Bruce Fredrick McKenzie (Submitted photo)

By Derek Cornet

band election

McKenzie seeks to increase social assistance payments, prioritize training and trades programming

Mar 24, 2023 | 2:28 PM

Bruce Fredrick McKenzie has big plans if elected chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB).

“I think I can make a difference if I did get in as chief,” he said. “I think the band has a little bit lost focused with the band membership. They are more business oriented rather than being focused on their people. I say that because there is a lack of housing in our First Nations. There are instances where people are actually living behind houses in makeshift housing. We have 4,000 band members who need homes.”

McKenzie would also look into increasing social assistance payments as the cost of living has gone up, but the payments have stayed the same.

“A lot of people are going hungry,” he said. “I want to increase social assistance. I don’t know the budget they have in place right now. I would have to be within the office to realize how much money is out there and if it is feasible to increase the amount.”

McKenzie would prioritize bringing more training and trades programs to prioritize communities. He explained those who leave the reserve to move to the cities to higher their education sometimes get overwhelmed with the hardship, return home and never end up finishing their programs.

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Another priority for McKenzie would be mental health and addictions. He said there are a lot of those kind of issues in the LLRIB communities.

“I want to establish a taskforce to look at options for these kind of situations for these people,” McKenzie said. “There has to be something that can be done to try to help these individuals.”

McKenzie would also like to increase programming for Elders and youth, as well as revitalize the Cree language. He noted members are losing the language at a rapid pace and he would like introduce Cree immersion or bilingual education into the schools.

“I want to treat all the reserves equal,” McKenzie said. “I see the smaller reserves being left behind like for medical attention even. When I was a principal in Hall Lake just four years ago, sometimes I had to transport people in the middle of the night from Hall Lake to the La Ronge hospital. I want to start something small and build from there.”

In regards to the Treaty 6 Agricultural Benefits Specific Claim, otherwise known as cows and plows, McKenzie added when the time comes membership should have the opportunity to vote on the offer and how the settlement should be distributed.

McKenzie also wants to address the need for an urban councillor to provide services to members.

McKenzie work in education for 29 years and holds a Bachelor of Education degree, a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Education Administration.

The LLRIB general election is March 30.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno