UN Indigenous peoples rapporteur expresses "deep concern" over Attawapiskat housing crisis

APTN National News
OTTAWA–The UN official tasked with monitoring the situation of Indigenous peoples around the world has contacted the Canadian government to express “deep concern” over the housing crisis in Attawapiskat, a northern Ontario First Nations community on the shore of James Bay.

James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples, said he would be monitoring the situation in Attawapiskat “closely” while keeping an “open dialogue” with the Conservative government.

“I will be monitoring closely the situation of the Attawapiskat First Nation and other Aboriginal communities in Canada,” said Anaya, in the statement. “Keeping an open dialogue with the government and all stakeholders.”

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan’s office blasted Anaya’s letter, saying it had “inaccuracies” and lacked “credibility.” A spokeswoman for Duncan said the minister would be responding.

“We will correct the inaccuracies in this letter, beginning with the fact that the special rapporteur could not name Canada’s minister of foreign affairs,” said Michelle Yao, a spokeswoman for Duncan. “Anyone who reads the letter will see it lacks credibility.”

Yao said the Conservative government was “focused on the needs of the residents of Attawapiskat, not publicity stunts.”

The Conservative government is also “focused on addressing deep-rooted issues that have plagued Canada’s First Nations communities for generations,” she said.

Attawapiskat, a Cree community of about 1,800 people, has been suffering from inadequate housing for years. A recent YouTube video filmed by NDP MP Charlie Angus depicting families living in tents and in shacks with no running water or insulation propelled the community to the top of the national debate for several weeks.

Canadians from coast to coast witnessed the dire living conditions in the community which have been described as inhumane and life-threatening.

The Conservative government responded by blaming the housing crisis on financial mismanagement by the band, which had been in co-management for several years.

Duncan took control of band finances away from the chief and council and handed it over to an outside consultant, called a third-party manager, at a cost of about $180,000.

Attawapiskat has since taken the issue to Federal Court seeking a judicial review of the minister’s decision.

The federal government has also committed to sending 22 modular homes to the community, but the announcement came after the Canadian Red Cross intervened in Attawapiskat to provide immediate aid.

Anaya said in a statement that he contacted the Conservative government on Monday asking what programs it had in place to deal with the gap in social and living conditions between First Nations communities and non-Aboriginal communities.

“The social and economic situation of…Attawapiskat seems to represent the condition of many First Nation communities living on reserves throughout Canada, which is allegedly akin to Third World conditions,” said Anaya, in the statement. “Yet, this situation is not representative of non-Aboriginal communities in Canada.”

Anaya said he wanted the government to respond to information the special rapporteur has received indicating that First Nations communities are “systematically underfunded” and that “unequal funding” is “allegedly rooted” in the formulas and policies used by Aboriginal Affairs.

Anaya said he wanted to government to clarify information that showed this systematic underfunding made things worse in already stressed communities.

“It does not appear that the government is responding adequately to requests for assistance,” said Anaya.

First Nations chiefs passed a resolution during a meeting earlier this month in Ottawa calling on the Assembly of First Nations to ask the UN to appoint a special agent to monitor Canada’s response to housing and infrastructure woes in First Nations communities.

The AFN could not be immediately reached for comment.