Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Update on Government of Canada's Response to Attawapiskat: Statement From Minister Duncan

By Marketwire .

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December 24, 2011 02:08 PM EST

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/24/11 -- The Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, issued the following statement:

"Today, I am pleased to report that the retrofit of the Attawapiskat Healing Lodge is complete. Thanks to the hard work and round the clock efforts of AANDC officials, Emergency Management Ontario, the Canadian Red Cross staff and volunteers, and the community of Attawapiskat, any of the 25 families, currently living in temporary shelter now have access to a safe, warm dry shelter to sleep until the permanent housing modules arrive. In addition, work is already underway to repair the multi-family unit ATCO trailers which means that other residents will have a more comfortable place to live.

As well, the 22 modular homes purchased by the Government of Canada are en route to Moosonee, Ontario. These will all be delivered by the end of December and will be sent to Attawapiskat for installation as soon as the winter roads open.

In the meantime, our Government will continue with our action plan to address the urgent health and safety needs of the people of Attawapiskat. I am pleased that progress is being made and that working collaboratively is delivering concrete results for the community.

Our Government will continue working with the community, and our partners, to ensure the residents of Attawapiskat have access to safe and warm shelter for the coming months."

Fact Sheet - Attawapiskat action plan - Progress to date

This statement is also available on the Internet at www.aandc-aadnc.gc.ca.

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Fact Sheet

ATTAWAPISKAT ACTION PLAN - PROGRESS TO DATE

  --  November 9, an Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada     (AANDC) letter to the Chief of Attawapiskat First Nation confirms the     Department will provide $499,500 on an urgent basis for the renovation     of homes for some of the families living in tents and shacks.   --  November 28, AANDC officials are sent to the community to carry out an     on-the-ground assessment and they determine that there were urgent     health and safety issues.  --  November 30, as a result of the urgent health and safety needs     identified, Minister Duncan announces that a Third-Party Manager will be     put in place.  --  November 30, the Minister also orders a comprehensive and independent     audit be undertaken to identify how money has been spent and what     oversight measures have been taken over the past five years. If there     are problems identified, the Government will take action to address     them.  --  December 5, AANDC appoints a Third-Party Manager and the Third-Party     Manager's work commences.  --  December 11, AANDC announces the Department will provide 22 modular     homes for families in Attawapiskat First Nation. The homes will be     delivered to the community via winter road as soon as they open.  --  December 10 and 12, 20 high-efficiency wood stoves and 10 composting     toilets, purchased by AANDC, for families living in temporary shelters,     arrive in the community.  --  December 12, AANDC requests the Canadian Red Cross conduct an assessment     of work required to retrofit the Healing Lodge and to repair the De     Beers ATCO trailers to provide access to warm, dry, safe shelter to     Attawapiskat residents in need.  --  December 13, 14, 16 and 17, other material provided by the Red Cross and     EMO, including plastic sheeting, fire extinguishers, styrofoam and other     supplies, are delivered to the community.  --  December 14, a flight carrying rugs, smoke and carbon monoxide     detectors, and cots arrives in the community.  --  December 16, another shipment of essential emergency supplies heads to     Attawapiskat First Nation by plane. The shipment includes necessary     supplies such as styrofoam insulation, beds, diesel generators and     drywall.  --  December 16, Chief and Council agree to the Canadian Red Cross plan to     retrofit the Healing Lodge.  --  December 20, the first of the 22 modular homes AANDC is providing to     Attawapiskat First Nation are completed, and shipped from Fredericton,     New Brunswick, where they were manufactured, to Ontario, where they will     be stored until the winter road is ready.  --  December 20, renovation supplies are flown to Attawapiskat.  --  December 20, work to retrofit the Healing Lodge in Attawapiskat begins.     A team, made up of various technical experts, is on the ground and     working to ensure the Healing Lodge is comfortable and ready for any of     the 25 families currently living in temporary shelter. Experts will     ensure there is a supply of potable water, effective electrical, heating     and fire systems, and a fully operational plumbing system in the Healing     Lodge.  --  December 22, additional shipment of renovation supplies is transported     by air to Attawapiskat.  

Date: December 24, 2011

Source: http://www.ulitzer.com/node/2110959

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