Making a difference by making First Nation issues and their voters a priority for parties
Anishinabek Nation press release
First Peoples Vote can move issues higher on Canada's agenda
NIPISSING FIRST NATION, ON, Sept. 17 /CNW/ - First Nations could have a greater impact in the upcoming general election than ever before, says Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief John Beaucage.
In re-introducing a previous initiative to encourage First Nations, Métis and Inuit participation in the Oct. 14 federal poll, Beaucage sensed a potential breakthrough opportunity for First Peoples to get their issues moved to a higher priority on Canada's political agenda.
"A day doesn't go by that there isn't a national news report or a legislative debate dealing with our concerns - a land claim being settled, a treaty right taken to the courts, a First Nation challenging the rights of corporations to unilaterally harvest resources from their traditional territories,"' said Beaucage. "We're definitely on the agenda...and we are seeing political parties making our issues an essential part of their platforms."
Beaucage said the First Peoples Vote campaign - first unveiled by Anishinabek Nation leadership in the October 2007 Ontario election - encourages an estimated 100,000 eligible First Nation, Métis and Inuit voters in the province to make their voices heard before the federal election, as well as cast their ballots strategically on Oct. 14.
"We are at a place where First Nations can be incredibly influential, not only with regard to the political agenda, but to the outcome of the election," said the Grand Council Chief, estimating that voters from the 42 Anishinabek Nation communities he represents could be a significant factor in at least seven Ontario federal ridings. "There is no question that those candidates need our votes in order to win."
He estimates that First Peoples represent a significant balance of power in 60 federal ridings across Canada where they account for more than 5 per cent of eligible voters. Ten of those "swing-vote' ridings are in Ontario, including Parry Sound-Muskoka, where the margin of victory in the 2006 federal election was two dozen votes in a riding in which there are over 900 eligible First Nations voters. First Peoples votes are similarly crucial to candidates seeking election Oct. 14 in Thunder Bay-Superior North, Simcoe North, Peterborough, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, Nickel Belt and Sault Ste. Marie.
First Peoples Vote and firstpeoplesvote.com were created as a non-partisan initiative that encourages First Peoples (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) participation in general elections, provides information to voters on issues that are important to First Peoples' governments, provides information from the mainstream political parties, provides resources to communities and provides an online discussion forum to exchange opinions and ideas.
In addition, questionnaires will be sent out to the political parties and relevant research of party platforms will be added the http://firstpeoplesvote.com website.
"There have been many reasons for First Peoples to ignore elections and exercise their right not to vote in the general election," said Beaucage. "Some citizens have not participated because of historical grievances, victimization through the residential school system, historical inequity in the treaties, racism and government disregard of First Nations issues and needs."
"But our ancestors fought long and hard to earn our right to vote alongside all other Canadians," he noted. "I believe we pay tribute to those who fought on foreign soil under Canada's flag to exercise our right to vote by participating in general elections. Given our strength in numbers, our voices can no longer be ignored at the polls."
The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.
For further information: Bob Goulais, Executive Assistant to the Grand Council Chief, Cell: (705) 498-5250, E-mail: goubob@anishinabek.ca; Marci Becking, Communications Officer, Ph: (705) 497-9127 (Ext. 2290), E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca
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Parties Ignoring Aboriginal Issues: Chief
By Keven Drews - 2008/9/18
TOFINO — Canada’s political parties and their candidates are all but ignoring aboriginal issues during the lead-up to the Oct. 14 federal election, says a prominent First Nations leader.
Shawn Atleo (A-in-chut), BC’s regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, called the situation infuriating and said native leaders have raised their concerns with the leaders of Canada’s political parties.
“This should be the No. 1 social justice issue in this country,” said Atleo, who is also an Ahousaht hereditary chief and the chancellor of Vancouver Island University. “I’m very disappointed and I’d like to see the citizens of Canada…call on the candidates to raise these issues with their parties.”
Atleo said during a Wednesday meeting in Charlottetown, the AFN picked Sept. 29 as a day for Canada’s First Nations to raise election issues.
The details for the day, however, have yet to be worked out.
Atleo said he has been monitoring the candidates and parties since the campaign began and not one local or national leader has raised First Nations issues.
Specifically, said Atleo, the AFN wants to see the government “put action” behind its residential school apology and address the issue of missing and murdered native women – a number he estimated is close to 3,000.
He said the AFN also wants to see a future Canadian government implement the Kelowna Accord and change the mandate of treaty negotiations.
The Kelowna Accord, worth $5 billion, dealt with native education, employment and anti-poverty initiatives
Atleo said he has personally raised the issues with Liberal leader Stephan Dion, and members of the First Nations Leadership Council have raised the issues with the leaders of the Conservative, Green and Bloc Quebecois parties in Ottawa.
However, candidates running in the Nanaimo-Alberni riding said their parties have addressed or will address First Nations issues.
John Fryer, Green Party candidate, said Elizabeth May, the party’s leader, will speak about First Nations issues during a campaign stop in Port Alberni Saturday.
“I am aware these issues are very important in the riding,” he said. “We have a huge First Nations population in this riding.”
Fryer said he has written all the local First Nations leaders and even phoned some but has yet to receive a response.
James Lunney, the incumbent Conservative candidate, said his government has put a lot of money into First Nations housing on and off reserve and is working on expanding reserves at Esowista and Ahousat.
Recently, he said, a new school was opened in Hesquiaht – thanks in part to federal funding.
Lunney said the Maa-nulth treaty is almost ready to go.
The Conservatives, he added, will work on fulfilling promises made to First Nations.
Richard Pesik, candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, said he lived in Ahousat for six years while he was a teacher and he understands the infrastructure pressures First Nations communities face.
He said he’d like to see the government implement the old Kelowna Accord or create something new.
“Together we have to solve this thing because it’s not right they live in these conditions.”
Pesik said he’d also like to see First Nations languages preserved.
“Once you lose the language, you lose the history, the past.”
First Nations make up more than 10 per cent of the population in the Alberni-Clayoquot. According to the 2006 Census, 4,940 Aboriginals lived in the region out of a total population of 30,664.