HALIFAX - Canada's largest aboriginal group criticized Stephen Harper for attending a meeting of a rival organization on Friday, though the prime minister responded he's merely seeking "common ground'' with groups he can work with.
In a speech to about 200 delegates of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, the prime minister cited statistics that the majority of aboriginals now live in cities, and said his Conservative government will make their concerns a priority.
"Those living off reserve now account for nearly half of the population on the federal Indian registry,'' noted Harper.
"These people cannot be forgotten or ignored any longer,'' he told the members of the Congress, which was the only national native group to support the Conservatives in the last federal election.
However, Harper didn't announce any fresh initiatives to assist aboriginals living in cities or off-reserve.
Rather, he reminded the audience that his minority government has "refocused'' funding into a training and employment program for aboriginals.
Harper also said a joint agreement the federal government has with British Columbia and reserves in that province to provide added funding for education is "a model of the kind of arrangements we'd like to enter into with provinces.''
Harper said he wants a record of "real results through concrete, tangible actions'' with "willing and able partners.''
Still, Harper's mere presence at the meeting drew some harsh criticism from the Assembly of First Nations, which represents 633 reserves across the country.
This summer, Harper declined an invitation to attend an Assembly of First Nations meeting in Halifax.
Rick Simon, Atlantic regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said "the chiefs of Canada felt snubbed at that point, and here's a group (the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples) that has no structure and accountability, and the prime minister finds the time to come in and address.''
He said the assembly is disappointed.
"It's a coalition of the willing,'' Simon said. "Quite clearly the Conservatives have their own agenda and will ally with those who will go down the path of assimilation in First Nations issues.''
Patrick Brazeau, the national chief of the Congress, had introduced Harper to the conference as "a man and a leader who has taken bold steps to ensure Canada's off-reserve aboriginal community are no longer considered a forgotten people.''
However, Russell Diabo, a consultant to a variety of aboriginal groups who is based in Orillia, Ont., said he believes "(Harper) is just using them.''
"Patrick Brazeau's gone out of his way to keep cozying up to (the federal Tories), all the while bashing the Assembly of First Nations. Basically, he's being partisan,'' he said in an interview.
Diabo said it is the same strategy that AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine used with the Liberals.
"Not much different than Phil. Different party, but same idea,'' said Diabo, who is not affiliated with either group.
"I think the perception of the Conservatives is that Phil is a Liberal and is too closely tied with the Liberals. They feel that he's being partisan, so they probably feel it's OK for them to be partisan on aboriginal issues.''
He said the choice for the prime minister's first major speech to a native annual meeting sends a clear message on his agenda to "promote individual rights over collective rights.''
Harper responded that he has worked with the Assembly of First Nations on land claims settlements and a settlement for Aboriginal Peoples abused in residential schools.
"I don't get into the rivalries between the various groups. We work with willing partners when we share common cause,'' he said.
Alexa McDonough, an New Democrat MP who was also attending the meeting, said, "I think it's unmistakable that part of his (Harper's) being here was to create a wedge. This is a party that specializes in wedge politics.''
She said the timing of the prime minister's speech to the congress also causes her concern.
"The decision to not appear at the AFN but come here as a kind of last moment fly-by visit, is just a bit of your in-your-face,'' McDonough added.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples was originally known as the Native Council of Canada before re-organizing in recent years.
Its leadership also says the group represents Metis and off-reserve status and non-status Indians.
Brazeau was the only native leader to support the Conservative government's decision to gut the $5-billion Kelowna Accord negotiated by the former Liberal government with native leaders and premiers.
Brazeau said the agreement to help lift dismal native health, education and housing standards was flawed because it didn't focus enough on off-reserve needs.
