Staff Reporter IF Ottawa wants to forgive millions of dollars of debt owed by Iraq, it should do the same for First Nations, says NDP MP Pat Martin. "If Paul Martin can be that generous and magnanimous with Iraq, then there's no reason why he can't extend that to First Nations," the Winnipeg Centre MP said. Last week, Canada announced it is ready to forgive most of Iraq's $750-million debt, joining other members of the Group of Seven most industrialized nations who have announced similar debt relief to help Iraq rebuild after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Pat Martin said the government shouldn't be letting Iraq off the hook. "They're not a third-world nation," the MP said. "They have vast reserves of oil." But First Nations communities continue to be mired in poverty because of underfunding, he said. Martin did not know the current debt level of First Nations. He said claims that their financial hardships are due to their own mismanagement are false. He said more than 90 per cent of bands balance their budgets and file audited statements on time. He said forgiving their debts would allow them to become involved in the mainstream economy and keep them from falling back into the red. The MP said he will push the issue forward when Parliament resumes.
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