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MP says NDP ready to look into Indian Act overhaul

The federal NDP is ready to do an open up negotiations for complete overhaul on the Indian Act anytime that the Prime Minster is ready to begin, according to MP Nathan Cullen.

The federal NDP is ready to do an open up negotiations for complete overhaul on the Indian Act anytime that the Prime Minster is ready to begin, according to MP Nathan Cullen.

Now that the head of a major Aboriginal organization has called on the government to do a dramatic reshaping of the relationship between Ottawa and First Nations, Cullen says the ball is in Stephen Harper’s court and he’s not optimistic that the Tories will be able to do the reforms right.

“[Reforming the Indian Act] is dangerous, it’s difficult, its constitutional, it’s big, it’s got implications for our economy and our society so doing it right is paramount. But it’s always been top-down, and I’ll be happy and surprised if this Prime Minster changes  his approach and goes grassroots-up,” says Cullen.

Cullen says that the NDP made an attempt at working with the Tories on reforming the Indian Act in 2006, according to Cullen the Conservatives expressed interest at first, but then nothing came of it. The hope is now that the Conservatives may feel confident enough with their majority status to take on an issue as complicated as creating a new relationship between First Nations and the Federal Government.

Reforming the Indian Act in Ottawa has never been an easy proposition. Written well over 100 years ago, several small changes have been made to the act as recently as the year 2000. But nothing as drastic as what National Chief of the Assembly of First Nation, Shaun Atleo, is calling for has ever happened before.

Atleo called on Ottawa to form a “government-to-government” relationship with First Nations, which would mean much greater self determination on a variety of issues, which would include no longer being answerable to the Indian Affairs Minister. Atleo also called fore a committee for solving treaty disputes between the government and the First Nations that would be independent of the Indian Affairs Ministry, and for their own ombudsperson.

“A true government-to-government relationship is built on common respect and recognition that we see these nations existing in the united nation of Canada. It’s a buy-in [by First Nations], it would almost be like getting Quebec into  the Constitution,” says Cullen.

Many Canadian reserves face myriad of problems such as poverty, poor housing condition, alcoholism,   drug abuse, and sometimes political corruption, which could lead some to wonder if less Federal Government involvement or  oversight is the best thing for these communities. Cullen says that is a colonial and paternalistic way of thinking.

“The same argument could have been made about Canada separating from England.  I’m sure there were people in England arguing ‘don’t let those wild Canadians have their own government because they’ll be corrupt and incompetent,’” says Cullen.

Cullen says that if the Indian Act is scrapped and First Nations are given greater independence from the Federal Government it will take most of the uncertainty of doing development in Aboriginal territories out of the equation and attract investment.

“It’s that uncertainty that kills investment. Having clear and defined decision-making is crucial for investors,” says Cullen.