First Nations Overlooked Part of Economy - Madahbee

Ottawa (ots/PRNewswire) -

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Instead of boasting about Canada's success in avoiding much of the
impacts of the recent global economic downturn at this week's World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Stephen Harper
should be sharing with them a ground-breaking Canadian plan to
stimulate its economy with initiatives that create genuine
partnerships with First Peoples.

Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee, one of 120 First Nations
leaders from across Canada to participate in what was billed as a
historic Crown-First Nations Gathering, said the post-event consensus
was that Canada is intent on pushing through its own legislative
agenda for First Nations, instead of working with them on
comprehensive and creative solutions.

Madahbee said Canada is missing out on an opportunity to be seen
as a leader on the world stage. "The National Chief has told Prime
Minister Harper that a comprehensive action plan would add CDN $400
billion to the Canadian economy, and eliminate CDN $150 billion in
social costs. There are 400 million Indigenous peoples around the
globe -- over a million in Canada. We are the fastest growing
population. We are the students and workers of the future. Why do
governments constantly overlook us?

"If financial self-sufficiency of First Nations" is truly the
"end-goal" of the Canadian government, they need to be talking to us
about the treaty promises and resource revenue-sharing. This is the
only way to create certainty for corporate projects. They can no
longer expect to barge into our territories without dealing with
First Nations peoples."

"We have epidemic health and social issues, gross inequities in
funding for our students, and virtually no share in the billions in
resources being stolen from our traditional territories," said
Madahbee, speaking for 39 member communities of the Anishinabek
Nation. "What we heard from Mr. Harper was a lame re-hashing of his
government's so-called accomplishments for our communities and
citizens."

Madahbee said the Gathering began with some sources of optimism, a
ceremonial opening that included numerous references to the Royal
Proclamation of 1763, by which the Crown in Canada envisioned a
nation-to-nation relationship in its dealings with First Peoples.

"But the Harper Conservatives just cannot bring themselves to
truly honour the treaty relationship of sharing upon which Canada's
creation was based. They should be convening First Ministers'
meetings involving our people and the provinces to create
comprehensive action plans.

"Instead, they continue to rely on their bureaucrats who, like the
ones who created the racist Indian Act in 1876, still act more as
roadblocks to First Nations progress than facilitators.

The Prime Minister himself said in Ottawa that the old rules -
like the Indian Act - don't get good results.

"Let's start working together on some new rules."

The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as
its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39
member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000
people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political
organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the
Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European
contact.

For further information: Marci Becking
Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians
Phone: +1(705)497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: +1(705)494-0735
E-mail: [email protected]

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