The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak (AFN) criticized the federal government’s 2025 budget this week, calling it a missed opportunity to repair trust and make meaningful investments in First Nations communities. Speaking at an Calgary Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday, the chief said Ottawa failed to deliver on promises to close long-standing infrastructure and education gaps.The chief said the budget lacked the “generational investments” needed in First Nations education, housing, and infrastructure. She noted that more than half of First Nations schools remain overcrowded and underfunded, and that 50% of First Nations students still receive inadequate support..“Education must now be the tool that empowers our youth and uplifts our children,” she said, recalling the words of the late Justice Murray Sinclair, who led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.The chief said the Assembly’s submission to the government called for major funding to address a $360 billion infrastructure deficit that includes housing, clean water, roads, internet, and policing.She said the federal budget’s $40 million allocation for environmental and social reviews of infrastructure projects fell far short of the $700 million the AFN estimates is required. “There’s no cutting corners when it comes to protecting human health, watersheds, and constitutional rights,” she said..While acknowledging some progress on housing, wastewater systems, and funding for the First Nations Finance Authority, the chief said the government’s decision to cut Indigenous Services Canada’s budget by up to $3 billion will make life harder for communities already facing gaps in health and education.She said the AFN wants a First Ministers’ meeting to focus specifically on First Nations issues—the first such meeting since the 1980s—and has pressed the Prime Minister to set a date.The chief also called for the creation of a First Nations-led procurement office to ensure economic opportunities go to Indigenous businesses rather than outside contractors..She said fraudulent claims of Indigenous identity have allowed non-Indigenous companies to take advantage of programs meant to support First Nations entrepreneurs.Throughout her remarks, the chief emphasized that partnerships with industry must be grounded in respect and direct communication. “Pick up the phone, call the chief, call the council,” she said, urging businesses to build relationships with First Nations leaders in the areas where they operate.Despite her disappointment with the budget, the chief said she remains committed to working with all levels of government to close social and economic gaps. “We have a lot of ground to cover and a short time to do it,” she said. “By strengthening our relationships, united, we can achieve anything.”
