Good morning. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us regarding the issues facing first nations.
I want to touch base on this, because I actually have 17 first nations in my area alone, and I know that northern Ontario is actually quite populated with first nations communities. In particular, the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin have six first nations under their umbrella on Manitoulin Island.
I've heard today that there are funding issues. Education is needed, starting basically at a very young age. There are a lot of inequities as well. I have a briefing note that was prepared in March 2008. I know the concerns have certainly increased.
The Noojmowin Teg Health Centre indicates that they have recruitment and retention issues with staff due to the inability to pay fair market rates for work. Again, not only are they not funded in the same way as non-aboriginal education centres, but there's also an inability to pay those professionals and to maintain them. They also say the staff leave due to the inability to provide a similar standard of funding that's comparable to non-aboriginal hospitals, family health teams, and community health centres.
Ms. Dedam-Montour, I also heard you speak about the fact that funding has been cut. In 2008 Noojmowin Teg was looking for $2 million in funding and appropriate increases. They talked about the 6% increases retroactive to 1997 that were given to non-aboriginal community health centres. We know those were actually under the previous government, the Liberal government, and now it's the Conservative government.
There are inequities. I would almost say it's a discrimination of some type. Could you elaborate a little more on some of the issues that surround this type of funding or the lack of funding?