AFN and federal government sign new fiscal agreement to get money into communities

NIAGARA FALLS For far too long First Nations couldn’t plan ahead. Funding from the federal government changed year to year, meaning there was no way to know if a program started one year would exist the next.A new agreement between the Assembly of First Nations and federal government hopes to solve that problem.The AFN and federal government signed a fiscal agreement Tuesday at the AFN’s 37th annual general assembly happening over the next three days in Niagara Falls.“It’s the understanding of communities needing to be able to plan. Having funding just one year at a time and not knowing if it’s coming the next year has made it impossible for communities to plan,” said Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett Tuesday. “We’re trying to work with First Nations to develop a system that will work better.”Both Bennett and AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde said the signing of the agreement is end of the 2 per cent cap on funding that impacts programs like education and health. It will start flowing funding from the 2016 federal budget into communities as Ottawa earmarked $8.4 billion in funding for First Nations.