Harper sees jobs as key to better future for first nations [resource revenue sharing] – by Bill Curry and Gloria Galloway (Globe and Mail – January 25, 2012)

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OTTAWA— Stephen Harper is pushing ahead with an agenda focused on practical steps to boost the economies of Canada’s reserves, pointing to a promising new generation of native leaders and entrepreneurs as examples of a brighter future.

More than 400 native chiefs from across the country arrived in Ottawa with wide-ranging demands for the one-day Crown-First Nations Gathering, but the Prime Minister quickly made clear that his priority was the economy.

His message: Canada’s resource sector is expanding, skilled labour is in short supply and the government is ready to make incremental changes to land and education policy that will boost first nations employment. “This is a new day,” he said. “New generations are arising, generations that seek a common vision, that have common goals.”

A growing number of first nations communities are striking their own direct land-management deals with Ottawa that make it easier to create businesses on reserve and attract non-native investment. Industrial parks, golf courses, hotels and residential subdivisions are becoming more common on reserves, bringing in new revenues for band governments – a trend Ottawa is determined to encourage.

But Mr. Harper was quickly reminded by many chiefs – including the influential old guard of first nations leaders – that this approach ignores the fundamental legal questions around land rights that still hang over large parts of Canada.

Further, some chiefs bristled at the idea of sending their young men and women away to work in resource projects far from home.

“There was discussion about training my people to have jobs to work for somebody else,” said Stan Beardy, Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation in Northern Ontario. Mr. Beardy’s region includes Attawapiskat, where a state of emergency was declared in the fall over deplorable housing conditions. “We want to develop [the land] so somebody would work for us and make money for us,” he said.

With the Prime Minister seated in the front row, two former national chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations – Ovid Mercredi and Matthew Coon Come – each passionately argued why Canada must sign nation-to-nation agreements that share natural resources revenue.

Mr. Coon Come, now grand chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, noted the 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec resource deal shows how forestry, energy and mine development on traditional territories – which are outlined in treaties and are much larger than reserves – can produce steady revenue for first nations governments.

“This arrangement provides the Cree with stable, predictable revenues over the long term,” he said.

Ottawa and the Assembly of First Nations released a statement at the end of the day hinting at further action on reserve funding and accountability, education, economic development and treaties, but the 2 1/2-page statement contained little detail.

When asked after the summit to explain how the government felt about revenue-sharing, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan said the focus is instead on education, skills training and assuring that first nations are job-ready.

For the rest of this article, please go to the Globe and Mail website: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-sees-jobs-as-key-to-better-future-for-first-nations/article2312916/