Housing is the focus of a new report prepared for the Grand Council of the Crees. The report looks at the housing backlog and says the future doesn’t look good for Crees.
In a mere eight years, James Bay Crees in Quebec will be 1,530 housing units short of actual needs. This is essentially doubling the housing shortage in 10 years. The report, prepared by by Norman Hawkins & Associates, says the projections are based on population growth, new housing requirements, housing replacements and construction of new housing.
By the year 2004 if there are no changes to the current housing situation, the nine Cree communities will face the following lack of housing: Chisasibi will need 703 houses, Eastmain – 80, Mistissini- 544, Nemaska – 88, O.J. – 57, Waskaganish – 98, Waswanipi – 199, Wemindji – 168, Whapmagoustui – 82.
“The government has been great at public relations even though they’ve done little to deal with the First Nations housing crisis,” said Bill Namagoose, executive director of the Grand Council. “This is painfully evident when 44 per cent of Canadians and here in Quebec 69 percent of Quebecers believe that Natives have equal or better living conditions than the rest of Canada,” Namagoose explained.
He went on to point out the “fanfare” one of the Cree communities and how the government uses that as an example of how they’re dealing with the problem.
Namagoose went on to say the federal government hasn’t had a Native housing policy since 1988. The lack of a policy meant they could put off dealing with the problem, he said. He also pointed out that when Indian Affairs Minister Irwin finally announced a new housing policy in July, he did so in Kenora, Ont. on what’s recognized as the slowest media day of the year.
Namagoose calls this policy a “total disgrace that isn’t addressing the problem at all.”
He called on the Assembly of First Nations to make housing a priority. “The National Chief should start trying to concentrate on the housing and living conditions of the Native people in Canada instead of just addressing constitutional issues. Housing should be a national concern at this stage.”
Irwin in a press release said his department will be adding $140 million in increases to the housing budget nationally over the next four years. That’ll mean $352 million extra in the 1996-97 budget.
Namagoose says this is peanuts when looking at the big picture.
“It’s a drop in the bucket when you consider that $3.2 billion is required to bring things up to the Canadian standard of living.”
