This document discusses several key policies and issues related to Indigenous affairs in Canada. It summarizes the Liberal Party's 2015 election platform which focused on reconciliation and respecting Indigenous rights and title. It also discusses challenges such as underfunding of critical water infrastructure projects on reserves, the need for financial transparency among bands, and the complex issues around modernizing the Indian Act. Overall, the document analyzes both the Trudeau government's approach and ongoing areas that require attention regarding Indigenous policy in Canada.

1. GOVERNMENT
POLICIES –
INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
(FIRST NATIONS) –
CANADA
BY: PAUL YOUNG CPA, CGA
DATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

2. PAUL YOUNG - BIO
• CPA, CGA
• Academia (PF1, FA4 and MS2)
• SME – Risk Management
• SME – Close, Consolidate and Reporting
• SME – Public Policy
• SME – Financial Solutions
• SME – Supply Chain Management
Contact information:
Paul_Young_CGA@Hotmail.com

3. AGENDA
• 2015 Election Platform - LPC
• Liberals and Indigenous Affairs (First Nations)
• RPP / Indigenous Affairs
• Lapsing Funds / Indigenous Affairs
• Water Issues
• Natural Resources
• Transparency
• Money is not the issue
• Indian Act

4. 2015 ELECTION PLATFORM
Source - https://www.liberal.ca/justin-trudeau-at-assembly-of-first-nations-36th-annual-general-assembly/
First, as a matter of national priority, we will develop a Federal Reconciliation Framework,
created in full partnership with Aboriginal Peoples.
Reconciliation starts with recognizing and respecting Aboriginal title and rights, including
Treaty rights. A Liberal government will do just that. Not only in accordance with Constitutional
obligations, but also with those enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples. Something the current government has steadfastly refused to do.
To this end, we will conduct a full review of the legislation unilaterally imposed on Aboriginal
Peoples by Stephen Harper’s government, through the lens of section 35 of the Constitution.
Where measures are found to be in conflict with Aboriginal rights, where they are inconsistent
with the principles of good governance, or where they simply make no public policy sense, we
will rescind them.

5. JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND INDIGENOUS
Source - http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/renewed-relationship-indigenous-1.4286699
The seemingly never-ending string of transgressions from a government that's supposed to be
resetting its relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples just got another addition.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister's Office announced in a news release that Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau will meet with premiers and Indigenous leaders on Oct. 3, boasting about Canada's "progress
towards a true nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown, and government-to-government relationship."
The problem was, at least one of those Indigenous leaders, Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit
Kanatami, said the announcement was the first he heard about the meeting.
Oops. Uh, what were you saying about Canada's progress?
"It does frustrate me but it's also just indicative of where we are," Obed told CBC.
"If you want it to be about benchmarks about two years in, this is where we are."
CBC – September 13, 2017

6. RPP – INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
Source - http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-INTER-HQ-AI/STAGING/texte-text/2017-18DP-en_1489003636000_eng.pdf

7. LAPSING FUNDS/INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
Source - http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberals-left-900-million-unspent-last-year-at-indigenous-affairs
Like the Harper government before it, the Trudeau government left billions of dollars unspent on everything from
national parks to veterans services to economic development grants during the 2015-16 fiscal year.
The so-called “lapsed” funding for fiscal 2016 is $9.7 billion, according to the Public Accounts of Canada. All of
those unspent funds were used to pay down the federal debt.
This year’s three-volume public accounts also close the books on fiscal 2016, a year in which the Harper
Conservatives controlled the purse strings for the first seven months and the Trudeau Liberals for the final five
months.
While it is normal every year to see billions of dollars lapse, NDP MP Charlie Angus is flagging the $900
million left unspent by the Department of Indigenous Affairs at a time when there remains an urgent need
for schools, for new drinking water systems and when Health Canada is, among other things, in court
fighting to avoid paying an $8,000 dental surgery bill for an aboriginal girl in Alberta.
National Post – October 24, 2016

8. CLEAN DRINKING WATER
Source - https://news.vice.com/story/inside-ottawas-failure-to-fix-the-first-nations-drinking-water-crisis
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has
made a specific commitment to
bring infrastructure to those
communities who need it the most
— vowing to end boil water
advisories by 2021 — and his
government has moved to try and
provide more long-term funding for
First Nations.
Of the nearly $650 million in costs identified by the federal
government that would be needed to fund water filtration
systems, water delivery trucks, piping, repairs to water
systems, and other critical water and wastewater
infrastructure, the federal government funded less than $175
million over that two-year period.
For those communities currently on boil water advisories, the
number is even lower.
While the government identified $114 million in costs
identified for water projects for those communities who are,
as of July 31 of this year, on boil water advisories, it provided
just $24 million in funding. That’s just 21 percent.
Actual Funding

