Big inefficiencies in government aboriginal programs: report

The federal government has spent almost as much administering a five- year- old program promoting the safety of aboriginal women and girls as it has on actual contributions to aboriginal communities, says a new internal report.

The $ 5.7- million Aboriginal Community Safety Development Contribution Program was part of the Conservative government’s highly touted response in 2010 to the problem of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

Its aim was to help First Nations identify root causes of violence, develop “community- driven” responses and implement “holistic, aboriginal healing models.”

So far, the government has spent $ 2.2 million just on administration, almost what it has spent on funding to aboriginal communities, $ 2.3 million.

“There appears to be considerable opportunity for greater effi- ciency,” the report said.

Further, only nine First Nations have developed community safety plans, even though workshops have been held in at least 25 of them, the report said.

The evaluation report, posted on Public Safety Canada’s website, comes amid calls from critics for the government to hold a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.

Last year, a report by the Royal Mounted Canadian Police found aboriginals accounted for 16 per cent of murdered women and girls, and 11 per cent of missing females in 1980- 2012, even though they make up only four per cent of the population.

Public Safety Canada officials were not able to comment on the report Monday.

However, the document stressed the government is committed to improving collaboration between departments serving aboriginals and creating more supporting materials to guide communities in developing safety plans.