbers to their plans That I mentioned in the article of June 2, 2010, (Water, But No Bucket: Bill S-11)
The Conservatives also announced a two-year extension of the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan, at a cost of $330 million (1). There still remain gaps in the proposal, such as what the full costs would be to bring the plan to national standards. Still, it does indicate that there may at least something positive towards priming the pumps of better wastewater management and clean water access.
References
(1) Grassroots News June 1, 2010, http://www.grassrootsnewsmb.com/, download PDF
(2) Canada to improve drinking water in First Nation communities, by K.J. Mullins Digital Journal, June 7, 2010 http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/293078
Clean water and efficient waste management are a high priority to any community. First Nations communities, often distant and isolated from major water treatment centers, are a major concern. But addressing these needs can be involved and expensive. Recently (1), National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, expressed a concern about S-11, the proposed First Nations Safe Drinking Water Act introduced by the Federal Government. While it identifies the need, it fails to offer a means to achieve the objective.
While Bill S-11 proposes regulations to improve First Nations water supplies, once the observer scratches the thin glittering patina, he finds that beneath lies a lead façade.
Merrell-Ann Phare of the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources pointed out at the CFCAS Water Security Symposium (2) that “The number one opposition to the Bill is the lack of capacity and resources”, a stance that is echoed by the Assembly of First Nations.
The City of Winnipeg (population 675,000) is proceeding with a ¾ billion dollar contract for water and sewage upgrades for the city (3), in addition to an undisclosed 30 year contract for maintenance with Veolia (4). Using the same model, coupled with the fact that the aboriginal population of Canada is over 1 million and growing, one would expect that there would be a budget of at least $1 billion just to initiate the infrastructure. In fact this value should be much greater, given the poorer state of existing facilities and the remoteness of the locales.
In the end of course the costs will be absorbed by the communities but, since they have little in the way of available existing funds to respond to the proposed regulations, this amounts to the wind whistling through the heads of the politicians proposing the bill.
Read more on this Article!
The average Canadian is still getting used to the style of governance that has plagued aboriginal peoples for hundreds of years in this country. While all parties and government levels utilize intimidation and blackmailing techniques, Nancy Ruth (or perhaps it should be Ruthless) has epitomized the recent Federal Progressive form of rule with her statement on Monday, May, 3, 2010 when she told a group of Ottawa activists to “shut the fuck up” about abortion rights,
Specifically she stated
“We’ve got five weeks or whatever left until G-8 starts. Shut the f— up on this issue,” Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth told a group of international-development advocates who gathered on Parliament Hill on Monday to sound the alarm about Canada’s hard-right stand against abortion in foreign aid.
“If you push it, there will be more backlash,” said Ruth, who fears that outrage will push her boss, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to take further measures against abortion and family planning – abroad, or maybe even in Canada”
Audio Reference: http://media.thestar.topscms.com/audio/b6/d6/9b36437f457c9859618858cf233c.mp3
Read more on this Article!
After Katz’ last effort to introduce privatization of water, comes a renewed effort, advanced by the right wing organization, Frontier Centre For Public Policy (1). Their report is a glowing recommendation for the privatisation of Winnipeg water and sewage (2) If anyone was fooled into thinking that Katz had dropped the issue, the continued eagerness of a Calgary based organisation to promote the issue should be a wake-up call. The truth is that there is a lot of money to be made and private companies are not going to quit in cornering the major source of fresh water remaining in the world.
The dynamics haven’t changed. Once the public begins to dig deep enough they probably uncover the same companies (like Vivendi, now Veoli) rooting around the underbelly. As stated in a recent study: “Privatisation involves the outsourcing of public services from the public authorities to a privately organised organisation. Through this, however, nothing needs to change in terms of the market or the intensity of competition for the commodity in question. Within the framework of privatisation it can also occur that the public monopoly is only transferred to a private monopoly. … The international markets for the operation of water supply systems and complete solutions are dominated by French and British companies.” (3) Read more on this Article!
“Taking food away from a family is a serious infringement on our rights. Indigenous peoples are, and always have been, an integral part of this ecosystem. The Innu did not cause the reduction of the Labrador caribou herd; rather it’s a result of development, resource extraction, the DEW line and other man made factors. Forcing our people away from wild foods amounts to a subsidy for private commercial food retailers and furthermore results in devastating health and social problems as well as loss of language and culture. – Chief Shawn Atleo
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2010/24/c4320.htm
Resource hoarding by the government has been an effective and long-standing means of limiting aboriginal growth and sustainability. While Treaties do theoretically allow for rights to environmental resources, subsequent manipulation and separate government practices have all but eliminated these rights. At best, repeated challenges by Inuit, First Nations, and Métis peoples are required in order to reaffirm those same rights.
The latest stance by Chief Atleo is that The Assembly of First Nations is defending the right of Innu hunters involved in a dispute with the Newfoundland and Labrador government. Newfoundland is upset with the activities of about 150 Quebec Innu that it says are camped out in a closed hunting site.
A Productive Strategy
One reader to the story in the Globe and Mail states “Better for all of us to leave the animals and herds that is [sic] distress, alone and hope for the best.” (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/afn-chief-atleo-defends-innu-hunt-of-at-risk-caribou/article1480716/ )
The do nothing and wait for the animals to die out is not an answer, nor is hunting them to extinction. The real answer is a proactive one allowing both the animals and the cultures to grow. By allowing conservation ranching, as other nations do with their reindeer, we could achieve positive goals. Through ranching, a portion of existing herds with return to the wild of i.e. 10% stock herds annually would provide protection, study, and replenishment of the wild stock. At the same time it would reinforce cultural Dene/Innu traditional skill sets and supplementary conservation employment for the country.
Other animals could be used to provide wild meat stock to other First Nations communities and even a limited number of white tablecloth specialty restaurants. Reindeer meat is believed to be one of the best tasting and highly valued meats in the world.
Canada Shouldn’t Repeat its Failures
In the mid-1950’s the Sayisi Dene of Manitoba were almost wiped out by the federal government act of separating the peoples from their original homes and their central livelihood; the hunting of caribou. – Bussidor and üstun Bilgen-Reinhart, Night Spirits: The story of the relocation of the Sayasi Dene, 1997, University of Manitoba Press
The caribou are a nomadic species and as are the people who depend upon them. The fact that herds travel from one modern-day jurisdiction to another cannot be allowed limit the rights of the peoples.
The caribou have inhabited this country and proliferated in harmony with the native peoples for thousands of years. It is only since the advent of non-aboriginal activities such as oil exploration and mining and the technologies that have allowed for more devastating commercial hunting practices, that species such as caribou have been threatened. It is in the interests of the Dene and Innu peoples to maintain the herds. Cooperation, not conflict, should provide the path to the future.
Proactive Conservation
The government conservation departments in fact do little to actually conserve species. Instead what little research is done is to document and count the falling numbers as the species and the cultures that value them are diminishing. If these governments and their agencies really wanted to preserve the regions, they would incorporate the resident populations in the conservation process.
Rather than hoard natural resources only to see them to waste away in the process, we need a new approach in environmental conservation and economic growth that benefits Canada and all of its peoples.
