The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
NDP MP Bev Desjarlais is calling into question the Liberal government's actual commitment to funding First Nation infrastructure in Manitoba. "The Liberals are claiming to be pro-active in addressing water and sewer needs in First Nations," Desjarlais said Monday. "However, there are communities that have been waiting years for promised infrastructure funding." Last week the Liberals announced an investment of $27 million in water and sewer infrastructure in Northern Manitoba First Nation's communities. Ms. Desjarlais points out that this apparent new funding is, in fact, part of several packages that have already been announced over the past five years. Desjarlais uses one community, Garden Hill, as a prime example of Liberal indifference and negligence. Most of the houses in the community do not have running water. Promises made by MP Reg Alcock that the Liberal government sees the situation there as a priority is weakened by the fact that the Liberal government first approved $42 million for water infrastructure in that community in 2000. The community has yet to see the funds; indeed, the project has now been pushed back to 2006. "There is no new money being offered here," reasserts Desjarlais. "In fact, I have been told that INAC has had its Manitoba budget cut by $10 million. This is just one more example of the Liberal government's creative financing, re-announcing old money to make it look like they are actually doing something for First Nation's in the North. All this government is doing is taking from one community to give to another." The Liberal government makes these announcements whenever they want to boost their popularity. "What we need is a stable funding system for First Nation communities so that we can ensure the most basic needs of all communities are met. It is reprehensible that there are communities in Canada that are still waiting for water and sewer infrastructure simply because the Liberals want to play politics with funding dollars."
