Aboriginal & First Nations
First Nation, Inuit, Métis and all Aboriginal people must be treated with dignity and respect.
Health, social and economic indicators for First Nations and Métis people lag far behind those of other Albertans.
Youth Suicide:
Suicide rates are higher among Aboriginal youth than any other group of Albertans. Aboriginal youth suicide rates are six times higher than non-Aboriginal youth. However, the Tory government cut funding for Aboriginal youth suicide prevention in the 2009 budget and diverted responsibility for future decisions regarding this life-saving initiative to Alberta Health Services.
Child Welfare:
Aboriginal children make up 59% of the children in government care. Youth in care die of a preventable death four times more often than those who are not in care. Children in care are also at a greater risk of developing respiratory problems, teen-pregnancy and substance abuse.
To break this cycle, it is important that children and their families are able to access early intervention supports. Fostering arrangements should include options to place parents as well as children – supporting the nuclear family in a safe environment. It is also important that your government work to end violent home situations, helping mothers to develop strategies to end abusive home situations. Other provinces are working to support Aboriginal adults who are interested in becoming foster parents such as British Columbia with the Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents. These types of initiatives must be considered by the Alberta government.
Métis Nation of Alberta:
The Progressive Conversavite government does not respect Métis harvesting rights, which have already been identified by the Supreme Court of Canada. Alberta’s government must re-open communication with the Métis Nation to develop a harvesting agreement that meets the conditions of Supreme Court decisions.
Homelessness:
Aboriginal women are more likely to become homeless than any other demographic in Alberta. Government must work to solve this crisis as part of their commitment to end homelessness. This could be supported by matching federal funding for off-reserve Aboriginal housing, as more than 75% of Aboriginal Albertans live off-reserve.
Land Claims:
Unsettled land claims are still an issue in Alberta. The provincial government must facilitate a process with the federal, and local Aboriginal governments, to resolve these issues as soon as possible and establish fair agreements with groups like the Lubicon Cree.
Fort Chipweyan:
The Athabasca Chipewyan and Mikisew Cree First Nations have been reporting abnormally high cancer rates – particularly bile-duct cancer – for years. Without consulting the community, or local health authority, the government investigated the instances of cancer and in February 2009, it was confirmed that cancer rates are higher in Fort Chipewyan than expected. The report showed that of the 47 people who were studied, 51 cancers were present between 1995 and 2006. Far too often, First Nations’ health has suffered because of government’s desire to develop resource extraction.
