Photo courtesy Facebook, Ralph Goodale.
Saskatchewan’s lone liberal MP is now part of a team that has made significant and expensive promises to Canada’s aboriginal population.
There was lots of cheering and lots of people crammed into the campaign headquarters in south Regina when television networks declared a Liberal majority government.
Ralph Goodale savoured his election night win and heaped praise on Justin Trudeau for what he called the best campaign he has been a part of.
For Goodale the victory was indeed sweet, but said it comes with a big responsibility to all Canadians. He says winning the election is just the beginning.
“There are high expectations about the delivery of our platform and what that will mean for the economic and social wellbeing of Canadians and we need to deliver on that,” he said.
Goodale won’t speculate on what role he will play in the Liberal majority government, he says whatever it is he will be proud to do it as part of Justin Trudeau’s team.
“I’m very happy to be part of this team, happy to have served these last two or three years as his deputy leader and I will do whatever he asks me to do in that new government,” Goodale said.
Here is what the Liberals have promised for Canada’s aboriginal people:
An immediate inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women
Lifting the two per cent funding cap for first nations programs
$2.6 billion in new education funding over four years
Ending boil water advisories on First Nations within five years,
An annual meeting with First Nations chiefs and working to implement the recommendations of the truth and reconciliation commission.
There were a record 10 aboriginal MPs elected to the house of commons in Monday’s federal election, including the NDP’S Georgina Jolibois in the northern riding of Desnethe-Misssinippi Churchill River.