Group calls for probe into funding of women's shelters on reserves

The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters wants the federal government to investigate why shelters on First Nations reserves aren't getting the level of funding promised by Ottawa 20 years ago.

"This last fiscal year alone, the Alberta on-reserve shelters were underfunded to the tune of $2.2 million when you compare that to provincial funding levels," said Jan Reimer, provincial co-ordinator for the council.

In 1991, the federal government made a commitment to fund on-reserve shelters at the same level as shelters located off-reserves.

Reimer wants the federal goverment to launch an investigation into the department now known as Aborginal Affairs and Northern Development to find out why that pledge has not been met.

"What we're callling on the Harper government to do is to do an overhaul ... of the on-reserve shelter funding and to strengthen the management of the program," Reimer said.

The lack of funding means the emergency women's shelter on the Bigstone Cree Nation in Wabasca, Alta. can only have one staff member.  Shelter director Janet Gladue says having a shelter on the reserve is critical because some women don't want to leave.

"I think that's the most important part. They want to stay around family," she said.

Sometimes the shelter has had to turn women away, and refer them to other facilities, but some women simply end up returning home to where they were abused.

"They have nowhere else to go," Gladue said. 

No one from Aborginal Affairs and Northern Development was immediately available for comment.