Businesses across north will be affected by Tribal Council funding cuts: Shibogama

Shibogama’s Margaret Kenequanash has emphasized that First Nations will not be the only ones affected by cuts to tribal council funding — businesses across the north will also suffer.
“First Nations are major employers and they are supporters of businesses in the economy, not only in our communities but also in the urban centres that we have our offices at,” said the Shibogama First Nations Council executive director during the Nov. 27-29 Special Ontario Chiefs Assembly. “I don’t think (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) thought this through, the impact this will have on their own economies.”
Kenequanash delivered her message on the impacts of tribal council funding cuts during a live webcast on the third day of the special chiefs assembly, which was held at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
“In business, when you affect one business, it has a roll-out effect to the rest,” Kenequanash said. “And that is the part I don’t think the government thought about because this is going to affect everyone else, not just our communities.”
Kenequanash said First Nation communities will be ”hit” by a lack of services, but towns will also be “hurt in their pockets.”
“We do business with these towns,” Kenequanash said. “So if there is anybody out there that has a business that does business with First Nations, such as this hotel making a lot of money from our conference, we’re not going to be having these conferences any more. So there is going to be a hit like that all across Ontario and Canada.”
Kenequanash said First Nations people have inherent rights and treaty rights that can also be exercised over the funding cutback issue.
“There are different strategies ... that need to be looked at,” Kenequanash said.
Keewaytinook Okimakanak’s Geordi Kakepetum recently said his tribal council is looking at the loss of about two-thirds of its tribal council funding due to the federal government’s new funding formula.
“We receive about $700,000 from (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) on an annual basis,” said Kakepetum, KO’s executive director. “With this new formula coming up, we’ll only get $250,000, so it will have some significant impacts on our operation.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit also said the AANDC funding cuts would have a major impact on how tribal councils deliver services to First Nation communities.
“It’s a major cutback in providing services to First Nations,” Louttit said. “That will definitely have a major impact on the delivery to First Nations, and especially the capacity of the tribal councils to deliver that service on behalf of the First Nations.”