Proposed Voter ID Law Bad For Aboriginals: NDP

Proposed Voter ID Law Bad For Aboriginals: NDP

Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 15:16

 

 

The fall session of the Saskatchewan Legislature began yesterday with the Speech from the Throne.

 

The Saskatchewan Party government made a number of promises, including the addition of helicopters to the air ambulance service.

 

The province also pledged the construction of 1,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.

 

There was also a commitment to improve educational outcomes for First Nations and Metis people in the province.

 

First Nations and Metis Relations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff says his government is exploring a partnership involving the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, the province and Ottawa regarding educational opportunities.

 

Cheveldayoff says he has already been in touch with the federal minister about this issue.

 

However, NDP First Nations and Metis Relations critic Warren McCall says that partnerships with this provincial government — including the long term care home in Muskeg Lake that closed this past summer — will usually end in broken promises to Aboriginal people.

 

“The New Road” was the theme of yesterday’s Throne Speech, but McCall there was not much in the way of new roads for northerners — adding people in Pelican Narrows, Black Lake and Mistawasis are still waiting for new roads.

 

Meanwhile, Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette says he’s also concerned about proposed legislation requiring photo ID for voters in provincial elections, arguing it will make it harder for Aboriginal people and northerners to vote.

 

Vermette is also skeptical about the provincial government’s motives behind its intention to introduce measures to protect northern boreal forest lakes when the government previously moved to remove the protected status from certain lands.