INAC Minister Scott meets with Mushkegowuk Nation leaders in Timmins
Two important news stories in the Saturday issue of the Timmins Daily Press highlight meeting of the Mushkegowuk First Nation leaders with INAC Minister Andy Scott. The first article is about the meeting itself and some of the challenges facing these remote communities and the second article is about the minister making a commitment to fund the construction of a new school in Attawapiskat. See copies of the articles below with the links to the local Timmins paper.
Scott gets earful
By Trevor Terfloth
Local News - Saturday, August 20, 2005 @ 07:00
The North’s Aboriginal leaders had the ear of an influential government figure Friday afternoon.
Minister of Indian Affairs Andy Scott met with chiefs and other dignitaries at Cedar Meadows Resort to talk about concerns ranging from education to infrastructure.
Scott said the round table meeting was productive and basically what he expected it to be.
Although there were many topics of discussion, he said that hydro in particular was a bone of contention among those present.
“Without diminishing any of the interventions — because there were a lot of issues brought up — the pressure on the communities related to the high cost of energy would have been one that was made forcefully,” he said.
Despite the chiefs putting on the heat with their concerns, the minister said his department is up to the challenge and has the support of his government and the prime minister in helping Aboriginals reach their full potential.
However, Scott said he does hope each community recognizes the procedure that is required for every initiative.
“At the end of the day, my job is to position the department to be able to respond,” he said. “This isn’t just a matter of the minister coming here and and saying yes, yes, yes. It’s about making sure that it’s understood the process that we’re going through.”
Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit was pleased the minister paid a visit, and said those in attendance were reasonable in what they expected out of the first day of the two-day session.
Minister commits to Attawapiskat school
The Daily Press
Local News - Saturday, August 20, 2005 @ 07:00
Prior to Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott’s meeting with chiefs and other First Nations dignitaries Friday, Daily Press reporter Trevor Terfloth sat down for an exclusive interview with the minister at Cedar Meadows Resort to discuss issues of concern in Northeastern Ontario and for First Nations.
The Daily Press: Thank you for this, Mr. Scott. There has been much anticipation among the Northern First Nations for your visit. So far, one of the main issues has been the Attawapiskat school situation.
Does the federal government have anything planned?
Andy Scott: Absolutely. (We want to) accelerate the discussions that are going on between (the First Nations) and the department.
We are committed to the school and we have a process that as a department we must go through relative to the Treasury Board and so on.
It just becomes a question of giving it the kind of intensity that would have this happen more quickly than otherwise.
But let there be no mistake — the Government of Canada is committed to and in the process of the process that would see the construction of the school.
TDP: You mentioned giving it a sort of ‘intensity.’ How so?
AS: Ultimately when you’re engaged with the number of issues that we would be engaged in, sometimes it’s simply a matter of identifying — in this case the school — and it comes from talking to the community about things they view to be most important.
That’s where in terms of the time that we have on task, the time I spend on the phone talking to my colleagues at the Treasury Board and so on ... to move things along.
I’m not saying there’s a problem in any particular place, but we make choices personally given the large number of potential projects that would exist in the country.
And we’re here because this is one of those critical projects.
TDP: I understand this wasn’t your portfolio five years ago, but that’s how long the Attawapiskat residents have been waiting.
So how much comfort is it for them to hear that the process is moving along?
AS: Well, I think it’s probably important to get into the details of the process we are talking about.
We have two competing objectives — one is to get the school.
The other is to be far less intrusive and paternalistic in our approach to the communities.
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http://www.timminstimes.com/story.php?id=179886
Changes in store for First Nations communities
Some very positive outcomes have resulted from a recent visit by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Andy Scott.
By Arron Pickard, Wednesday August 24, 2005
Timmins Times — Some very positive outcomes have resulted from a recent visit by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Andy Scott.
In an ongoing effort to visit as much of Canada as he can, Scott met with representatives from Northern and First Nation communities to talk business. He met with chiefs of various First Nations on Friday, August 19 at Cedar Meadows Resort in Timmins. In attendance was Robert Riopelle, Liberal candidate seeking the role of Timmins-James Bay MP, and he said the meeting was positive and changes are forthcoming along the coast.
“All of the First Nations Chiefs were very happy with the outcome of the meeting,” Riopelle said. “This was an excellent opportunity for chiefs to bring very specific issues forward to the minister. There is a lot of common ground between those issues, but they are also very unique. Some of the more pressing items talked about included a new school in Attawapiskat, hydro prices in Peawanuck, housing in Kashechewan and their problems with flooding.”
Riopelle added that, in Attawapiskat, the minister has committed to working with them to get a new school built. He added that the First Nation would like to see it constructed within two to three years, and Minister Scott felt that was a very possible and probable outcome.
“Now, they just have to figure out best solution in terms of financing and construction,” Riopelle said. He went on to add that the members of the Kashechewan First Nation requested that the minister appoint a task force to study the situation in their community, and he agreed whole-heartedly.
“Unfortunately, not all of the First Nations sitting at the table were able to get their answers at the table, but they did submit very detailed reports of their own respective problems and the minister was adamant that he will provide an answer to them,” Riopelle said.
As for Minister Scott, he said it is difficult to visit every First Nation in the community, but a lot of time has been dedicated to build national policies to not only understand those problems, but to do something about it.
“We understand that these are very comprehensive problems and we cannot solve them alone,” Scott said. “We have and are still working on a number of substantial policy changes. Is it going fast enough? No. But we are on the right track. Are we paying attention? Yes.”
In reference to De Beers Canada’s Victor diamond mine, Scott said it is critically important that benefits go to the people most affected.
“We also have to make sure that the tradition of the land and its environment aren’t intruded upon. I am comforted by the fact that I’ve seen the situation from the ground. What’s more important is to fix it.”
Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus said the federal government is finally getting the message on the need to address the social inequalities plaguing the James Bay coast. Angus made the comments following his own meeting with Minister Scott, who he said has signaled a willingness to address the need for a new school in Attawapiskat. As well, the minister agreed to support a special task force to address the long-term crisis plaguing the community of Kashechewan.
"I am encouraged that the federal minister came to Timmins and heard from the communities of the coast," said Angus. "We made it clear to the minister that we needed firm commitments to address the social and housing crisis plaguing these communities. For the last dozen years, the federal government has treated the James Bay coast with a culture of indifference. Those days are over."
Chief Leo Friday of Kashechewan pressed the minister to approve a special task force to help alleviate the crisis in his community. Angus said the Task Force is an important first step in moving Kashechewan out of a cycle of vicious poverty.
"The housing and infrastructure crisis in Kashechewan is a national shame," said Angus. "A Task Force is needed to develop a plan that will move this community beyond perpetual crisis management and finally put the people of Kashechewan on a road towards sustainability."
Angus said he is hopeful that a new school in Attawapiskat will finally be realized.
"We will be meeting with the minister in early September to finalize plans on the school. Minister Scott has indicated a willingness to work with the communities and I will be working closely with his office to ensure that we move forward on these issues."