Indian Act article adds to the dialogue

Government-funded modular homes destined for Attawapiskat after
revelations of sub-standard housing shocked the nation. CANADIAN PRESS

The Toronto Star recently carried a powerful statement from Satsan (Herb George) of the National Centre for First Nations Governance, tracing the challenges facing Attawapiskat, and other struggling communities, to their root cause: the failure of the Indian Act, and its continued role as major impediment to growth and prosperity in First Nations.

We believe it is an important perspective that deserves the widest possible circulation. Here is an excerpt and a link to the full statement.

"The government of Canada and First Nations leadership have met and agreed on some immediate steps for action. It is admirable that removing the barriers that hinder First Nations governance and unlocking the economic potential of First Nations are on the list.

Like summits before this meeting, phasing out the Indian Act is not on the list. Again, it is left to First Nations citizens to remove this most important obstacle to effective, prosperous governance.

Canadians recently discovered the crushing poverty in Attawapiskat. This is not the first time Attawapiskat has struggled; and Attawapiskat is not alone. Every three years or so, these problems are discovered and agonized over. There is often a quick fix — new homes, an emergency relocation, a temporary water supply. And two or three years later, another set of headlines starts the cycle again.

Why is that? Why are First Nations and the government locked in a seemingly unbreakable dance of failure and recrimination? [...more...]