Coast Salish Territory (West Vancouver) — The BC First Nations Leadership Council joined with Premier Gordon Campbell and the BC Government today in calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to live up to the financial commitments contained in the Kelowna Accord in order to address the critical socio-economic and infrastructure gaps suffered by First Nations.
The First Nations Leadership Council members were present in the BC Legislature today when a Special Statement on the New Relationship with Aboriginal People was tabled by Premier Campbell. The statement reaffirmed the BC Government’s commitment to the implementation of the Kelowna Accord and BC Transformative Change Accord. The statement also calls on the federal government to make available the long term financial resources necessary to uphold the honour of the Crown in addressing the disparate socio-economic conditions faced by First Nations.
The BC First Nations Leadership Council released the attached open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, The Hon. Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance and The Hon. Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The letter is in direct response to this week’s Federal Budget announcement which has provided a clear indication that the federal government is not willing to address the third world living conditions in Aboriginal communities by funding the commitments contained in the Kelowna Accord.