This week, Canadians were treated to a very sad and unfortunate display of parliamentary debate.

In response to a question from Reform's Indian Affairs critic Mike Scott, Minister Jane Stewart gave one of her standard, evasive answers. But instead of simply ducking the question she crossed the line and played the "race card."

Specifically, she said "I have to ask what the motivation is from this opposition. I guess it puts me in mind of a comment made by a political forebearer of mine, Sir Wilfrid Laurier who said that it was easy to raise prejudices."

This comment was irresponsible and contemptuous of taxpayers and aboriginal peoples.

The issue the opposition raised concerns a letter written by a member of the Sarcee reserve in Alberta to the Indian Affairs Minister. Bruce Starlight wrote a confidential letter to Minister Stewart that raised allegations of corruption against the Chief of the Sarcee reserve, Roy Whitney.

Somehow this letter found it's way into the hands of the Chief with the Minister's stamp right on the letter. Note: Chief Whitney is a defeated Liberal candidate from last spring's federal election.

Several important questions come to the surface in this episode: Can grass roots aboriginal peoples ever again convey their concerns to the Minister without fear of reprisal on their reserves due to a breach of privacy And how seriously does this episode undermine the efforts of the federal government to build a new relationship with our first nations

But the most important questions centre on the value and effectiveness of the Department of Indian Affairs.

The headlines are becoming repetitive: "Reserve headed toward trusteeship"; "Band demands federal audit"; and "Tribal council's spending raises ire".

Whether it's the Yellow Quill reserve in Saskatchewan, the Stoney reserve in Morley, Alberta or the Sarcee reserve, also in Alberta, ordinary First Nations peoples are asking tough questions of their band leaders and the federal department of Indian Affairs. They have a right to ask questions about fiscal account- ability and reserve governance.

The official opposition leader hit the mark when he asked the Minister how much of the billions "poured into the top of her department gets to ordinary aboriginal people and how much gets sucked off by consultants, Liberals" and other participants in the in Indian industry

The feds spend over $6 billion each year on aboriginal peoples and programs. But is it helping

As Rene Dussault noted in the Royal Commission Report on Aboriginal peoples, "the legacy of Canada's treatment of Aboriginal people is one of waste: wasted potential, wasted money, wasted lives. It is measured in statistic after statistic: in the rates of suicide; of substance abuse; of incarceration; of unemployment; of welfare dependence; of low educational attainment; of poor health and poor housing."

The Minister should turn questions of motives away from the opposition and toward her own department. We continue to pour billions into Indian Affairs yet many first nations peoples live in conditions of squalor and abject poverty.

As for the Minister's quick draw on the race and prejudice card, an unequivocal admission of poor judgement and an immediate apology should be forthcoming.

Defenders of the Indian Industry must move beyond hurling racial slurs when questions of competence and effectiveness are raised. Until they do, shame on them!