Paul Martin said it, and now Sheila Fraser has as well. Canada needs to move, and move quickly, on Aboriginal issues across the country. As a developed, wealthy nation it is ‘truly shocking’, according to Fraser, that First Nations communities around the country continue to live in poor, substandard conditions. While other Canadians experience improvements in their quality of lives, many First Nation communities continue to live in conditions that rival third-world countries. Water sources are undrinkable, housing is overcrowded or condemned due to mold, and all manner of social services from education to health care are underfunded. Some schools operate with limited or no running water, and allocated education funding is less for Aboriginal children than is it for other Canadians. Quality housing is hard to come by, and many First Nation communities have a significant number of homes requiring major repairs in order to remain habitable. Some families continue to live in homes that have been condemned, simply because there is no other choice. With the median income just $11,000 on-reserve, many residents are unable to service the debt that comes with owning a home, so instead rely on rental or social housing.
In a country with one of the highest standards of living, why do we continue to permit this country’s first inhabitants to live without clean water and safe homes? Equally as important, how do we go about fixing it? Some suggest that until Canadians care more about what is happening and demand action from Ottawa, the status-quo will continue. Others critique that we are imposing outside ‘fixes’ on a unique nation, and not relying on their traditional knowledge to guide the way. Lastly, some contend that we have created a culture of handouts; crippling communities from helping themselves. International aid organizations know from experience that providing financial handouts simply prolongs poverty and need, and does not get to the root of problems.
The causes are complex and multifaceted, and so too are the solutions. We need to seek creative alternatives that build capacity for First Nation communities, supporting them to help themselves without substituting our will for theirs. Aboriginal peoples have culture, knowledge, and relationships with each other and with nature that need to be the foundations of their future path, not relegated to museums of the past.
