Thursday, August 2, 2007

Urban survival for First Nations Children

There are many First Nations people migrating to the urban centres such as Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert, for many reasons they are leaving the reservation life, but the main reason is that the First Nation People are outgrowing their reserves. The reserves offer very little for the growing population. My parents; William Starchief and Mary Jane Spyglass are now 70 years old and are still healthy, they tell of the times when the reserve (Mosquito First Nations) had a total population of 98 people, today there are 1278 people and is rapidly growing. The Housing sortage is evident as they are about 10 - 15 people living in a two bedroom house, often the house is a cheap house and is run down in its first few years. People would say that First Nations People do not know how to take care of thier houses, but when your house is made out of cardboard and is overcrowded, and welfare only gives you $98.00 every two weeks than you cant really afford to renovate broken things. There are no jobs and even if you had one than you have to pay all your bills ( when you live in a substandard house- heating costs will go up, about $400.00 a month in the winter, plus the Band office will charge the rent for the house, plus all the other costs - to tell you the truth, it is more expensive to live and work on the reserve than it is to live and work in the city, it is better to be on welfare on reserve.)
The Government on the other hand is getting richer and will probably take our reserve lands away in the end.

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