Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence will meet half way in Thunder Bay.
Duncan and Spence will meet in Thunder Bay on Thursday, instead of holding a get together in Ottawa or Attawapiskat, to discuss the current housing crisis. The Canadian Press reported that the two are meeting to define what role the government will play in the community.
The Conservatives, through the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, decided a third-party manager was necessary to manage the community’s finances after the housing crisis began drawing national attention.
Following that national exposure, it was learned the feds have sent more than $90 million to the community since 2005.
Duncan and Spence had met previously last week but were unable to reach any common ground.
In an attempt to help provide shelter, Duncan recently increased the number of trailers sent to the northern community.
Spence is quoted as saying in a news release issued to media earlier that she’s grateful for the help, but called the government’s decision to place the community under third-party management political deflection.
“Attawapiskat’s financial situation isn’t any different than other First Nation communities across Ontario, and third-party managers have done little to nothing to improve conditions there,” she said.
While Spence has voiced her opposition, the government went ahead and brought in to Jacques Marion to manage the crisis. Despite being unwelcomed in the community, Marion was able to buy 22 modular houses for families in need, at the request of the band.
The Attawapiskat First Nation must pay the third-party manager $1,300 a day from its administration budget, for a seven-month contract.
-- With files from the Canadian Press
