The federal government's proposed $233.4-billion budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year doesn't include a lot for first nations in the territory.

Sharing that opinion are Andy Carvill, the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) grand chief and Rick O'Brien, the Assembly of First Nations regional chief. Phil Fontaine, the Assembly of First Nations national chief, spoke out against the budget Tuesday as well.

Carvill and O'Brien held a press conference at the CYFN building in Riverdale yesterday afternoon.

'It's not only disappointing, it comes as no surprise either,' O'Brien said. 'We're not shocked there's very little in there for aboriginal people.'

The two leaders pointed to concerns over housing, water safety, land claims and other issues for first nations in the Yukon.

The homeless and single-parent families have been left out of the budget, Carvill said. O'Brien referred to it as an election budget aimed at the middle class and voters in Quebec and Ontario. The Conservatives are looking to the two provinces to help them form a majority government in the next election, which could come later this year.

'The homeless people need to have some good news,' O'Brien said. 'You know, we just had a huge (Canada Winter) Games event here. They found a lot of money to build the ($34.4-million) athletes' village. They found a lot of money to heat the (ATCO Place) tent downtown for a month, but yet they still struggle even in the national budget to find money for the homeless people.'

While the Conservatives are directing some cash for aboriginal housing, there needs to be discussion on how the funding for on-reserve housing will work for self-governing first nations, O'Brien said.

The initiative announced is also directed more toward home-ownership.

While some Yukon first nations are in a position to provide home ownership, others aren't because of the high rate of unemployment in their communities, the regional chief said.

'We cannot lose focus on social housing,' he said.

A new formula financing arrangement, which means more in the transfer from Ottawa to the Yukon, is good news for the territorial government, Carvill said. He's hopeful and optimistic some of that money trickles down to things like the first nation housing initiative in the territory.

'This remains to be seen. I think in order for us to build on becoming a government, build on the structure we are starting to put in place, we definitely need more funding and we don't need another government in Yukon looking after the funding for us,' Carvill said.

The first nations have put Jim Prentice, the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, 'on notice' they want more control over the funds they receive.

Work is continuing on an arrangement between the federal government and the first nations for their transfer agreements.

Carvill noted it's going to take more than Prentice for a deal to be reached. There will also need to be negotiations with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and others.

'For far too long, first nation governments have been underfunded,' he said.

It's meant always trying to scramble just to provide services.

'There are ongoing negotiations,' he said.

The federal budget, the grand chief said, falls 'far short' of what is needed to meet first nations' needs in the territory.

Pointing to the December 2005 Kelowna accord, a deal inked between first nations and the former federal Liberal government to address first nation issues, Carvill said a number of objectives were identified to help combat poverty, homelessness and other concerns.

While there are still outstanding land claims to be settled in the territory, there's been nothing identified in the federal budget for any claims.

'There's no extra money to resolve outstanding land claims, or that hasn't been announced as of yet. With respect to Kaska and White River (first nations), it's not very encouraging for some of the Yukon first nations that are trying to reach land claims and self-government agreements,' Carvill said.

He pointed out that leaders of the Kaska have stated recently their desire to move forward.

'They do want to come to some term of an arrangement or an agreement and there's no monies being announced for moving it forward then it's going to further hinder the progress in southeast Yukon and other areas where there are no claims,' he said.

While the budget deals with the financial deficit, it doesn't deal with the huge deficit to first nations in the form of outstanding land claims, O'Brien said.

There was also no money put in place for aboriginal language programs, the chiefs said.

Though there wasn't a lot for first nations, the two leaders also pointed to a few positive aspects from the federal budget.

'There is some good news, however, in the budget for the Yukon in terms of the aboriginal justice program.

'In the past, there was some concerns around it. Now it's been reinstated; however, the concern is there's only been a two-year commitment. We don't think that's enough.

'Are we going to be right back where we (were) the past couple of months in two years from now?' O'Brien asked, pointing to the worry that came as the prospect of the program not being renewed came close.

Local first nation leaders are looking at how they can best make use of the programs like the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership initiative to help create opportunities for first nations youth in the territory.

While the federal government also set aside $20 million for the Status of Aboriginal Women, O'Brien was quick to note that it's not a new program underway.

The first nation organizations stated they will do what they can with the resources they have.

The CYFN is continuing its efforts to secure funding so it can move from its current Nisutlin Drive location by June 2008.

Prentice said this afternoon that he believes there is ample money in the budget for aboriginal Canadians.

'I'm not sure people have really read the budget and focused on what's in it.

'Payments for 2007/08 for first nations in Canada has crested $10 billion for the first time in history,' he said.

'That's $16,500 per on reserve citizen or $65,000 for a family of four.'

Prentice said he doesn't feel it's a question of how much money is being allocated for first nations people, it's a question of what's being done with it.

'It's not about pouring more money into the top of the funnel, it's about achieving results.

'It's about the status of women, children and housing,' he said.

'These can be achieved with structural reforms that we're trying to make.'