The Assembly of First Nations has been holding their General Assembly in Montreal, and both of the two main opposition leaders addressed them yesterday. As First Nations leaders try to convince their people to start flexing their political muscles, with some 51 ridings they say that they can influence, both Thomas Mulcair and Justin Trudeau made their pitches to the assembled chiefs. For Mulcair, it was largely a recapping of pledges he had made previously, while Trudeau unveiled a much more comprehensive policy plank for the party’s election platform. The fact that the parties are making this kind of a pitch – probably the most high-profile of such pitches in recent electoral memory – is a sign to the seriousness to which Canadians are taking these issues now, where they would have been considered far more niche in elections past.
NDP Promise #1: A cabinet level committee, chaired by Mulcair, ensuring all federal decisions respect UNDRIP, section 35. #AFNAGA
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
NDP Promise #3: #MMIW Inquiry within 100 days of being in office, #4: Funding for environmental assessments, #5: Repeal C-51.
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Trudeau invoking the Two-Row Wampum (a first?). Now onto the crushed Kelowna Accord, which would have saved us all, if it just had a chance.
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
And another surprise, JT invoking "creation and the creator."
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Promise #2: Liberals will amend C-51 in regard to First Nations being seen as terrorists. #AFNAGA
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Liberal promise #6: Changing CPC Election Act, #7: Meeting with Chiefs annually, #8: Work on implementing TRC rec's, starting with UNDRIP.
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Liberal promise #10 (or thereabouts): Immediately end the 2% cap and create a "new fiscal relationship." #AFNAGA
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Other LPC funding commitments are for child services (@cblackst getting a shout out) and support for language revitalization.
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015
Finally, Trudeau making a commitment to an inquiry into #MMIW.
— Hayden King (@Hayden_King) July 7, 2015