Harper attends First Nations summit

On Jan. 24, Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with nearly 400 Aboriginal Chiefs from 33 different nations in Ottawa, to address the issues of rampant poverty and deplorable living conditions on Canada's various Native Reserves.

Long standing issues within Canada's borders have been economic and social deterioration of the various First Nations communities.

"Many of these communities are without schools, reliable electricity, or even basic infrastructure such as housing and roads," said Brock University Professor of Political Science Garth Stevenson. "It's often very out-of-sight and out-of-mind because not many non-natives go there."

Even though on average Canadian citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the World, inhabitants of Native Reserves in like Atawpaskat, Pikangikum or Kashechewan, are living in conditions comparable to the developing world.

At the summit, Harper vowed help and support from the federal government to the Aboriginal Chiefs and their communities. He also stated that he is willing to make changes to the Indian Act of 1867 although, many of the Chiefs would rather see it abolished completely.

"The Indian Act, as we agreed, cannot be replaced over night," said National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Shaun Atleo. "But Canada is committed to work jointly with First Nations leaders on the implications of elimination of the act."

The Indian Act gave Ottawa jurisdiction over "Indians and Lands Reserved for Indians". The legislation, which was last amended in 2000, defines who is recognized among First Nations and sets out rules on everything from how reserves operate to the effect of marriage on status.

Many Aboriginal people, including Atleo, consider the act obsolete.

Though Harper was only expected to stay for half of the summit, as he was expected to attend a conference in Switzerland the same day, he ended up staying the whole day.

Harper called the Summit, "a new day" for relations between Aboriginal people and a way to "renew the relationship".

The atmosphere of the Summit was positive, however there was some scepticism towards the Harper Government's willingness to actually implement its changes. Critics also said that there was a lot of positive rhetoric from the Prime Minister, but very little specifics.

In an interview with television personality George Stroumboulopoulos, Atleo explained his scepticism – pointing to the large number of times that First Nations peoples have been betrayed by the government.  

Aboriginal Canadians have had a history of unfair treatment, neglect and assimilation. When he first came to power Harper chose to abandon the Kelowna Accord, a $5 billion project that was specifically designed to create jobs and raise living standards on First Nations reserves, that was proposed by the former government.

There was, on part of the Canadian Government, a willingness for long-term solutions for the First Nations communities and the two sides agreed on a five-point plan to improvements that would conducted over the course of the year.

"I think it is an encouraging sign and they recognize that [it] is a serious problem," said Stevenson, "It is very bad for Canada's reputation. Some [First Nations] have even gone to the UN to complain about it."

This will hopefully be the beginning a new chapter of co-operation between the Federal and First Nations governments in improving the quality of life of thousands of First Nations citizens.