What Happened To The $9 Billion.......

.....that was allocated to Indian Affairs this year and the billions that have been allocated yearly? What happens to the profits from casinos or to the profits generated from various enterprises, cigarettes, smuggling, etc. on the reserves? I wonder how much non-indian groups get to deal with similar problems?

Aboriginal women's summit calls for funding

Updated Fri. Jun. 22 2007 6:25 PM ET

Canadian Press

CORNER BROOK, N.L. -- Ottawa and the provinces need to stop their jurisdictional bickering and take a more proactive stance on resolving the litany of social and economic problems facing native women, aboriginal leaders said as the first national aboriginal women's summit concluded Friday.

But that plea didn't immediately dismantle any barriers between premiers and federal officials over native affairs.

"At all costs, at every turn, stop the game of jurisdictional hot potato with the federal government,'' said Lillian George of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples.

"Walk the walk. Invest in us and in our families. Say what you mean and mean what you say.''

About 300 delegates who attended the conference issued dozens of recommendations that called for an increase in funding for a wide range of initiatives aimed at preventing physical, sexual and drug abuse on and off reserves.

"Please do not let us down,'' George said.

Moments later, Bev Oda, federal minister for the status of women, announced that Ottawa would invest $56 million over five years for family violence prevention programs. The funding will go to 35 existing shelters and to the construction of up to five new ones, Oda said.

The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national Inuit organization, criticized the $56-million program, saying it excludes Inuit.

Mary Simon, president of the group, said it is inconceivable that equivalent funding on the issue of violence against Inuit woman wasn't provided.