MANFF loses federal funding: Flood evacuee, critics seek answers

First Nations flood evacuees and those who help them say it's about time that the Manitoba Association of Native Fire Fighters has lost its federal funding amid accusations about misspent money.

On Friday night, Aboriginal and Northern Development Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt announced that MANFF is in default of their agreement.

"The organization has not proven they can competently deliver the services Manitoba First Nations deserve. We are immediately withholding funds from MANFF and have given them notice that the agreement will not be renewed," Valcourt said in a statement.

• Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters loses federal funding
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• Lodge owner owed $3M from MANFF for housing evacuees

Valcourt said federal funds would be withdrawn "immediately" and the aid organization has been told the agreement will not be renewed.

MANFF was charged with caring for thousands of First Nations members whose homes and communities were flooded in 2011.

Many of the evacuees remain displaced three years later, including Brooke Travers of the Lake St. Martin First Nation.

"We're getting sick and tired of being homeless," she told CBC News on Monday.

"We want to go home. We want new land, new homes. You know, Winnipeg's not our home."

Previous investigations by the CBC News I-Team showed that, among other things, MANFF had paid a Winnipeg restaurant for expenses in excess of 100 per cent higher than prices listed on its website.

Travers said she had worked for MANFF at one point and faced difficulty in getting paid.

"MANFF shouldn't have even had the money because who are they giving that money to and where are they spending…. It's only for themselves," she said.

Flood evacuees who are still out of their homes from 2011 were transferred to the Red Cross earlier this year.

However, MANFF still managed short-term evacuations, training and equipment for fire departments on Manitoba First Nations reserves.

Willard Bittern, the fire chief at the Poplar River First Nation, said he's shocked by the $90 million that the federal government says is missing.

Bittern said the responsibility of emergency services on reserves should be handed back to the communities.

"We should call all the fire chiefs and work something out and change the board," he said.

Mike Bruneau, who had turned his lodge into a temporary home for flood evacuees, said MANFF still owes him $3 million.

As well, he said he has other questions, like "how the evacuees were abused by the firm they called MANFF … we want to know is why, when the government knew that MANFF was treating the evacuees this way, they didn't stop them?"

Bruneau said the federal government should conduct an audit, but Travers said the next step should be getting flood evacuees like her back home.