AFN poll provides ammunition for minister.

By Paul Barnsley

Windspeaker Staff Writer

OTTAWA

As government decision-makers weigh their spending options for the next federal budget, the Assembly of First Nations has given them some new information to consider.

The first-ever national public poll commissioned by an Aboriginal organization was conducted by Ottawa's Environics Research Group for the AFN between Nov. 27 and Dec. 5. The preliminary results of the poll were announced on Dec. 10, just five days after the last of the 1,500 phone interviews was conducted.

Environics vice-president Chris Baker said the poll's preliminary results were compiled quickly for public release because the AFN needed the information out immediately.

"We compiled the initial results on an urgent basis," Baker said. "The AFN was feeling some time pressure in their dealings with the federal government."

This was in the final days leading up to the Christmas break for the House of Commons. It was to have been a crucial time of priority-setting for the federal government, but all work stopped when a Liberal MP collapsed in the House and died. The process of making key fiscal decisions has been delayed because of the tragedy.

The events on the hill have allowed political pressure to build as a variety of organizations attempt to position themselves at the head of Finance Minister Paul Martin's priority list. First Nations leaders have long felt they have to get the Canadian public onside before they can have any real leverage as they try to convince politicians to change their approach to First Nation issues.

Cabinet ministers are preparing to meet privately at a retreat where each minister will lobby Minister Martin for a share of the first significant pot of new money to be spent by the federal government after years of cost-cutting and deficit fighting. The AFN knows it needs to provide additional ammunition for the Indian Affairs minister.

That need was intensified after a document leaked by the Reform Party Indian Affairs critic, Mike Scott, revealed that Minister Jane Stewart was going to ask Cabinet for an additional $800 million. Ottawa insiders say it's going to take a lot to convince the Finance minister that it's a politically wise move to earmark that amount for First Nations' needs.

National Chief Phil Fontaine said the poll results should provide a reason for Cabinet to take Stewart's request seriously.

"The results run counter to the views held by many in government that Canadians do not support the resolution of our issues," Fontaine said on Dec. 10. "I'm particularly encouraged by two of the responses. Two-thirds of Canadians believe, as we do, that Canada has a responsibility and a legal obligation to resolve with us the situations that challenge us. Also, a strong majority believe the government has to invest now in the financial independence of First Nations. We trust that the results of this survey will convince the decision-makers who, at present, are trying to decide where this government is going with its fiscal dividend."

AFN communications director Maurice Switzer told Windspeaker the poll results indicate the Canadian public has been misread by both the political elite and the mainstream press. Speaking two weeks after the results were released, Switzer complained the press didn't take a close enough look at the poll results.

"Two-thirds of Canadians believe the federal government should help First Nations become more self-sufficient," Switzer said. "That's an incredible number. Any prime minister would be delighted to be elected with two-thirds of the support. But the reporting of the poll results . . . well, the media neglected some really important messages that Canadians were sending to the government."

Pollster Chris Baker was struck by another number that he sees as very significant.

"Two-thirds of the people said they knew too little about the issues and the challenges that First Nations people face," he said. "That certainly indicates there's an appetite to know more. That number contains a criticism of some of the media coverage that has been prevalent of late."

Baker said it may take time, but the Chretien government will take a hard look at the poll.

"It's no secret this government is enjoying a high standing in the polls and a big reason for that is they are astute observers of public opinion," he said.