9. NATURAL RESOURCE
PROJECTS/INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Source - https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/politics-briefing-supreme-court-rules-indigenous-people-have-no-veto-over-resource-
projects-trump-to-ban-transgender-people-from-us-military/article35815361/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
The Supreme Court of Canada says the rights of Indigenous people must be respected
when governments and regulators consider resource projects – but that doesn't mean they
have a "veto." The country's highest court released a pair of rulings yesterday that examined
Indigenous rights when it comes to resource projects. In one, the court threw out an oil
consortium's permit for seismic testing because the National Energy Board didn't properly
consider the impact on the treat rights of residents in Clyde River, Nunavut. In another, the
court denied a challenge filed by the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation that sought to
overturn the approval of Enbridge's reversal of its Line 9 pipeline through Ontario and
Quebec.
Globe and Mail – July 27, 2017

10. FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT
Source - http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/first-nations-fiscal-accountability-dropped-after-
liberals-cut-enforcement-measure-at-end-of-2015
While most First Nations continue to comply with Stephen Harper’s controversial financial transparency law, a
National Post analysis has found the compliance rate sharply dropped after Justin Trudeau’s government
dropped a key enforcement mechanism.
As a result of the Trudeau government’s rule change, some bureaucrats are worried they won’t be able to
properly account for and administer the billions of dollars transferred each year to the country’s First Nations.
Moreover, the Post has learned that the drop in the compliance rate to 85 per cent this year from 92 per
cent in Harper’s last year may be the fault of the federal government itself which, in some instances at
least, may have failed to live up to its obligations under the First Nations Financial Transparency
Act(FNFTA).
At the end of 2015, the Liberal government suspended a provision that allowed Ottawa to withhold
federal funds for any band that failed to publish audited financial statements and a statement listing
how much its chief and band councillors were paid.

11. ONION LAKE / TRANSPARENCY
Source - http://globalnews.ca/news/3536577/court-order-gives-onion-lake-cree-
nation-30-days-to-disclose-basic-financial-records/
A recent court order gives the Onion Lake Cree Nation near the
Alberta/Saskatchewan border 30 days to disclose its basic financial records.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation helped with a court application that was
launched by band member Charmaine Stick in 2016.
Global News – July 18, 2017

12. MONEY IS NOT THE ISSUE FOR INDIGENOUS
• Source - http://www.torontosun.com/2016/03/12/money-isnt-the-problem-for-first-nations
The federal government spends far more money for every aboriginal Canadian than it does on non-
aboriginal Canadians.
Given the problems faced by First Nations and First Peoples both on- and off-reserve, that fact is probably
justifiable. But the point is, it’s a fact.
Yet aboriginal activists still frequently claim their communities are troubled precisely because they receive
substantially less funding per person than non-aboriginal communities.
That’s simply not true. Still, if that misconception is the starting point for debate the problems experienced by
First Nations will never get solved.
According to a study released this week by Vancouver’s Fraser Institute, the federal department of
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) alone spends $8,578 per year on every First Nations
adult and child in the country. Over the past 60 years, INAC has given $215 billion to First Nations.
Health Canada has given another $41 billion.

13. MODERNIZING THE INDIAN ACT
Source - http://www.saultstar.com/2016/01/17/getting-rid-of-indian-act-no-easy-chore
Eliminating the Indian Act will not be easy. As former prime minister Harper stated,
highlighting the difficulties in getting rid of the ingrained law, “After 136 years, that tree has
deep roots ... blowing up the stump would just leave a big hole.“
While it may be difficult to tear out the stump and the roots of the Indian Act, an effort must be
made. The real question is what will replace the Act? Many of those calling for the repeal of
this colonial vestige (I would argue all the laws in Canada are colonial vestiges in one form or
another.) offer no opinion as to what should come next beyond broad calls for some form of
nationhood and self-determination. Without a concrete plan to replace the Indian Act, First
Nations will remain at the whim of politicians and the larger settler society to hopefully consult
and do what is best.

14. SUMMARY
• Funding needs to have both transparency and accountability by each band
• Water systems need to look at alternative including mini water systems
• New economic sharing agreements that would allow rich bands to share
wealth with poor bands
• Elders and Band Councils need to work more with youth including
mentoring systems
• First Nations need to be consulted on Natural Resources