Mr. Speaker, the original question that I put before the House a number of weeks ago touched on two issues. One was the lack of apology from the government for the sad history of residential schools and the subsequent impact on first nations communities. The second question was on the Conservatives' own blue ribbon panel that disputes the fact that $10 billion ended up in the hands of first nations communities and it is on this panel's findings that I will be focusing.
The blue ribbon panel's report on spending indicated that in 2004-05 first nations communities across this country received only $4.9 billion in grants and contributions. A subsequent Assembly of First Nations document that was updated, a more recent one, indicated that figure was at $5.4 billion. This is largely different than the $10.1 billion that is bandied around both in the House and in public.
In a speech that National Chief Phil Fontaine gave at the Canadian Club on Tuesday, May 15, he outlined some of the problems around why it is so important to be talking about the reality of these numbers. He put a face to poverty in first nations communities in this country.
In his speech he talked about the fact that Chief Shirley Castel tells us that some two bedroom homes have as many as 28 people living in them and that overcrowding in Canada is generally 7%, according to Statistics Canada, but for people in rural areas in first nations communities it is 19%.
He goes on to talk about the fact that aboriginal children across Canada live in poverty and that number is one in four. Also, first nations child welfare agencies receive 22% less funding per child than provincial agencies. He goes on to say in his speech that this is blatant discrimination.
Much work has been done around this myth and I want to highlight a document entitled “The $9 Billion Myth Exposed: Why First Nations Poverty Endures”. Really, we are talking about inadequate housing. We are talking about lack of access to clean drinking water and educational standards that do not meet the norm in the rest of Canada. This document talks about the fact that there has been a 2% funding cap since 1996. It says:
Due to the 2% cap on core services that has been in place since 1996, the real purchasing power of First Nations has steadily decreased due to annual increases in population growth and inflation. The total purchasing power lost by First Nations communities since 1996 is now 23 cents for every dollar, and we are losing more every year that the 2% cap remains in place.
Later on in this article on the $9 billion myth, it talks about the age of many first nations communities. It says:
More than half of First Nations peoples are under 23 years old. Freezing their budgets at a 2 to 3% growth rate means that First Nations governments can’t keep up with the demand of their growing population, as well as inflation, aging and poorer health and social status. INAC has found that on-reserve per capita expenditures for basic services have declined by 6.4% since 1996-1997.
In case we think that these numbers only come from the Assembly of First Nations or first nations communities across this country, I would like now to turn to some of the government's own documents.
The government conducted a cost drivers project that looked at a number of funding factors in first nations communities from coast to coast. The government's own documents acknowledge serious shortfalls in education, housing, community infrastructure, water and so on.
Since I am running out of time I cannot quote from these government documents that clearly outline the problem.
The overwhelming needs are there, so the question to the minister still remains. How much money will actually end up in the hands of first nations people and their communities in this country?