Winter’s half over. But the 22 homes promised by the Harper government to keep Attawapiskat families from freezing in tents cannot be delivered because the lots have not been prepared. Why not? Because Harper’s Indian agent, Jacques Marion, would not release funds for the purpose.
A federal court has refused the Attawapiskat First Nation an injunction against the seizure of its finances by the Conservative government. But there was a faint silver lining in that cloud.
The judge ordered that funds be released immediately to get the homes in place. His dismissal of the injunction was conditional upon government compliance that order. The full judicial review of Indian Affairs Minister John Duncan’s appointment of Marion will proceed as planned on April 24. And in the meantime, he ruled, the Attawapiskat First Nation is not to be taken as accepting the Indian agent’s role by accepting the funds.
The Harper government’s plan to freeze the Attawapiskat First Nation into submission has been blocked for now. But it’s clear that they will look for any way possible to impress upon the hostiles that the Great White Father is boss.