Auditor slams feds for First Nations housing, policing failures
After two new reports detailing how the federal government is underperforming on First Nations housing and policing, the federal auditor general says a fundamental shift needs to occur in the government.
“Time after time, whether in housing, policing, safe drinking water or other critical areas, our audits of federal programs to support Canada’s Indigenous Peoples reveal a distressing and persistent pattern of failure,” Karen Hogan said at a press conference Tuesday.
“The lack of progress clearly demonstrates that the government’s passive, siloed approach is ineffective, and, in fact, contradicts the spirit of true reconciliation.”
The reports tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday paint a bleak picture of Ottawa’s record on First Nations housing and policing.
On First Nations housing, Hogan’s report found little improvement over the past two decades.
And on the expansion of the highly criticized First Nations policing program, Hogan found poor management is leaving communities underserved and funds unspent.
It’s the fourth time since 2003 that the auditor general has held the government responsible for unsafe and unsuitable First Nations housing.
Hogan’s report says communities with the poorest housing conditions received the least funding, and the government failed to ensure homes met building code standards.
“Many people living in First Nations communities do not have access to housing that is safe and in good condition — a fundamental human right,” the report reads.
“Improving housing for First Nations is vital for their physical, mental and economic health and well-being.”
From 2018-19 to 2022-23, Indigenous Services and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation provided funding to build 11,754 new housing units, and to repair 15,859 existing units.
That represents about a fifth of what’s needed in new builds and repairs to close existing gaps, Hogan found.
She noted construction in communities can be challenging, especially if they’re in rural and remote regions, which limits the construction season and available workers. The pandemic, too, introduced some delays to projects.
Still, a lack of proper housing is associated with family violence, substance use, suicide and economic obstacles, Hogan said, and can contribute to a loss of culture if there are no housing options in communities, forcing migration.
“After four audit reports, I can honestly say that I am completely discouraged that so little has changed, and that so many First Nations individuals and families continue to live in substandard homes,” Hogan said at a press conference Tuesday.
And as time drags on, she said, the gaps will continue to grow.
In a second report, the auditor found serious issues related to the planned expansion of a highly criticized program that provides police services to First Nations.
The Liberals promised a $500-million expansion to the program in 2021, which sees the federal and provincial government combine funds to pay for policing on First Nations.
“Since additional funding was received to expand the program, no communities had been added to an existing self-administered police service agreement within our audit period,” Hogan noted in her report.
Hogan’s report also said the RCMP was not living up to its commitments to communities, was not spending money equitably and was set to leave $45 million allocated for the program unspent this year.