AFN national chief disappointed in Budget 2024’s infrastructure funding

Last week, the Assembly of First Nations and the Federal Government Co released a report identifying the infrastructure gap among First Nations to be over 350 billion. Earlier this month, Canada’s Auditor General released 2 reports detailing A distressing and persistent pattern of failure in federal First Nation housing and police programs. These reports, with the result of the Saskatchewan mass stabbing inquiry, demonstrate long term investments and fundamental shifts in approach are required over an extended period. Unfortunately, we are not seeing that here today. We did not see that in yesterday’s budget. We will also be talking with representatives of the opposition parties on what is missing from this budget. We’ve we’ve reached out to Pierre and to Jagmeet as well and we will be reaching out to all other political parties later this week. And we will be inviting the Prime Minister and the Deputy minister to attend our National Assembly in Montreal and of course here in Ottawa next December to explain their budget choices directly to chiefs who are at the front line. So today we will be. Renewing our call for the Prime Minister to organize the first ministers meeting over the coming year to address these long standing issues and facilitate an open discussion about how to keep reconciliation moving forward for the future prosperity, I was asked the question, how do you feel about the likelihood of closing the infrastructure gap by 2030? I didn’t need much time to reflect on my answer, but my view is that we’re going to be far from having a closure of that gap by 2030 and I expect the gap will even further widen as we as we go forward. We’re going to be in a worse position in 2030 and 2035 and 2040. Boy, what’s been happening in terms of the relationship with this government and our own communities, there’s a lot of work to be done. We have to bring the the well-being of our people and our communities to a much greater level and meet. That’s what’s happening in our non indigenous communities, into non indigenous people in this country.