An Aboriginal university student says a First Nations political party is a good idea.
The proposal was put forward yesterday by Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox, who says several chiefs are in favour of it.
Erica Lee, a third-year University of Saskatchewan political science student, says it might motivate Aboriginal people to get out and vote.
Lee is hoping other political parties would see the power of Aboriginal voters and recruit Aboriginal candidates too.
She says that might help solve problems like poverty and racism.
Premier Brad Wall says Fox is free to set up a First Nations party because it’s part of democracy.
However, Wall says his Saskatchewan Party government has done lots of things for Aboriginal people.
For example, he says they were the first government in history to reserve forest allocations for Aboriginal communities.
An attempt was made to set up a First Nations party in the province about a decade ago, but it fizzled.