AFN wants aboriginal problems on premiers’ agenda

CBC News

The Assembly of First Nations is providing the country's premiers with its 10-year plan on how to address housing, education and economic problems in its communities.

Grand Chief Phil Fontaine says the plan will improve the life of aboriginals across the country and he wants the support of the premiers, who are in Alberta for their annual conference.

"We want to be absolutely certain that they're on side," he said. "That's why this meeting is so very important. We're looking to the first ministers' meeting as an important point for us in terms of creating this transformative change that we want to see and, as I say, we don't want to come to the first ministers' meeting with this unresolved."

The premiers are meeting in Banff starting Wednesday, and will meet with Fontaine and other First Nations leaders in Calgary Tuesday.

The premiers will then meet with Prime Minister Paul Martin in the fall for the first ministers conference.

Fontaine says too many people in First Nations communities live in Third World conditions, with no jobs, inadequate housing and poor educational opportunities.

"We believe that we can do the job within 10 years," he said. "We've set out our plan and it's a 10-year plan and it gives federal, provincial and First Nations governments the kind of room that is needed to address these major issues."