Statement from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs RE: National Housing Strategy
April 18, 2018
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2018
TREATY ONE TERRITORY, MB _ Federal, provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for housing met April 9, 2018, to endorse a multilateral Housing Partnership Framework (Partnership) with the exception of Quebec. It will advance the National Housing Strategy and set the foundation for federal, provincial and territorial governments to work together toward achieving a long-term shared vision for housing.
Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs states:
“The federal government should not be so quick to advance the National Housing Strategy through this latest framework. Currently, First Nations in each region are assessing the needs in their communities to inform the development of a national First Nations housing strategy that is equally important to the federal strategy.
Our families continue to grow while housing remains practically stagnant. Manitoba First Nations continue to deal with housing backlogs that are in the hundreds of thousands that go back decades; this situation only continues to worsen. The current housing strategies being developed are mainly on-reserve. It does not take into account urban First Nations populations. Urban programs are accessed by First Nations people but they are not specific to First Nations’ needs. The multilateral Housing Partnership Framework and Manitoba’s provincial housing strategy must take these issues into consideration.
This recent announcement shows the needs of First Nations are not being prioritized as the multilateral agreement does not include First Nations. For something as significant as housing, First Nations should be at the same table and not left behind because we have not been provided with adequate funding to develop housing solutions in a timely manner.”