Attawapiskat... It's about the people Stephen

What in the name of all things Holy are they doing in Ottawa?

The people of Attawapiskat are in dire need of help and Stephen and his boy John send an Accountant up to help? A freaking accountant?

Hey guys, it’s not about the money… it’s about the people.

The Indian Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan says his people were in Attawapiskat as recently as October and saw nothing wrong. Did they even get out of the plane? Seriously, people living in sheds and tents in October on the shores of James Bay and your people are OK with that?

John Duncan and Stephen Harper like to tell us that Attawapiskat has received on the order of $90 Million dollars in Harper’s time in office and that the money must have been mismanaged in some way. If that is really the case then the accountant needs to be in Ottawa, specifically in the offices of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs to find out what kind of people could be so inept at handling money that they mail out cheque after cheque and never bother to check on how the money is spent.

But he doesn’t have to do that, Attawapiskat posts their audited finances on the internet on a regular basis. I can see how much Chief Spence gets, and other members of the council, maybe the PMO should follow her lead and post the salaries and perks of the PMO staff.

This is so typical of the Stephen Harper Party. They are so busy pointing fingers, blaming everyone in sight they don’t have time to do a damn thing to help.

Now John Duncan boasts that Ottawa still controls the purse strings for Attawapiskat even if they threw the third party manager out. News Flash for John Duncan, you had that power last week, last month and last year and it still made no difference. There are still people in sheds and tents who need houses to live in. There are still people living in houses that in Ottawa would be condemned.

And apparently you didn’t know until Charlie Angus told you.

It is not about the money. It is about making sure that the people of Attawapiskat are able to get through the winter safely and in good health.

And that is the bottom line.

Does it not bother you John or you Stephen that the conditions at Attawapiskat have gotten so bad that the Red Cross had to step in and help because no one else would? I think that it is disgraceful.

But what is worse is the finger pointing and placing the blame when a competent manager would be gathering as many experts as he can to create a plan and get it implemented.

Not our Stephen, he schedules more meetings in January, Mr. Dithers indeed.

The issue is simple. These people need adequate shelter, heat and fuel to see them through the winter. If this is done intelligently then the supplies can be reused in the construction of new homes and the repair of existing ones. They need access to clean water and a school would be nice too.

Here’s a thought, send up another manager. Maybe the nice people in Attawapiskat can set him up with a family in a shed. Let him use a slop bucket for a toilet and boil his water for three minutes so he can have coffee. Then maybe he can explain to you what is going on.

Then in the spring, when the new housing initiative gets started and the infrastructure is repaired and they start building the new school you can go looking for scapegoats and do all the finger pointing you like.

But just remember, whenever you point your finger at someone, three fingers are pointed back at you.