NAN seeks new relationship with Trudeau government

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler is calling for the newly elected federal government to develop a “new relationship” with First Nations.
“We congratulate the members of this new cabinet and welcome the appointment of Carolyn Bennett as the new minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Jody Wilson-Raybould as justice minister and Hunter Tootoo as fisheries minister and Patty Hajdu as minister of Status of Women,” Fiddler says. “We are encouraged by the strong Indigenous representation in this cabinet and hope this signals a meaningful shift towards a new relationship with First Nations.”
A record 10 Indigenous MPs were elected during the Oct. 19 federal election, including Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Don Rusnak, a Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation citizen and practicing lawyer, and seven other members of the Liberal majority government. Wilson-Raybould is a former B.C. regional chief and Tootoo is an Inuk from Nunavut.
“I am sure that their experience, their perspectives will provide this new government a really good picture in terms of what is the reality in our communities,” Fiddler says.
Fiddler says Nishnawbe Aski Nation held discussions with Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, who was sworn in as Prime Minister on Nov. 4, over the summer and fall about their expectations if the Liberals were elected as the government.
“One of the things we talked about was the full implementation of the TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) recommendations, all (94) recommendations,” Fiddler says. “The other thing we talked about was to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which to us sets the bar in terms of how governments and industry should work with First Nations when it comes to resource development, on consultation, accommodation, but I think most importantly, consent.”
Fiddler says discussions were also held on the importance of holding a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
“That needs to happen fairly quickly,” Fiddler says.
Mishkeegogamang’s Gary Wassaykeesic has been raising awareness of the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls issue for many years, including how his mother was murdered in the Pickle Lake area, through numerous media organizations and companies, including Wawatay News.
“And it’s not just Gary’s family, there’s other families, even in Mishkeegogamang,” Fiddler says. “That’s why they did that walk this spring from their community to Thunder Bay — to raise awareness of their issues. And that issue is an issue right across this country, with over 1,200 documented missing or murdered Aboriginal women. It is an issue that is affecting many families right across the country, so I think the national inquiry would definitely help in providing some of those answers that these families have been looking for for a long time now.”
Fiddler is also encouraged by Trudeau’s plan to invest $125 billion in infrastructure across the country over the next decade.
“We are encouraged by Justin Trudeau’s commitments to invest in our communities on infrastructure, whether it’s to build better schools, to address the many boil water advisories that are still out there, including probably about half of our NAN communities, to look at the housing conditions in our communities and to provide better options on energy,” Fiddler says.
NAN is also looking for other Liberal commitments to be honoured, including the lifting of the two-per-cent cap on First Nations program funding; development of a Federal Reconciliation Framework recognizing Aboriginal title and rights; increased funding for education and infrastructure; a review of federal legislation and reversal of measures in conflict with Aboriginal and Treaty rights; and a $40 million increase in funding for the Nutrition North Canada food subsidy program.
Fiddler says Bennett’s knowledge of the NAN communities will be beneficial in her new role as INAC minister, noting she has travelled extensively across NAN territory and is familiar with many of the issues facing NAN communities.
“She brings a wealth of experience to the table and we anticipate that her influence will help lead this government to more respectful relations with First Nations,” Fiddler says. “On justice issues, we hope the appointment of Jody Wilson-Raybould is the beginning of a new cooperative approach to dealing with the rights of Indigenous peoples instead of the costly and unnecessary legal battles waged by the previous government. We are also encouraged with the appointment of Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu as minister of Status of Women. We see this as a commitment to the north and hope she will play a meaningful roll developing a national public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.”