It sounded like a good idea at the time. The federal government would put $15 million into a Head Start program for First Nations reserves across Canada.
Head Start is a pre-school program created in the U.S. to give disadvantaged inner-city kids under 6 a helping hand. They learn how to learn, while parents get help in areas like health, nutrition and social support. In Native communities, Head Start is also supposed to involve learning Native cultures and languages.
But since Head Start was announced here for First Nations in October, the program has run into a wall of controversy.
A meeting called by Health Canada to discuss the program in Montreal ended bitterly after only half a day, even though it was scheduled for two days. First Nations representatives from across Quebec said the way Head Start had been set up was unacceptable, and are demanding a meeting with federal Health Minister Allan Rock.
“Basically, Head Start is a no-start for the First Nations until our concerns are resolved,” said Garry Carbonnell, executive director of a health commission set up under the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.
Carbonnell said he advised health officials in Quebec as early as last spring that the way it was proceeding would be unacceptable to Native people.
He was concerned that First Nations wouldn’t have enough say in running the program; that Health Canada was giving Quebec and Labrador Natives only $910,000 out of the $15 million (about half what he said they deserve); and that Health Canada was
taking $115,000 of that amount for administration, leaving only $795,000 for programs.
Also, Quebec First Nations were given only two weeks to design programs that would qualify for funding. Carbonnell said this wasn’t nearly enough time. He said only about $250,000 worth of programs could have been designed in time out of the $795,000 available.
What would Health Canada do with the rest of the money? Health officials were apparently noncommittal about what would happen to the unused funds. Carbonnell fears the unspent money will just be swallowed up by Health Canada to cover budget shortfalls in other areas.
“They didn’t give a lot of time to the communities to design the programs,” said a Cree representative at the Montreal meeting, held November 12. “The needs are great, but the resources are scarce.”
One other problem: Health Canada proposed to create a six-member advisory committee to help run Head Start. Carbonnell called the committee a waste of scarce funds, and said the Head Start funds should go straight to the AFN.
“Give it to the First Nations,” Carbonnel said. “Let us distribute the money equitably and evenly. I think we know better what the criteria are.”
Richard Legault, Health Canada’s regional director, said Head Start is at a “standstill” because he doesn’t have the power to alter the guidelines on the program established by the Treasury Board.
First Nations officials are to meet Legault and the deputy health minister this week.
