Canada is a first world nation recently determined to be one of the happiest places to live around the world, according to the Better Life Index which was compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; but, are all Canadians happy?
An advocacy group is formed
"We live in two different worlds here," Allan Maxie, former Chief of White Bear, stated. "Two different worlds and over here in this world that I live in [on the reservation] people are living under a dictatorship of some kind and I guess it's because of the Indian Act. And I don't think we asked for that so many years ago... They did those things [signed treaties] for us to live a better life."
"A lot of people say it's Harper or whoever. It's not Harper's fault, not the province's fault, it's our own people on White Bear."
Unhappy with the way his people are living and wanting them to lead better lives, Maxie, now a member of an advocacy group recently formed for the community, met with The Observer to show and speak about the White Bear First Nations' living conditions.
Unfinished houses without steps have wooden ramps in place to reach their entrances. Plastic is taped up on window frames to keep out the elements. Pictures of houses with holes in floors, black mold, holes in walls, and unfinished drywall were brought by Maxie to be viewed. A jar of light brown water was also displayed, the sediment not filtered out of the tap water even though it is said to be processed at the water treatment plant.
"Nobody would want to live like that," Maxie said. "Drinking this water and living in these conditions is endangering our people."
The former Chief also explains there are many who struggle with being able to eat every day.
"I saw a little kid out the one day in the pasture. He had a bag and dropped it when he saw me. He had food in it from the landfill site."
Maxie says that, to him, the problems persist because the people on White Bear have been unable to gather as a band. Together, according to Maxie, they could demand better from the Band Office, the council, and work towards eliminating the Indian Act.
"As chief I tried to make people get together as a group, as a band," Maxie explained. "They didn't want to gather though, didn't want to do nothing, but they wanted change. I knew what they wanted, but there was no support."
According to Maxie, many living on the reservation are not ready for the abolition of the Indian Act because of the way they have been living under it for so long and are scared to go against, what is now considered, the norm even if it would mean a better life. Essentially people on reservations have become dependent on others and an atmosphere of complacency in their lives has developed over the years.
"I'd like to see it [the Indian Act] gone, but I need to prepare our people first."
Maxie, believes through his people rallying together and being encouraged to take responsibility for what they have, to take pride in their lives and homes, will help to start the changes necessary to live a better life. To do this the people of White Bear must come together and support each other in approaching the Band Office and the council.
In addition to the substandard living conditions, Maxie says that there are also many with substance abuse problems who are struggling within the community.
"People are drunk and people are doped up."
Maxie explains there are programs such as addictions counselling, but they are not being utilized by the population on the reservation. The advocacy group he is a part of would like to see this changed, to see the programs play more of a role in the community in order to ensure the cycle of addictions is broken, which includes setting a better example for youth.
Overall the aim of the advocate group is to make a better life for all on White Bear, especially for the next generations.
"We want to see kids smile and give them an opportunity to dream like everybody else," Maxie said.
"People are concerned about children around the world, but they just have to go nine miles north. These ones are crying here, but nobody hears them."
Maxie himself has three children, 15 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Many of which went or are going to school in other communities as Maxie feels there is better education and more opportunity outside of White Bear.
"There's no focus on youth, there's nothing [on White Bear]."
These are the reasons Maxie, Leon Lonechild, and Clayton Maxie have decided to create the advocacy group. Developed only a few months ago the men are working towards finding an office and funding to ensure change. The group ultimately hopes to make a difference through rallying the people of White Bear to encourage the federal and provincial governments, the Band Office, and the council to find a solution.
"[We need] a strategic plan to solve the problems we have on our reserve."
This includes calling for the Tax Payers Association to look at where funding is going and how it is being used on reservations.
"I don't think the funding is working. It's a third world even though we have money."
Maxie feels the common attitude of Canadians is that they fund reservations, though he explains First Nations also pay taxes, there is a common belief that they do not. Thus, Maxie believes there should be more of a demand from all tax payers to know how the funds entering the reservation are being spent once there, as well as a demand to see results of the programs in place.
"We're all tax payers, we pay taxes too, we all need to ask where our money is going."
Maxie acknowledges it would be quite easy to leave and embrace life outside of the reservation, but this is against his beliefs of working hard for something and helping people when they're in need. Though much of his family is being educated outside of White Bear he explains they want to come back however, Maxie desires to encourage changes so his family will not have to live in these conditions and so no other child will have to either.
"This is our home. This is where we were brought up. We need to clean it up."
