Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson appeared at the roundtable with Liberal MP Jim Carr via Zoom. (Zoom)

By Derek Cornet

2021 budget

Northern leaders participate in federal roundtable discussion

Apr 26, 2021 | 4:51 PM

A roundtable discussion was held Monday between Northern Saskatchewan leaders and Liberal MP Jim Carr regarding the 2021 federal budget.

“What was so moving about the last hour were stories about family, about community, the human dimension of coping with the pandemic and issues that were long present before the pandemic, and some that will be with us for a long time to come,” Carr said to reporters via Zoom after the event. “Also, I felt the spirit of reconciliation, the importance of working together not only as communities but as people. We know we have the same aspirations for our children and our grandchildren.”

Much of the discussion focused on a series of proposed investments over the next three years including $18 billion for First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations. The new funding is meant to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, as well as support healthy, safe and prosperous communities.

“There will be many ways in which this significant series of investments will be accessed by communities in Northern Saskatchewan across a wide variety of issues and investments that impact the daily lives of people,” Carr said. “Not only coming out of the pandemic and all of the special issues we have had to contend with across the country. We’re talking about major gaps in infrastructure, housing and education, all of which will be met in new and impressive ways as we work together down the path to reconciliation.”

Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson was among the leaders to participate in the roundtable discussion. She talked about some of the band’s experience with the pandemic and how the federal government has been responsive when it comes to additional health care staff, isolation units and homelessness.

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Cook-Searson noted the federal government stepped in to fund a homeless shelter between January and March, adding tri-community leaders are currently working towards a permanent solution.

“I’ve talked about how we’ve been able to work with the regional director generals with the First Nations Inuit Service Health Branch and also Indigenous Services Canada,” she said. “That they have been very responsive toward communities and we’ve been able to get the supports we need throughout this pandemic so far.”

The 2021 federal budget also calls for increasing the federal wage to $15 per hour, building, repairing and supporting 35,000 affordable housing units and a $17.6 billion investment in green technologies.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno