On November 24-25, 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin is in
Kelowna (British Columbia) for a First Ministers' Meeting with
Premiers, Territorial Leaders and Leaders of the Assembly of
First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National
Council, the Native Women's Association of Canada and the
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. In 2004-05, the Government of
Canada spent about $1.1 billion on First Nations
elementary/secondary education for approximately 120,000
students. These costs include: Kelowna, B.C. — The federal
government committed more than a billion dollars to native
health issues Friday despite disagreement over who will provide
the services and to which aboriginal groups. The cash is part of
a 10-year plan negotiated with the 13 provinces and territories
and five national aboriginal organizations that pledges about
$5.1-billion over the next five years to alleviate native
poverty. "I believe we have made an unprecedented step forward,"
said Prime Minister Paul Martin at a news conference that