Chief Standingready and council limited by funding
Following the interview with Maxie, The Observer contacted Chief Brian Standingready who discussed the difficulties the council has been having regarding the living conditions on White Bear.
"[W]ell first of all we recognize that a number of houses are in deficient repair, not only on White Bear but compared to a lot of other First Nations housing conditions on reserve, we're not as bad as a lot of them," Chief Brian Standingready explained. "Even though we're considered one of the most prosperous bands in Saskatchewan we still have a need."
Chief Standingready went on to explain a study from 2009 showed White Bear was in need of 40 additional housing units, but this has yet to be realized.
"[W]e're short right now... there's a lot of overcrowding and there's as many as 10 or more people in one of the units. We can't keep up with population growth on the reserve and we do have about 200 houses in total and a lot of them are in need of repair..." Standingready explained.
"[W]e haven't had any new housing dollars from the Department of Indian Affairs in the last 10 to 12 years. And even today we're not provided with any new housing dollars from Indian Affairs. We do have a renovation plan in place which was a result of the 2011 floods... As a result there was a lot of black mold and water related damage, but many of the units, if not all the units, with mold have been removed because of the health conditions it would have caused."
Water damage repairs have included the replacement of furnaces, water heaters, and sump pumps.
"[W]hen we were doing the water proofing in 2012 and the past few months... we borrowed $900,000 from the Bank of Montreal, which is our only source of funding and we replaced about 25 to 30 furnaces and hot water heaters that were damaged by flooding in 2011."
Following the conclusion of water proofing there are planned renovations of units which will begin including work to roofs, windows, doors, and interiors.
In addition to this White Bear has also signed a funding agreement with Indian Affairs for a water treatment plant expansion.
"As it is right now our treatment plant cannot keep up with the growing demand of treated water."
The base capital from Indian Affairs, which the band works with every year, will mostly be put towards renovations. This includes a number of uncompleted projects, minor renovations, major renovations, landscaping, new appliances to elders in need, as well as cleaning up burnt units. These plans have been discussed and are written out in the board room of the council office to keep the issues on hand in order to prioritize the work orders.
Additionally he has signed a loan application, which looks promising, in the amount of $40.2 million with First Nations Market Housing Fund. This program is something the Chief feels will be beneficial as the housing is based on home ownership rather than renting from the band, which Standingready believes will help individuals on White Bear become more accountable.
"[H]ome ownership is the way to go because then the individual is responsible for their own maintenance of their home. It would instill more pride in home ownership..." Standingready stated.
Rent has also been a large issue for the band, but "Nobody has been evicted," the Chief explains.
"We have difficulty with rent collection. People are not keeping up with or are refusing to pay rent, so we can't pay our mortgage or pay for maintenance... if we can't collect rent."
Ultimately the Chief and council want their people to have a roof over their head, but it has meant that those who are unable to pay or withhold rent have housing units that are not necessarily repaired.
On top of the serious housing concerns, the Chief acknowledged issues with alcohol and drugs, though he stands by the programs which are in place to help those who want it.
There are also, according to Standingready, many opportunities for youth to realize their potential if they stay in school and continue with post-secondary education. One issue Standingready explains however, is that the funding for post-secondary has been difficult: "we do get funding for post secondary students for tuition and living allowance, but based on the amount we get from Indian Affairs limits the number of post secondary students we are able to sponsor."
Ultimately the Chief explains that it is a matter of funding, which he hopes to be resolved following a court case which has been ongoing with Canada regarding a frozen trust fund of White Bear's in Ottawa.
The problems persist
Both the advocate group and the band council are therefore aware of the foremost concerns regarding living conditions on White Bear, but changes have been slow and limited.
Though the Chief sees a funding issue as the reason why there is a problem, Maxie sees funding and a people who have had to endure the legacy of the Indian Act as the reasons for the poor living conditions. For living conditions to become better, funding alone will not help, it will simply be a temporary fix.
Thus, a strategic plan is being called for by the advocacy group to not only fix housing problems, but to help the people of White Bear to take pride in their homes, and responsibility for them. This may come if the Chief's loan application to the First Nations Market Housing Fund is approved. However, Maxie feels changes need to go deeper and will be working towards a revision or elimination of the Indian Act through work with the newly formed advocacy group.
Maxie feels the issues have been long standing and has created the advocacy group in order to help make a difference for the people on the White Bear First Nations, as during his time on White Bear he has not yet seen a tangible change.
Therefore, problems have been recognized and continue to persist because there is a disconnect amongst people as to the best solutions for the living conditions on the reservation as well as issues regarding inadequate funding.
