As Canada’s political parties are rolling out their platforms, they are making key promises to advancing reconciliation and advocating for Indigenous peoples’ rights.
From implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action to investing in education opportunities and housing projects, here is a breakdown of what the five political parties are promising.
Liberal Party of Canada
For Liberal party candidate and incumbent West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country MP Patrick Weiler, the key to advancing reconciliation is moving ahead with some of the work that’s already been started.
If re-elected, Weiler said the party will continue to implement all the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, a 2015 report addressing the ongoing impacts for survivors of residential schools and their families.
Weiler said the party will continue an action plan regarding the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), a document outlining lasting reconciliation with Indigenous peoples across the world.
The party will also move forward on the national inquiry into the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and continue working in partnership on implementation of treaties, land claim and self-government agreements.
But a big opportunity for change is addressing housing needs for Indigenous peoples, he said.
“We want to make sure that Indigenous or Nation members are able to live on reserve,” Weiler said, citing one recent example being the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) receiving $9.45 million for housing from the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund.
Other promises from the party include launching a new fund for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations to increase access to skills training and education through schools and training centres, protect K-12 education on reserves, increase investments for Indigenous mental health and work with communities to advance economic reconciliation.
Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party candidate for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Keith Roy did not make himself available for an interview, but did provide a statement to North Shore News for a Q&A outlining what his government will do to advance truth and reconciliation with First Nations.
Roy said the Conservative Party will endorse and implement an optional First Nations Resource Charge, which will help “simplify negotiations between resource companies and First Nations,” according to the party’s website.
The charge was created by the First Nations Tax Commission and several interested First Nations to solve expensive and slow negotiations with resource companies and provinces. The Conservative Party’s website states the plan was brought to them and they took it on.
Roy said his government will also give “Indigenous groups the option to replace Ottawa’s top-down control by ceding tax room on resource projects, allowing local communities to use the revenue as they choose.”
On Tuesday morning, the Conservative party released their full platform. Under their promise to unleash Canadian resources to be less reliant on the U.S., they said they will provide loan guarantees for Indigenous communities by creating a Canadian Indigenous Opportunities Corporation.
New Democratic Party
NDP candidate for the Burnaby North-Seymour riding Michael Charrois said advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples comes down to respect.
The party has a number of policies of putting reconciliation into action. Charrois said his party will bring federal laws into compliance with the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action and work with communities to harmonize UNDRIP.
“We’ll work in a true nation-to-nation way that respects the free, prior and informed consent of First Nations, Inuit, Métis people to deliver what communities need,” Charrois said.
The NDP promises to introduce legislation to fight against residential school denialism, end long-term boil water advisories, make healthcare more accessible in Indigenous communities, partner with different levels of government to provide long-term funding to address housing and have Indigenous leadership at the table regarding trade negotiations with the U.S.
The party will also launch national inquiries into systemic violence and racism against Indigenous people within Canadian institutions and MMIWG.
Green Party of Canada
Andrew Robinson, Green Party of Canada candidate for North Vancouver-Capilano, said supporting Indigenous rights and leadership starts with recognizing sovereignty and having a nation-to-nation relationship.
The party also plans on implementing all 94 Calls to Action, calls for justice from the MMIWG inquiry and putting UNDRIP into action.
On the Green party’s website, they support an Indigenous-led end to the Indian Act and for Indigenous communities to search former residential school sites.
Robinson said the party would also look at alternative models to address the over-incarceration of Indigenous peoples in prison, such as funding restorative justice programs that help both victims and offenders heal.
“I think recognizing having the relationship not being one of top down, but being really of peers, one to one, [and] recognizing the strong historical and future role that Indigenous communities could have in terms of land conservation and stewardship,” Robinson said about top priorities for reconciliation.
An example he said would be clearing the way for the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s development corporations to fulfill their housing goals. By doing that, it amplifies efforts to house their own people in a way that’s transformative, he said.
“We all know how expensive and difficult things are and we see that as a way to recognize Indigenous sovereignty,” he said.
People’s Party of Canada
Peyman Askari, People’s Party of Canada candidate for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, said his party believes in treating Indigenous peoples with respect.
His party wants to replace the Indian Act with a new legal framework that gives Indigenous peoples across the country equal rights and responsibilities as Canadians but also encourages self-reliance in their communities.
“I’m not a big fan of the Indian Act,” Askari said. “I’m not a big fan of the fact that they have no or limited property rights. I want to get Canada to a point where there is no distinction between being First Nation or being Canadian, we’re all individuals, we’re all people.”
The PPC party would review federal spending to ensure programs are benefiting Indigenous communities and explore on-reserve property rights for residents.
The party also promises to ensure the Constitution and treaties across Canada are respected, ensuring Indigenous groups are consulted with federal natural resources and infrastructure projects and encourage more ownership in services Indigenous communities receive from the different levels of government, including federal.
“Whatever we want for non-Indigenous Canadians – property rights, the ability to earn a living, the ability to love your spouse, to raise a child – First Nations should have that as well,” Askari said.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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