Premier Greg Selinger gets earful from First Nations leaders
CBC News | Posted: February 24, 2015 10:14 PM | Last Updated: February 25, 2015
Premier pledges to meet with chiefs in future
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger faced sharp criticism on Tuesday at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs' annual general assembly of chiefs at Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation.
Selinger was there for three hours to talk about the province's progress implementing the recommendations from the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry and to take questions from the First Nations leaders.
But some chiefs were unhappy Selinger limited the number of questions chiefs could ask.
O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation Chief Chris Baker of South Indian Lake said he was not happy the premier was there for such a short period of time.
He said he would have liked Selinger to hear more of what the chiefs had to say at the general assembly, but he also wanted a separate meeting over a full day or two with the premier and his cabinet to discuss poverty, social issues, and Manitoba Hydro concerns.
"The resources that are being extracted and taken away from us, and the opportunities, the training and the education that we talk about — why can't we sit down and get a commitment from the province?" Baker said at the meeting.
Selinger agreed to further meetings with the chiefs involving his cabinet.
Manto Sipi Cree Nation Chief Michael Yellowback voiced his concerns about the province taking over the band constable program.
Federal funding for the program runs out in April.
Yellowback said he's worried about the impact of that on training, equipment, and facilities.
More than 40 chiefs have travelled to the South Beach Casino at the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, about an hour north of Winnipeg, to attend the meetings.
They will also discuss gaming and casino revenue sharing and the roundtable that takes place in Ottawa this week on missing and murdered indigenous women.