Mr. Speaker, once again the Auditor General has highlighted the Liberal government's gross mismanagement of taxpayer dollars. It is mismanagement that started with the finance minister turned Prime Minister and it has continued year after year: $100 million for Challengers without a tender and without parliamentary approval; programs within the same department funding the same project and somehow not knowing it.
The Auditor General has noted eight different funding programs costing millions within INAC to fund economic development unsuccessfully.
Liberal government imposed third party management contracts costing first nations up to $320,000 a year are handed out without a tendering process and without the involvement of the first nations.
INAC squandered first nations resources without any regard for band members. The government has let first nations take the fall for being short of funds when in reality in many cases it is the Liberal government's handling of the funds that is the problem.
Numerous first nations communities are like Barriere, a community of 400 first nation residents crammed into 60 tiny homes, two-thirds of which are totally unfit for human habitation. Living conditions and poverty will never improve as long as the government fails to recognize it is the problem.