Canada’s First Nations Leaders are welcoming a new beginning and a new relationship with the federal government.
On Thursday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received round after round of applause as he outlined his government’s five-point plan to develop a partnership for change.
He told an Assembly of First Nations (AFN) chiefs gathering in Gatineau, Quebec that it will take leadership on both sides to make a difference and to close the gap.
“What is needed is nothing less than the total renewal of the relationship between Canada and First Nations people,” Trudeau said.
He says work has already begun on a commitment to hold an inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.
Other measures include more funding for First Nations education, an end to the two per cent funding cap on First Nations programs in the next budget, implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Report’s recommendations, and a review of all legislation that has impacted First Nations.
“Where measures are found to be in conflict with your rights, where there are inconsistencies with the principals of good government, or simply where they make no public policy sense we will rescind them,” he says.
The Chief of the AFN, Perry Bellegarde welcomed Trudeau to the historic gathering. He also welcomed Trudeau’s commitment to work together for change.
“Very powerful direction, very powerful words, get back to that relationship of nation to nation,” he says. “We need peaceful coexistence and respect between our peoples, mutually beneficial by sharing the natural resource wealth.”
Among those in attendance at the meeting is Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Bobby Cameron, and the Chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Tammy Cook-Searson.
Trudeau with Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and FSIN’s Kim Jonathan. Photo courtesy Tammy Cook-Searson, Facebook.
Cameron says he has been waiting a long time to hear a speech like the one he heard from Trudeau, one Cameron said sends the message that the Liberals “respect and recognize, no more top down approach, we will seek the advice, direction and the leadership of the grassroots people.”
“These are all comments that we have been waiting to hear for a long, long time,” Cameron said.
Cook-Searson was also impressed. She liked what she heard, and felt it was genuine and from the heart.
“It seemed very sincere, she said. “Even the minister of Indigenous Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, she seemed really passionate and sincere about the issue.”
The Special Chiefs Assembly will continue until Thursday afternoon dealing with issues ranging from missing and murdered aboriginal woman to building a new fiscal relationship on education funding.