A CPA and two boxes of Timmies. Talk about a total disconnect. The band sent him packin'. The government shows us how much they really care about this community and the others like it.
Attawapiskat, The Conservative Governments Response To This Emergency......
- Thread starter blackrock13
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Only in the headlines. The number one problem is proper eduction. They aren't getting it. The new school that was built in Attawapiskat 10 years ago was built on a toxic dump established by the government and has been empty longer that it was occupied. The number of bands with leadership problem numbers about 50 out of the ~350 throughout the country. Who's fault is it in the others. NM2000 hit on the head, the government tells them what they need and doesn't ask them.
A perfect example is Gilford Island in BC. The shit hit the headlines and the government responded, sort of.
| FROM: THE GLOBE AND MAIL NEWSPAPER _http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051111/BCGIL FORD11/TPNational/Canada_ (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ational/Canada) Gilford Island natives strike deal for new homes By JONATHAN WOODWARD Friday, November 11, 2005 Page _S1_ (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...111&searchDate Type=searchDateRange&sort=Score,sortdate,sorttime&hub=SearchAdvanced&searchTyp e=Advanced&from_date=20051111&to_date=20051111) His community has been suffering from undrinkable water for eight years and disgusting, mouldy houses for nearly a quarter-century. But Chief Bob Chamberlin took only a few days to strike a deal with the federal government to replace the worst of the dilapidated shacks at the Kwicksutaineuk-ah-kwaw-ah-mish First Nation. And with temporary housing arriving within months to the tiny village of Gwayasdums on Gilford Island off the northeastern tip of Vancouver Island, it won't be long before the children -- many of whose families left the village because they couldn't live with the health hazards in their homes -- can return, he said. "We needed some tangible things because our community has heard words and phrases before," said Mr. Chamberlin, whose band has promised to contribute $520,000 to the project that will replace the entire village. "Why this didn't happen before, I don't know," he said. The wells of Gwayasdums, once branded the sickest village in B.C., have been contaminated with salt water and citizens have been drinking bottled water for eight years. The village's houses are rundown, with holes, leaky roofs and often-faulty electrical wiring, and the stench of sewage rises from the ground. Mould in the houses has driven many families with young children from Gilford Island, Mr. Chamberlin said. Villagers have skin rashes from bathing in salt water, respiratory diseases plague all the residents, and last year, one young child was taken away on a respirator, said Dr. Granger Avery, who visits the community regularly from nearby Port McNeill. On Tuesday, Dr. Avery saw two people with rashes, one with respiratory distress and several with mood disorders. "All of the health problems can be traced to the mould or the water," he said. Vancouver Island MP John Duncan toured the village on Monday. "It's not Alert Bay, it's . . . sick bay," he said. But the prospect of a change in the band's lot -- motivated in large part by media coverage of the community's plight two weeks ago -- is bringing cautious optimism to the village, which heard promises a year ago that things would improve. A sign on David Johnson's door warns visitors that because of the mould, it's unsafe to visit his house, let alone live there. He hopes his home -- among the worst in the village -- will be replaced soon. "It will be nice to be in something that's clean that won't make us sick," Mr. Johnson said. Chief Chamberlin took his concerns about the conditions on the reserve to the media on Oct. 31. He met with government officials on Nov. 3 and reached a deal. Details will be finalized before a meeting between Mr. Chamberlin and federal Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott on Nov. 16, said Ken McDonald, the manager of the special services unit of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Last month, the Ontario government airlifted about half of the Kashechewan reserve's 1,900 residents to communities farther south at an estimated cost of $300-million because of poor conditions, undrinkable water and a media firestorm. Mr. McDonald said such drastic measures were not required in Gwayasdums. Between four and five mobile homes will be placed on empty lots, he said, and between three and six houses will be demolished. The mobile homes will arrive in the coming months, and eventually the entire village will be redeveloped, he said. "We looked at every house, and decided that none were worth saving," he said. The federal government built the houses