Increase jobs for indigenous people

Brad Wall doesn’t want a holiday designation for indigenous people, despite Saskatchewan having the largest indigenous population in Canada.

Well, given the small number of First Nations and aboriginal people who are employed in the province, it wouldn’t make a huge dent in the economy; he was probably thinking about the thousands of employees who receive their monthly salary on the backs of our suffering.

I’m talking about the 6080 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and the others employed in social services or justice or corrections. Now that would make a dent in the provincial budgets. Even so, he shouldn’t be too concerned, given the federal government pays all costs regarding social services, post-secondary education and health through federal transfer agreements. This year’s budget is $1.125 billion, which the provincial government boasts as “the largest in history” on its website.

As someone who has applied no fewer than 60 times for a provincial position, with three degrees and no criminal record, I am shocked at his callous response.

I am among many First Nations who haven’t been successful with the provincial public service commission. If he wants improvements, then make changes there.

Make employment of aboriginal people a priority; hire more brown faces at social services. Make employment of our people included in funding agreements with NGOs, especially if your client base is predominantly aboriginal. And not just maintenance, but in management.

The buckskin ceiling is a reality in Saskatchewan. These are systemic problems within our provincial public service and across the province.

If we were employed, many of us would return to healthy lifestyles, but then that may put a lot of people out of work.

Connie Deiter, Balcarres