OTTAWA - The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has slammed the 2022 federal budget.
In a news release this week, the organization characterized Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland’s budget as a “low-spend budget” which “”offers little for off-reserve and non-status Indigenous people.”
“Simply put, this budget falls short for Indigenous communities across the board,” said Congress of Aboriginal Peoples National Chief Elmer St. Pierre in a statement.
“Unfortunately, in their attempt to keep purse strings tight, the government has once again let the needs of Indigenous communities fall through the cracks.”
While the organization states it was encouraged to see a commitment to work through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to co-develop and launch an Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, they described the $300 million investment over five years as insufficient. They noted over 80 per cent of Indigenous people in Canada live off reserve, yet the amount allocated for this program is smaller than the funding for First Nations housing on reserve, Inuit communities and Métis communities.
“If the federal government is serious about their commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous communities, it’s past time they put their money where their mouth is,” said St. Pierre.
