$40 million in new federal funding...

"Not enough", says Assembly of First Nations...

-- OTTAWA (CP) -- Angus Toulouse, Ontario vice-chief for the national Assembly of First Nations, is cautiously optimistic that the $40 million may help take the edge off some of Pikangikum's most pressing infrastructure needs.

But he said it won't be enough to keep pace with long neglected repairs, maintenance and the burgeoning demands of a growing population.

That works out to almost $20,000.00 over and above existing taxpayer subsidies for every man, woman and child... and it still just scratches the surface?

Oh yeah, that's in addition to the $5,400,000.00 they already got for fiscal 2006-2007.

This place is apparently a near iron age ghetto, with one of the world's highest suicide rates. The people who live here have just stopped caring.

This isn't a problem you can solve by throwing up some infrastructure, but the tap just flows regardless...

Former Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault announced $7 million in funding for the power grid project seven years ago, but the project fell apart about a year later.

The band was forced into third party management in 2001, as social problems mounted.

Even though there is a water treatment plant, none of the community’s 387 homes are hooked up to the system, the health unit study noted.

Prentice announced $12.8 million in financing for water treatment plant upgrades in Treaty 9 communities this morning.

It's subsidising a culture of defeat.

RELATED: It's about getting off your ass...

And doing something.

I hope that we are no longer considered a social problem that costs all governments an extra $3.5 billion, and costs the economy $5 billion in lost productivity.

I hope my children do not go cap in hand to another government for clean water, safe roads and good schools.

Instead of constantly begging for more money.

UPDATE: The Aboriginal Healthcare System?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised... there's already a separate Aboriginal Justice System.

-- VANCOUVER -- British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell said the province is giving $9.5 million to the First Nations leadership council to improve First Nations health.

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