Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 01/99) - Show me the money.

That seemed to be the common theme from Dene chiefs during a meeting with Assembly of First Nations National Chief, Phil Fontaine.

Many delegates were concerned over finding new sources of funding for negotiations and social programs. Fontaine said his office was willing to help through new initiatives in government funding.

Ndilo Chief Fred Sangris said the money transferred from federal coffers passes through too many hands and when the funds filter down, there's very little left for his people.

"By the time these dollars get to us, the amounts have shrunken right down," Sangris said. "It's a small percentage of what it started out as."

Deh Cho First Nations Grand Chief Michael Nadli echoed Sangris' concern over tight funds.

"We need more money to continue our negotiations," Nadli said.

Fontaine said the federal government publication Gathering Strength and the AFN's Agenda for Action offer avenues to funding aboriginal groups could access.

"The Gathering Strength document included a statement of reconciliation that included, as well, an apology by the Federal Government to aboriginal people for the residential school experience," Fontaine said. "The apology was directed towards all aboriginal people and the $350- million healing fund was established."

Fontaine said the federal government has contributed a total of roughly $550 million over the past two years, with most of it set aside for small communities across the country.

"Part of it is set aside for regional initiatives and some -- very few, national," he said. "Much of it is directed at the local level."

The national chief said Northern aboriginal peoples need training that his office can provide.

"The situation here is that there is not a good understanding for Gathering Strength and the Agenda for Action," Fontaine said.

"We're more than willing to come back here and have someone from my office sit down with the chiefs here and explain in detail," he promised. "So that you can have a better understanding of the possibilities or the options that exist as a result of Gathering Strength."

Other chiefs said the specific needs of Northern housing require more consideration from the federal government. Fontaine said the solution is with aboriginal housing corporations.

"CMHC and Indian Affairs should get out of the business of providing housing support programs to First Nations, In its place, establish First Nations' housing corporations," he said.

Akaitcho Grand Chief Felix Lockhart worried about the repercussions of self-determination.

"What is self-government going to be like," Lockhart asked. "Do we give up the fiduciary obligations?"

"When the treaties were negotiated, self-government or self-determination was never on the table," he said. "That was never part of the deal. But what happened was they brought forward laws and legislation and policy to deny us that right."

The national chief reminded the assembled leaders that since the first treaties were signed, the treaty process has been a genial one.

"You shouldn't forget that the treaty relationship is non-adversarial," Fontaine reminded the assembly. "The only way we're are going to negotiate these treaties is for two parties to come to the table."

Later, Fontaine shared his vision for self-government.

"In simple terms, it's First Nations being in control of our own destiny," Fontaine said. "In practical terms, it's doing what governments do, and that's being in control of all aspects of our lives; it's making laws and enforcing laws; it's introducing and passing legislation; it's delivering good government to our people and, in the process, becoming self-sufficient."