Someone showed me this great article online, Good Legal Resource.

 Taking a Second Look at Those Numbers.

Lorraine Land

December 13, 2011 5:32 pm

Should Toronto be put under third party management? That community has been running a deficit for years, and the combined total of all government spending (federal, provincial and municipal) is $24,000 a year for each Torontonian.

Attawapiskat, on the other hand, which is only funded by one level of government — federal – received $17.6 million in this fiscal year, for all of the programs and infrastructure for its 1,550 residents. That works out to about $11,355 per capita in Attawapiskat.

People often forget, when talking about costs of delivering programs and services to First Nations, that almost all those costs are paid from one pot: Aboriginal Affairs. By contrast, non-Aboriginal Canadians receive services from at least three levels of government.
Here are the total expenditures per capita per level of government for Toronto residents:

• The 2010 federal budget expenditures were $280 billion or about $9,300 for each Canadian
• The 2010 Ontario budget is $123 billion in expenditures or about $9,500 for each Ontario resident
• The 2010 Toronto budget is $13 billion, or $5,200 for each Toronto resident
• That’s a grand total of $24,000 per Torontonian.

Some additional points to consider:
Indian Affairs (now Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, or AANDC) has capped expenditure increases for First Nations at two percent a year since 1996. Yet:

• The Aboriginal population has been growing at a rate closer to four percent a year, so per capita support is falling behind.
• In that same period, the number of staff hired at AANDC has almost doubled, from 3,300 in 1995 to 5,150 in 2010.  (Source: Indian Affairs)
• Those salaries plus consultants fees for people like third-party managers come from the program dollars that should go to First Nations.
• Consultants (including lawyers and accountants) receive 1,500 contracts per year from AANDC, worth about $125 million. (This does not include fees that First Nations pay directly using sources other than AANDC funding). (Source:  Toronto Star)
• One of these sets of fees, taken away from other AANDC budgeting and provided instead to consultants, is the payment for third-party managers.
• Another recent and publicly disclosed example of third-party-manager fees is those being paid for Barriere Lake. When the community took political action on some of its issues, Canada imposed third-party management. The accounting firm is paid $600,000 per year, according to Indian Affairs Records. (Source: Toronto Star).
• Almost every time a First Nation goes into third-party management, it comes out with as much debt as it had going in — or more. This is a good indicator that the problem is not fiscal mismanagement, it’s the insufficiency of resources to deliver the programs needed.(Source: what we hear and see from our own clients)
• Each First Nation has to file, on average, 160 reports per year to AANDC. The Auditor General  says the problem is not under-reporting, its over-reporting (because of the resources and administration needed to service AANDC’s bureaucratic requirements).(Source: Federal Auditor General)
• Costs of living in northern Aboriginal communities are considerably higher than costs in the rest of Canada.  A bag of apples in Pikangikum is $7.65 (versus the Canadian average of $2.95) and a loaf of bread in Sandy Lake costs $4.17 (versus the Canadian average of $2.43). (Source: Canadian Association of Foodbanks). In Attawapiskat, 6 apples and 4 small bottles of juice currently costs $23.50 (Source: CBC).

Lorraine Y. Land is a partner with OLTHUIS, KLEER, TOWNSHEND, L.L.P., in Toronto.

2012

Jan 10th
Its been awhile since I posted in my blog or even logged onto it to update. I been focused on my university courses, and running my gym.  It is a restless night for me tonight. I had class, Aboriginal Politics in Canada, my other course, is Aboriginal politics in Manitoba. I am looking forward to the conversations and what I will learn in both classes. This is truely the best time of my life right now and I am putting in my best effort to maintain good marks.
I was daydreaming of what I would structure my commuity like if I ever ran for chief. Not only would I like to see equality in funding to other towns, work to strengthen an indigenous form of governance. I would create a library, make sure the language program in the community is in the elementary. focus on reviving some traditions, hand drum songs. medicine picking with Audrey. sweats, vision quests, a community garden. hunting trips and how to prepare a deer.
in the band office, I would throw out the current band elections format, structue it after the long plains sytem. you need greade 12, $300 up front and certian number of people supporting you.criminal record check going back 8 yrs, and most importanly, drug free. it is the job of the chief to lead people, not be an administrator. i would have community meetings to address accountability to the people, with a complaint/grievence/ suggestion box. this would take a vote from the people.
economically, this is where i would create a business plaza in brandon. with the help of american/foriegn casino investors, all that can be dreamed of, can be a reality. rinks, toursit packages, hotel, training to build capacity.
of course this is just dreams, and i would have to deal with the many social ills plagueing the comminity. people wanting a handout, people resisting change, dealing with political immaturity would be an overwhelming 24 hour task.
jan 12th
I went to the crown/fn planning session, in short, the message i heard was, whats going to be decided, has already been. this is still an opportunity to ask for regular consultation, with premiers as well. ask to meet with the real decision makers. pm is a political actor. to get seek regular meetings like the first ministers conference.  the theme of treaty implementation was echoed. replace the indian act, with the treaty implementation act. there was a message, we are talking to the wrong people, we should be talking to foriegn investors. talk of going to the states to plan joint action with american indians. there was a message that we should be focussing on the legalities in the nrta. basically, what i heard was the legalities of treaties are very important. there were alot of other great ideas thrown around, from sol sanderson, intertribal education systems and a treaty implementation structure. to political realities, that elijah harper pointed out, once the speaker leaves the seat, it a protocal issue. it shows what level of importance and respect is there for us. we are reduced to reducing to addressing a comittee. it was done before to us.
there was some bitching and complaining, too much formalities, and its clear we need to put the right speakers in place.
first nations want treaties addressed and implemented. i think fns lack political maturity to carry alot of what was asked.
despite thier nickel and diming us, i think the government's priority is education. which is what i have come to see is also what is needed most importantly. it the waiting lists were reduced, accountability between band and student was taken care of.
things are going to have to get worse before they get better.
this one will also be influenced by public opinion. and the media. hows it plays out is also a factor.