Robert-Falcon Ouellette wants more young Aboriginal people to get involved in politics in terms of both their time and their pocket books.
The University of Manitoba professor and program director ran for mayor of Winnipeg last fall and he is currently seeking a Liberal nomination in the city for the next federal election.
He says if Indigenous young people really want to change how society works, they need to get involved in one of the political parties and make their voices heard.
“If young people really want to see their values reflected in the political system, not only get involved but hand in $100,” he says. “Aboriginal students, if you want to see changes in the Canadian political system, if you want to see changes in Canadian society, get involved in politics. Join the Conservative Party, join the Liberal Party, join the New Democratic Party and donate money.”
Even though he placed third in the mayoralty race, Ouellette says he still feels he has made a positive impact on how politics are being conducted in the Manitoba capital.
“In fact, actually, we did win. In the sense that right now in Winnipeg, all the debates everyone is talking about, are the same debates I was raising. The other candidates in the beginning were ignoring these issues and I was continuously bringing to the front interesting ways of either looking at race relations, the racial divide within the City of Winnipeg, transportation…”
Robert-Falcon Ouellette was one of the featured speakers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal Achievement Week.
He is a member of the Red Pheasant First Nation.