in the 1960s using designs that didn't account for the humidity of the area, he said. "They were standard reserve houses for that time period," he said. "Now, we're paying the price, on and off reserve, for that misconception." Mr. McDonald said public pressure through the media had "focused" his department's efforts. A change in the band's leadership also made an agreement possible, he said. The band has promised $520,000 to the project from their revenue-sharing agreement with the provincial government for timber, Mr. Chamberlin said. About $100,000 will be used over five years on the band's share of maintenance of a water-purification system, which is still in the design stages, he said. Spending the band's money "demonstrates we're responsible," he said. But some band members who left the reserve say they may never return. Dorothy Hawkins, 30, left for Port McNeill with her five children a year ago, one of them breathing through a respirator. It may be better for her to raise them in Port McNeill, she said. Even if the mould problems are gone, her children have better access to schools now, and she wants them to be able to drink tap water. "I had to move for my kids' sake," she said. |
Gilford Island today;
B.C. First Nation has warning for Attawapiskat
CBC News
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 3:27 PM PT
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2011 3:13 PM PT
A B.C. Chief is warning First Nations that have declared a state of emergency because of living conditions in northern Ontario reserves not to accept temporary fixes from the federal government.
On Wednesday, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan announcedAttawapiskat, one of the distressed villages off of James Bay, would be placed under third-party control. That means funding to address urgent health and safety issues will be administered directly by the federal government.
Chief Bob Chamberlin of the Kwicksutaineuk/Ah-kwa-mish First Nation said his community was in a similar situation seven years ago. They were promised federal help when the community's water was undrinkable and its houses condemned.
He said those promises have not been fulfilled.
"We accepted interim housing. We accepted an interim water plant: and it has now become the permanent solution."
The Department of Indian Affairs promised to replace 26 mouldy homes in the village of Gwa-yas-dums on Gilford Island. The tiny community off the north coast of Vancovuer Island was also told its undrinkable water would be replaced with a modern reverse-osmosis system, but that's not what happened, said Chamberlin.
Chamberlin's advice for the James Bay village of Attawapiskat is "do not accept a single interim measure."
"Go right to the final solution, because if they accept interim measures, they're going to walk away from you once the media attention is gone, and Gilford is a perfect example," he said.
Meanwhile, he says his people continue to wait and hope for a permanent solution.
B.C. First Nation has warning for Attawapiskat
CBC News
Posted: Nov 30, 2011 3:27 PM PT
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2011 3:13 PM PT
A B.C. Chief is warning First Nations that have declared a state of emergency because of living conditions in northern Ontario reserves not to accept temporary fixes from the federal government.
On Wednesday, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan announcedAttawapiskat, one of the distressed villages off of James Bay, would be placed under third-party control. That means funding to address urgent health and safety issues will be administered directly by the federal government.
Chief Bob Chamberlin of the Kwicksutaineuk/Ah-kwa-mish First Nation said his community was in a similar situation seven years ago. They were promised federal help when the community's water was undrinkable and its houses condemned.
He said those promises have not been fulfilled.
"We accepted interim housing. We accepted an interim water plant: and it has now become the permanent solution."
The Department of Indian Affairs promised to replace 26 mouldy homes in the village of Gwa-yas-dums on Gilford Island. The tiny community off the north coast of Vancovuer Island was also told its undrinkable water would be replaced with a modern reverse-osmosis system, but that's not what happened, said Chamberlin.
Gilford Island, B.C.
He said Gilford's 26 condemned homes have been replaced by six homes and eight trailers. Its new high-efficiency propane grid is stalled and its water system isn't working well.Chamberlin's advice for the James Bay village of Attawapiskat is "do not accept a single interim measure."
"Go right to the final solution, because if they accept interim measures, they're going to walk away from you once the media attention is gone, and Gilford is a perfect example," he said.
Meanwhile, he says his people continue to wait and hope for a permanent solution.
