Aboriginal Affairs told to produce a First Nations "roadmap"

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Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

February 8th, 2012

Get your act together!

Not in those words, but the intent and message to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) are made quite clear, in a report released this week by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

"Given the importance of addressing the structural impediments to making meaningful, lasting improvements in the overall conditions of First Nations on reserves, the Committee believes that AANDC, in consultation with other relevant departments, needs to develop a coherent roadmap of the steps it will take in this regard. Such a roadmap would help AANDC and other departments plan their priorities, structure their activities and allow interested parties, such as this Committee, to hold the government to account for making progress in addressing the structural impediments. The Committee recommends: That, by 31 May 2012, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Health Canada provide the Public Accounts Committee with a roadmap of specific actions, with timelines, that the departments intend to take to address the four structural impediments identified in Chapter 4 of the 2011 Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada."

The Public Accounts Committee said it is "optimistic that progress can be made". However, the Committee is not naive in its optimism and believes that progress will only be seen if there is "significant structural reforms and sustained management attention".

The Committee believes that AANDC, in coordination with other departments, "needs to develop and commit to a plan of action to take the necessary steps".

Will Aboriginal Affairs, Health Canada and CMHC do what they've been ordered to do? Is there a hammer to ensure the action is taken? The Public Accounts Committee promises to "monitor the government’s progress to ensure that First Nations on reserves experience meaningful improvements in their social and economic conditions".

LINKS TO THE REPORT:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/80932289/Firs ... ns-Roadmap

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications ... l=41&Ses=1