Winnipeg Free Press March 15, 2008

Everybody hates people who say “I told you so!” when they prove to be right about something. And most people who have any sense never ever say “I told you so!”

But when the lives of three innocent children end in horrific fear and pain from being burned to death, and we all had been told how to prevent this from happening, I am going to throw “I told you so!” in your face until we finally learn to stop talking and start taking action.

About a year ago, I reported about the serious lack of housing in Pukatawagan. Single houses were being occupied by 25 to 30 people; men, women and children. The lack of housing was basically caused by contamination from fuel spills in the 1970s which required that the community centre, school and over 100 houses be demolished. The school and community centre have been replaced but the housing hasn’t.

People in Pukatawagan are living four families to a house. These houses are badly in need of repair, mould is everywhere, and the only alternative is a “trailer.”

According to Gerry Ostrowski, a contractor who specializes in rural and reserve housing, trailers are completely unsuitable for Manitoba’s northern habitat. Trailers are temporary shelters, mostly used for mobile operations. They deteriorate rapidly and become nothing more than kindling after a few years of use. They literally burn up as fast as paper.

The trailer in which those three boys died was typical of any of the trailers which are being used for “emergency or short-term” accommodations in Pukatawagan, but which have become permanent shelter. If a fire starts in the kitchen or near the furnace in one of these trailers, there is no way to access the exit doors along the ground or floor. Any man, woman or child who is trapped in a bedroom of a trailer must climb up and break a window to escape. Men and women, if they are not overcome by smoke inhalation, can do this. A child doesn’t have a chance.

Pukatawagan has been asking Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for money to build housing for decades. They have even proposed that surplus housing in the mostly abandoned mining town of Leaf Rapids be used to provide shelter for the people of Puk. Nothing has been done to alleviate the overcrowding. Last winter, I took 10 Canadian citizens from all walks of life on a tour of Pukatawagan. From the plumber to the farmer, from the phys ed teacher to the university student, they were all hugely surprised that Canadian citizens live in such conditions, and expressed their hopes and prayers that things might change for the better.

This is Canada in the year 2008. We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Many Canadian citizens live in the comfort of our city suburbs, with 2.3 children and 1.8 cars. There are also plenty among us who have made millions, even billions, through our present economy. Yet some of our fellow citizens still live in deplorable conditions and die in tragic circumstances.

The horror of the final minutes these innocent children faced will haunt us for sure, because Canadians are good people and we lead the world in charitable giving at home and abroad. We are global leaders in peacekeeping and democracy. Dutiful Canadians pay their taxes and $10 billion worth of that is spent on trying to change the conditions which exist in First Nation communities. There is no way that Canadians would ever tolerate such suffering here at home but it exists nonetheless. Why can’t we do something about this?

The problem is leadership.

Grassroots people living in Pukatawagan aren’t getting the changes they need because their leadership isn’t getting it for them. And so-called ordinary Canadians aren’t able to help the people in Pukatawagan like they want to because their tax dollars are being frittered away by bureaucrats and politicians who spend more time studying and thinking and planning than getting something done.

This is the gap we have to close. Canadian citizens are good people who want to help. And the people who have to live in the overcrowded conditions which exist in Pukatawagan would be most grateful to receive that help.

But it simply isn’t getting through.

Meanwhile, so-called leaders sit fat, dumb and happy. And three children spent the last minutes of their all too short lives in horror.

Don Marks is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg.

This article was posted on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 and is filed under Canadian Issues and Politics, First Nations / Aboriginal Peoples. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.