Jonathan ‘incorrect’ about draft agreement: Reiter

In a strongly-worded letter to Kimberly Jonathan, interim Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), Government Relations Minister Jim Reiter said the province provides the same emergency help to First Nations as it does to other communities, and a new draft agreement with the federal government would allow it to recover the cost of helping First Nations.

He is “disappointed” with statements Jonathan made to the media on Friday about the provincial-federal agreement, because they were incorrect, Reiter wrote — a perspective Jonathan refutes.

Last week, Jonathan described the $10 million the province would receive over 10 years from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) as “Indian moneys.” She demanded that the provincial-federal talks “cease and desist” and that the resources be redirected to the creation of a First Nations co-operative that would oversee technical and emergency services on reserves.

In his letter, shared with media on Monday morning, Reiter said “the impression that could leave is that the province has an interest in receiving federal money at the expense of First Nations. I can say categorically that I would not support this approach.

“The money the province would recover from AANDC is not at the expense of money that would otherwise go to First Nations, nor is it being redirected from existing funding the federal government provides to First Nations,” Reiter wrote.

Reiter said Jonathan should have known that, since he and his department officials met with her and FSIN officials on Feb. 23 and informed them about the draft agreement.

“I asked for her input and offered to consider any suggestions she had very, very seriously,” Reiter said.

The funding would also help the province enhance its emergency services for First Nations that ask for help with emergency preparedness, fire safety and prevention, emergency response training and facilitating closer co-operation between First Nations and adjacent municipalities, he wrote.

Jonathan said Reiter misunderstood. She did not say money would be redirected to provincial coffers from First Nations, she said. However, transferring federal funds to provincial emergency programs could prevent First Nations from building the capacity to run their own emergency services.