Provincial and FSIN leaders need to do better

If we are to make progress on First Nation and Metis issues, it begins with ending this one-step-forward, twosteps-back waltz.

Sadly, the Saskatchewan Party government took a big step backward in the form of Education Minister Bronwyn Eyre’s bizarre and wrong comments on the treaty education curriculum.

Perhaps it’s just coincidental that Eyre’s initial comment (combined with her grudging reluctance to actually apologize) played like a dog whistle to the base.

Perhaps there was some plausible reason why none of the Sask. Party leadership candidates (nor even Premier Brad Wall, who nurtured the idea of a treaty education First Nations curriculum on our schools) didn’t get that Eyre’s words were causing irreparable damage to this ever-struggling government’s relationship with First Nations.

Credit Wall and his government for taking a big step forward in 2012 by implementing a nation-leading First Nations curriculum — one that Wall acknowledged in a scrum Wednesday was difficult to implement because of resistance from his own Sask. Party base that was somehow offended history could be taught from something other than the white, immigrant perspective that Eyre was clearly promoting in her Nov. 1 speech.

But the government took a big step backward because it took a public outing by one of Eyre’s kid’s Grade 8 classmates, a provincewide petition calling for the education minister’s resignation, umpteen questions in the assembly and multiple scrums in the Legislative Building rotunda before we finally heard Eyre grudgingly admit there is no equivalency between the white immigrant and First Nations experience.

The second big step backward of late emerged out of the potential ’60s Scoop apology, but this incident shows it’s not always the government’s fault this relationship has been like it is.

Clearly, there is provincial government fault because it was the Ross Thatcher Liberal and Allan Blakeney NDP governments that presided over social services policy of the Adopt Indian and

Metis (AIM) program from 1966 to 1975 that displaced babies from their homes and communities for adoption to white homes in Saskatchewan and Canada and as far away as the United States and Europe.

Sadly, this was considered national best practice half a century ago. Fifty years later, history shows what this policy has really produced is an apology from the current Liberal federal government and a massive payout from Ottawa of $800 million to victims.

A similar apology is required from the current leader of the Saskatchewan government for its contribution to this past wrong — something Wall has repeatedly offered to do, but has been unable to do, his government has said, because of scheduling difficulties.

One can certainly argue more than an apology is needed. The best solution might now be far greater support from the provincial government for First Nation and Metis education and foster/childcare programs overseen by First Nations.

But what is the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) asking for?

Well, after balking at attending any apology event, Chief Bobby Cameron has now written the FSIN wants $200 million to $400 million from the province.

His justification is that there has be “substance to the apology” because without money it would be like saying Merry Christmas without giving a present.

“You (the province) are already in a deficit, you might as well fix the wrongs while you are there,” Cameron said.

Rightly, Wall is now saying no to any financial commitment — especially, such a nebulous one that doesn’t seem to be tied to anything nor even addresses pertinent issues like Metis children left out of the federal settlement or what would be the best path to addressing ongoing issues.

Really, it sounds like a cash grab — the very thing that frustrates so many with how First Nations leadership conducts itself in this relationship.

We can do better. We have to do better or we will keep going backward.