Honourable Minister of Aboriginal Affairs of the Province of British Columbia; Donna Cloes
Honourable Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs of the Province of British Columbia; Filip
Adamski
Honourable Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs of the Province of British Columbia; Jacob
Wesseling
Honourable Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs of the Province of British Columbia; Selea
Hewton
In British Columbia about 50% of Aboriginal people complete high school within 6
years of starting grade 8. This is comparable to about an 80% completion rate of nonAboriginals within the same time frame. The B.C. Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and
Reconciliation and the Ministry of Education have set up several educational programs to
address this issue such as the Summer Read and Play 2010 (the tenth annual intense 2
week literacy skills program geared at 6 and 7 year olds of aboriginal descent, taking place
in 4 schools across the province), Aboriginal Nations Education Division (ANED) in the
greater Victoria school area, along with many other initiatives. These programs are
designed to educate from elementary school all the way up until and including high school.
Perhaps the most influential of these programs is the ACIP – Aboriginal Curriculum
Integration Project – which aims to integrate Aboriginal values and cultural aspects into
classrooms across the province. Curriculum changes have proved to make the vital changes
needed for Aboriginal students to thrive at school. The B.C Ministry of Education has also
agreed to special funding for targeted Aboriginal education for students of Aboriginal
ancestry. The provincial government of BC has set up programs like the Aboriginal
Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AAIT), Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship
Skills Training (ABEST), which educate and train Aboriginals in hopes of being employed.
Such programs have proved to be tremendously beneficial to the Aboriginal community,
and have aided individuals in attaining employment. Programs like these should be nationwide, not just provincial. Continued funding in provincial and national Aboriginal education
programs will help to continue increasing success rates. The unemployment rate of
Aboriginals in B.C. is about three times higher than the average unemployment rate in the
province. However, over the past 20 years there has been an overall decrease in the
number of unemployed Aboriginal people in the province. The Ministry of Aboriginal
Relations and Reconciliation has also launched several programs and services to boost
employment rates in the Aboriginal community. Some of these include the Aboriginal
community employment service society (ACCESS), Aboriginal Human Resources
Development Agreement (AHRDA), LYNX: Aboriginal student and employment program and
the First Nations Employment Society (FNED).Continuation of these programs and others,
and continued funding on the provincial and federal level is essential to combating
unemployment of Aboriginals nation-wide. The Ministry has also established the Metis skills
and employment centre, Stitsma employment centre, and the Tsleil-Waututh skills
development centre. In any area in the country with a significant Aboriginal population,
such centres should be set up, as they have instantly boosted Aboriginal employment and
skills development in those areas. Areas like Northern Ontario, and the Territories should
use these centres as an example. Even in B.C., northern communities tend to be overlooked
since they are sparser. This is visible nation-wide, and as such, it is important to focus on
funding programs in more isolated regions, rather than only the current metropolitan-area
focus. It is our hope that this focus will be central to our discussions at this conference.
In our Aboriginal communities, we need to take more of a focused look at trying to
provide better rehabilitation for those affected by substance abuse. The mortality rates in
the Status Indian population related to drug and alcohol abuse is much higher than that of
other residents in our province and this is certainly also the case in many other provinces in
Canada. The province's clinics and rehabilitation centres already established, do much to
help in these communities. However, our Ministry’s suggestion is only that the person being
rehabilitated should not be taken out of their community. In the long run, this has proven
to be detrimental to the one being rehabilitated, as they are put back into the situation
which created and/or encouraged the abuse in the first place. It is recommended that these
centres should be in the aboriginal communities so they can provide a changing experience
for the community as a whole instead of for a single individual.
In our Aboriginal communities, we need to take more of a focused look at trying to
provide better rehabilitation for those affected by substance abuse. While the National
Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP), originated in the 1970s, is doing much
to provide many rehabilitation and clinics in communities, it is up to our provincial
government to go the extra step for these people. The mortality rates in the Status Indian
population related to drug and alcohol abuse is much higher than that of other residents in
our province and this is certainly also the case in many other provinces in Canada. The
circle of abuse also continues with high suicide rates in Aboriginal communities, (2.1%
higher than the national average), and this is also the case in the areas of high crime and
physical abuse. This is unacceptable in a country like the one we live in. British Columbia is
suggesting that, along with the NNADAP, the provincial government needs Federal
government support in order to follow up on people after they are treated to make sure
they do not return to their old ways. It is one thing to treat someone away from the
situation, where they have no access to it, but failure often occurs when they are placed
back into the same self-damaging environment that started the circle of abuse from the
start. It is, therefore, our suggestion that instead of trying to fix the person individually, we
need to start with the community as a whole. There is a critical need for properly-funded
programs that reform whole communities.
Across the country the largest issues concerning reserve conditions revolve mostly
around poor housing. A housing problem is considered critical if a household pays 30% or
more on income tax, or if the home is crowded or in need of major repairs. As well, few
shelter facilities exist for homeless people on aboriginal reserves. The homes within
reserves are generally extremely crowded together, and also have many people in each
home. Due to the poor housing conditions and accommodations within reserves, the
homeless rate is increasing due to the growing Aboriginal population. There is an
approximate 1.9% growth rate in homelessness for Aboriginal population versus the 0.7%
growth rate of non-Aboriginals. There is currently a waiting list for homes on reserves and
this list will continue to grow, instead of shrink if help is not offered to help with building of
homes on reserves. Also laws for on-reserve locations are different than those for offreserve locations. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation (CMHC), are both the main Federal government - funding
resources for on-reserve housing. Programs such as these are very important for the
development of better reserve conditions for the Aboriginal people, but at this point in time,
Canada is still in need of more funding support for bettering the conditions of reserves.
The Kelowna Accord was first agreed upon in 2005. First Ministers and National
Aboriginal Leaders agree to take immediate action to improve the quality of life for the
Aboriginal peoples of Canada in four important areas - health, education, housing and
relationships. To ensure that progress is made, First Ministers and National Aboriginal
Leaders have set goals and agreed on the need for indicators to measure progress. The
Aboriginal peoples of Canada include the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. We
are determined to achieve progressively better results over the next ten years (from 2005).
So far little effort has been made to keep to the deadlines of the Accord. There have been
billions of dollars in funds set aside for use, but no means for distribution, a system for
which governments can draw on these funds is needed. A revisiting of the Accord is
needed to help remind the Provincial and Federal governments about their commitment.
British Columbia has always pushed to meet deadlines and make advances in this issue,
and we hope that other provinces and the Federal Government will act the same.