Before we start blasting away at the current government, one has to to know the ins and outs of Aboriginal affairs. This is a failure of the whole system, not set up by the current government, but by a long gone governing party and tinkered with by all successive parties. With a hands off approach, by the established guidlines and a push for self governing, money has been shovelled into alot of these reserves and then mishandled by the ruling chief. Without anybody to oversee where the money is spent, many families on these reserves are basically in poverty. The feds put money into the buildings, like community centres and arenas and many buildings are damaged even before they open, but money that should be distributed evenly is not, by the chief and his family. Reserves across this country are a vastly different from one another, it always seems that those that are the remotest are the worst for mismanagement.
Aside from the fact that the buildings are built too low on the flood plain next to the river, it is viable and there is work, but most are too sick to work or have family too sick to leave alone. Most of the communities within 100kms, Fort Albany, Moosenee, and Moose Factory are in the same boat
We were well on the way to fixing many problems, not all, with the signing of the Kelowna Accord in 1996, under the Liberals, but the Conservatives have been in power since then and has basically pushed the KA out the door. Who do we blame? Yes, there's lot of blame to go around over the years, but nothing like taking toe steps forward and then three steps, or more backwards.
One has to remember the displaced Inuit and the removal of children for education purposes. The governments of the day are not into relocating whole bands, as this removes them from their traditional areas of habitation.
Where are all the monies they're suppose to get/have from their tribal leaders? Why are these people still living in 18th century conditions? Where is all the casino monies they're suppose to share amongst the people?
Again, we are dealing with people who do not want the goverment to be telling them how to handle their affairs, I can only imagine the red tape that the govermnent of the day gets from the ruling council of chiefs. Very ironic.
I'm with you though, time for a real fix, no more baby steps.
Proper education has many meanings. We tried teaching them to be like us in the residential schools and it was a big success,not. You teach them the basic R's, and also teach them about themselves, their history, language and culture. There are excellent native oriented degree programs at Lakehead and Trent in Ontario and similar diploma and degree programs in other provinces and territories. A public school can also act as a refuge from the hell in the home, that unfortunately exists for many reasons. Students will come to class and sleep for the first two hours because they didn't sleep at night at home. Family abuse is rampant.
In my experience with native cultures in many countries, the last thing you do is go in and 'tell' them what they need. It goes over much better if you go in and ask what they need and what you can do, then listen.
A perfect example was inn Gilford Island, where the band needed a water filtration system. The Government told the to build three different independent systems for a trial to see which one worked best. The three systems drained the well dry, so a second then a third well were drilled. The trial is still going on, $5 million later because of ass dragging/CYA by the government, not the council.
Agreed. We have to remember that all of this didn't happen overnight. The problems on this reserve and others are well known to Aboriginal Affairs. It's the glacial speed that the two governing bodies are moving that is the real problem here.
Not all bands run casinos. I can't think of one isolated community that has one. The Casino money is not shared between communities. In some of these communities it can costs $400,000 to build a bungalow that would cost $100,000 down here. We covered food in a previous thread, but $20 for peanut butter and $12.00 for a dozen eggs is not uncommon.
All fairly reasonable as a description of what's wrong, and even some of the why that is.
Fact remains, we don't elect governments, this one or the many previous to simply let things go as they have. Particularly when that government—self-branded at that—makes a whole lotta self-congratulatory noise about how much different and better they are, and how they're gonna fix what the bad old bunch ignored. No fixing yet apparent in this story. Wasn't fixing why they got voted in?
And what exactly were they doing pissing around about stupidity like how to shred the long-gun paperwork while the CBC was sending in camera teams to tell the government what it should have known and fixed long ago? They have been the government for quite long enough to have noticed no one was getting value for the $90,000,000 they frittered away. But it does speak to why money for the CBC is well spent.
As in so many aspects of its activities: It's easy to see how this government has made things worse, or allowed them to continue badly. Tell us what they've done that has fixed anything in Aboriginal Affairs.
Their first step doesn't seem to have been a success.
