First Nations influencing the Canadian election - Aboriginal issues and the parties
The decline and possible rebirth of the Kelowna Accord to fight aboriginal poverty
JOE FRIESEN - September 22, 2008
Was the Kelowna Accord a groundbreaking moment in the relationship between aboriginal people and the government of Canada, or was it nothing more than a glorified press release?
The Liberal Party, which spent 18 months negotiating the accord before the defeat of Paul Martin's government in 2006, believes Kelowna must form the basis of any future negotiations between the Crown and aboriginal peoples.
The Conservative Party, which initially committed in principle to the Kelowna Accord, has ignored its provisions and now describes it as badly flawed.
It's an issue that affects more than a million aboriginal Canadians, and there are 70 ridings where aboriginal voters make up more than 5 per cent of the population - yet neither political party will pay the issue much attention during this campaign. Assembly of First Nations national chief Phil Fontaine complained last week that while Canada has spent $22-billion on the war in Afghanistan, it has neglected native concerns.
"The response we're looking for from each of the parties is next steps in regards to the eradication of first nations poverty," he said.
Native issues will play a more significant role in a handful of northern seats dominated by aboriginal voters and in some urban ridings in the West. And as the country tries to move beyond the historic apology for residential schools, aboriginal issues remain an important point of ideological divide.
The idea behind Kelowna was to address as quickly as possible entrenched issues of poverty, education and poor housing to raise the standard of living for aboriginals to that of other Canadians by 2016.
It promised $5.1-billion over its first five years, and resulted from long negotiations that sought the input and approval of the five national aboriginal groups: the AFN, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and the Native Women's Association of Canada.
After winning office in 2006, the Conservatives turned away from Kelowna and focused on smaller, achievable policy targets, first under Jim Prentice and later under current Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl.
"The problem with Kelowna from the beginning was the fact that it didn't have a concrete plan, didn't have a budget and didn't have measures that addressed other issues including treaty settlements and economic development," Mr. Strahl said.
"Each one of those is a fatal flaw with the Kelowna agreement and that's why we've made pragmatic, practical steps to improve the lives of first nations by a pretty aggressive legislative package."
Mr. Strahl said his government's most significant achievements on the aboriginal file include a record 54 specific land-claim settlements negotiated last year and the enactment of legislation creating a specific land-claims tribunal, which puts the process at arm's length from government.
"They've been asking for this for 60 years," Mr. Strahl said. "Instead of 10 or 20 years or more on some settlements, this allows them to go to a tribunal after three years."
The government also extended human-rights legislation to people living on reserves, and can take credit for the historic apology on residential schools.
Many aboriginal people feared Tom Flanagan, a political scientist and an adviser to Stephen Harper whose writings on aboriginal land claims are seen as controversial, would play a large role in shaping Tory policy. For the most part, Mr. Flanagan said, he's had no role in policy development. He approved of certain decisions, such as the extension of home-ownership rights on some reserves, and disapproved of others, such as the apology for residential schools, which he felt Parliament had already apologized for.
The Conservatives, however, have been roundly criticized for being one of only four national governments that refused to ratify the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - a largely symbolic step, but one that the Liberals say represents a fundamental difference between the parties.
"We will ratify it, we will respect it, we will work with it and we know how important that is to first nations, Métis and Inuit people throughout Canada," said Anita Neville, the Liberal Indian affairs critic.
She also accused the Tories of taking a "father knows best" approach to aboriginal affairs, and picking and choosing winners and losers among native bands in their piecemeal approach to policy.
"The very substantial difference between us and the Conservative Party is that everything we have done, every initiative, we have done in consultation and co-operation with the aboriginal leadership.
"We believe that the consultation process should be entrenched in any of our dealings with aboriginal people and we will make that a priority."
Ms. Neville also criticized the government for being conspicuously absent in the land dispute at Caledonia, Ont. "They've been just so neglectful on it and it's a volatile situation. Where are they?"
The Liberal approach coincides closely with the vision of the Assembly of First Nations, the largest national aboriginal organization.
The AFN sees two crucial policy pillars that must be addressed by government. First, the path to reconciliation must be built on the treaties, and on nation-to-nation negotiation between the heads of government and the national chief. Second, no progress will be made while so many aboriginal people are living in poverty.
The employment rate for aboriginals is 13-per-cent lower than for non-aboriginals, according to the 2006 census, and 34 per cent of aboriginals aged 25 to 64 didn't complete high school, compared with 15 per cent in the broader population. They are also the fastest-growing segment of the Canadian population.
Mr. Strahl said his party's initiative on private property ownership on reserves, which aims to deliver 25,000 new homes, is a policy plank that could eventually contribute to economic development. Both parties say education, clean drinking water and job training are important, but it's in the question of a grand plan or a pragmatic, piece-by-piece approach that they differ.
"Poverty wherever it strikes is a gruelling thing," Mr. Strahl said. "It's easy to say, 'Make things better, let's issue a press release,' but the fact is it's everything from housing to education, and more importantly economic opportunity. Without that it's not sustainable. In some places I've been there are literally no non-governmental jobs available in the community, and that's tough."
***
THE LIBERAL PARTY - KELOWNA REVISITED
Kelowna Accord: The Liberals will honour its $5.1-billion pledge for spending on housing, education, health, economic development and infrastructure as the basis for any future agreement with aboriginal leaders.
