Fire protection
is "their responsibility"
By Adam Gamble
Photo by Adam Gamble. "Fires on reserves are a federal jurisdiction," says a stern-looking Premier Brad Wall.
Despite four children dying in fires on Saskatchewan reserves since September, the province is keeping out of on-reserve fire protection.
“Certainly fire is, first of all, a local issue. But when you’re talking about on-reserve, it’s under federal jurisdiction. It’s their responsibility,” said Jim Reiter, Saskatchewan’s minister of First Nations, Métis and northern affairs.
The federal government currently allocates $26 million a year for fire protection services on reserves. Once this is divvied between Canada’s 322 reserves, each one receives just over $78,000.
However, a new fire truck costs around $250,000, according to Chief Peter Beatty of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, in an interview with CBC.
It is often assumed that only the federal government can assist First Nations peoples with fire protection funds, as it represents the Crown, which First Nations peoples signed treaty with. But there is nothing stopping the province from stepping in, according to Wayne Semaganis, chief of Little Pine First Nation, located between Lloydminster and Cut Knife.
“They’re our partners regardless,” Semaganis said “In order for them to be a caring government, they need to care for all people equally. We should try and find a way to work together.”
Asked why there were no provincial fire protection dollars, Premier Brad Wall stated, “Fires on-reserve are a federal jurisdiction.”
Wall said attention should be paid to the $189.2 million allocated to First Nations and Métis peoples in the province, a 2.4 per cent or $4.4 million increase from last year’s budget.
“We’ve doubled – from $3 to $6 million – our investment in the Joint Task Force on Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for First Nations People,” he added. Other funding included $5.4 million to pre-Kindergarten programs in high-needs areas, and $76.6 million in gaming agreement transfers to First Nations and Métis organizations.
However, fire protection is not something the province is willing to take the lead on, Wall confirmed.
This stands in contrast to the quick action taken on March 4 to send $60,000 in aid to Ukrainians facing political turmoil overseas.
NDP leader Cam Broten has called on the provincial government to take the fire protection issue to Ottawa. “We still haven’t seen action provincially. It’s clear it’s a federal jurisdiction. What’s needed is the conviction from the province to make it happen,” he said.
Reiter said he will be going to Ottawa the day after the budget to meet with Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt to talk about it.
“I’m going there to see if there’s somewhere the province can assist,” he said.
