Lac des Mille Lacs’ Rusnak elected MP

First Nation leaders are looking forward to working with the newly elected Liberal MPs in northwestern Ontario, including Lac des Mille Lacs citizen Don Rusnak, former INAC minister Bob Nault and Patty Hajdu.
“We welcome the new federal government and congratulate Prime Minister Trudeau and MPs Patty Hajdu, Don Rusnak and Bob Nault on their election and look forward to working with them for a better relationship,” says Long Lake #58 Chief Allen Towegishig.
Towegishig and the other Matawa First Nation chiefs also noted the higher First Nations voter turnout during the Oct. 19 federal election.
“The people in the electoral districts in Matawa have spoken,” says Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse. “They (wanted) a complete change in government — we are proud that they have lent their voice.”
Rusnak won the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding with about 18,523 votes, which were about 6,000 more votes than incumbent John Rafferty received. A former Grand Council Treaty #3 executive director, crown prosecutor in eastern Alberta and advisor with Manitoba Health, Rusnak operated a law office in Fort William First Nation up until the election.
“It’s going to be an exciting time,” Rusnak says about his new role as one of 200 rookie MPs in Parliament. “We can learn lessons off each other as we go through the same process of learning the procedures on the Hill and learning the ropes, so to speak.”
Rusnak looks forward to working with the northern caucus in Parliament, which includes Nault and Hajdu. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Robson Hall Faculty of Law, Rusnak also studied in the Intensive Program in Aboriginal Lands, Resources and Governments at Osgoode Hall Law School during his final year of study.
“Bob is a member that is experienced,” Rusnak says. “He has an understanding of how Ottawa works. Of course, that was more than a decade ago. Things have changed; one of the examples is … they gave us iPads with everything in it. Before they gave (MPs) binders and binders full of material.”
Rusnak wants to focus on ending boil-water advisories in First Nation communities and providing more support to Aboriginal youth programs.
“I want to look at expanding FedNor’s role in funding those (Aboriginal youth) programs that are so helpful to First Nations kids here in Thunder Bay,” Rusnak says.
Rusnak was one of a record 10 Indigenous MPs elected during the Oct. 19 federal election. Seven were elected in 2011.
“A record 10 Aboriginal MPs were elected to the House of Commons and we expect their views and perspectives will be reflected by this cabinet,” says Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler. “The prime minster has promised a cabinet of decision-makers and we expect to see progress in health, education, infrastructure and housing after years of inaction by the previous government. We need to establish a working relationship with our federal Treaty partner and will look for firm commitments in the upcoming speech from the throne.”
Rusnak already has built relationships with Deputy Grand Chiefs Derek Fox and Anna Betty Achneepineskum through previous contacts at Grand Council Treaty #3 and as a lawyer in Marten Falls and Eabametoong.
“Those relationships are already there,” Rusnak says. “I need to strengthen those relationships and build them further. A lot of the NAN communities aren’t in my riding, but they are affected by things that happen here in Thunder Bay. We’re seeing that with the (joint inquest into the deaths of seven First Nation high school students in Thunder Bay).”
Eight of the Indigenous MPs are Liberals, including Rusnak; Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, from B.C.; Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo, from Nunavut; Vance Badawey, from Niagara Centre, Ont.; Robert-Falcon Ouellette, from Manitoba; Dan Vandal, from Manitoba; Michael McLeod, from Northwest Territories; and Yvonne Jones, from Labrador.
The two other Indigenous MPs are with the NDP: Romeo Saganash, from Quebec; and Georgina Jolibois, from Saskatchewan.
Eight of the Indigenous MPs were newly elected, while Jones and Saganash are incumbent MPs. Jones was first elected in a May 2013 by-election and Saganash was first elected in the 2011 election.