Land claims: The Liberals have called for a tribunal to oversee comprehensive land claims for bands - particularly in B.C. and the North - whose territories weren't covered by the treaties.
Land title: In favour of private land title in those communities that want it and have the capacity to implement it.
Women's rights: Will develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with violence against aboriginal women.
First ministers meeting: The Liberals have promised to immediately call a meeting of first ministers and aboriginal leaders to address aboriginal poverty.
UN rights declaration: Will immediately ratify it.
***
THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY - KELOWNA REJECTED
Kelowna Accord: The Conservatives dismiss it as badly flawed.
Land claims: Have pledged to add 150,000 acres of land a year to settle outstanding treaty land-entitlement claims on the Prairies.
Land title: The Conservatives support the development of a private-property regime and the creation of a First Nations Land Ownership Act to transfer reserve land title from the Crown to individual bands.
Matrimonial property rights: Want to extend the rights of women living on reserves to ensure the equal division of assets in case of divorce. Current provisions are discriminatory, they say.
Fly-in communities: Development of the North means the once-remote communities now could have important roles to play in asserting Canadian sovereignty, Conservatives say. The reserves could also be a source of employment for resource industries.
Self-government: Conservatives believe the Indian Act should eventually be repealed and full legal and democratic responsibility for aboriginal affairs should be transferred to native bands themselves.
Accountability: Want to see complete transparency and accountability on the expenditure of any public funds on reserves.
EducatioN: Would like to see more tripartite educational agreements similar to one signed in British Columbia that allows bands to design a relevant curriculum that meets provincial standards.
UN rights declaration: Will not ratify it in its current form.
***
FOCUS ON SELF-GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION - NDP
SELF-GOVERNMENT: The NDP is committed to an agreement on self-government, which will mean expediting treaty negotiations in British Columbia and land-claim agreements in other parts of the country, said party critic and B.C. MP Jean Crowder.
"The most significant point is governments need to work towards an agreement on self-government," Ms. Crowder said. "Where we've seen modern-day treaties implemented, the Nisga'a for example, there has been a move toward economic self-sufficiency, towards more control over resources. Underpinning that is things like education, but when you move toward giving people control of their own destiny they're going to make decisions that are relevant for them."
They would commit to working in conjunction with aboriginal leaders to eventually bring an end to the Indian Act and the Indian Affairs Department.
KELOWNA ACCORD: The New Democrats see the provisions of the Kelowna Accord, and its $5.1-billion commitment to social spending, as the baseline for future financial arrangements in critical areas and they would likely do more.
UN RIGHTS DECLARATION: They would sign the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS
UN RIGHTS DECLARATION: The Bloc would move immediately to sign the UN declaration, said MP Marc Lemay. "It's unbelievable to me that the Canadian government hasn't signed the declaration."
EDUCATION: The Bloc would also increase education funding for aboriginal people, which it says leaves schools cruelly lacking in books, computers and other learning tools. At the moment, education funding increases are capped at a maximum 2 per cent a year, which often doesn't keep up with the rate of inflation. The Bloc would ensure that funding for education is tied to a cost-of-living index.
HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT: The Bloc is committed to finding solutions for a housing shortfall on reserves; there will be a minimum shortage of 10,000 homes in the next 10 years in Quebec, they say.
He also promised to include, consult and collaborate with aboriginal people in any development that affects their lands.
GREENS
KELOWNA ACCORD: The Green Party is committed to implementing the Kelowna Accord, as well as the 440 recommendations of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and reviewing Canada's policy on self-government in consultation with aboriginal leadership.
UN DECLARATION: Lorraine Rekmans, the party's candidate in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, Ont., said they will promote aboriginal languages and culture as a source of Canadian identity, and immediately sign the UN declaration.
***
Ridings with a high proportion of aboriginal population
50% or higher
NUNAVUT (NUNAVUT) % aboriginal: 85 Now held by: Liberals
CHURCHILL (MAN.) % aboriginal: 69.9 Now held by: Liberals
DESNETHÉ-MISSINIPPI-CHURCHILL RIVER (SASK.) % aboriginal: 66.4 Now held by: Conservatives
WESTERN ARCTIC (NWT) % aboriginal: 50 Now held by: NDP
25-49%
KENORA (ONT.) % aboriginal: 41 Now held by: Liberals
LABRADOR (NFLD.) % aboriginal: 38 Now held by: Liberals
ABITIBI-BAIE JAMES-NUNAVIK-EEYOU (QUE.) % aboriginal: 32.9 Now held by: Bloc
SKEENA-BULKLEY VALLEY (B.C.) % aboriginal: 31.6 Now held by: NDP
YUKON (YUKON) % aboriginal: 25.1 Now held by: Liberals
25% or lower
PRINCE ALBERT (SASK.) % aboriginal: 24.9 Now held by: Conservatives
Fort McMurray-Athabaska (Alta.) % aboriginal: 24.8 Now held by: Conservatives
Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette (Man.) % aboriginal: 24.2 Now held by: Conservatives
Regina-Qu'Appelle (Sask.) % aboriginal: 20.7 Now held by: Conservatives
Selkirk-Interlake (Man.) % aboriginal: 20.1, Now held by: Conservatives
From the 2006 census