Statement from Youth Chief Lance Copegog on federal Cabinet shuffle

CHRISTIAN ISLAND, ON (JANUARY 14, 2019) – Youth Chief Lance Copegog of the Beausoleil First Nation Youth Council has issued the following statement regarding today’s Cabinet shuffle:

 “I congratulate Seamus O’Regan on his appointment as the Minister of Indigenous Services. We must work together on creating opportunities for Beausoleil First Nation’s youth, ensuring that my community has access to safe and reliable transportation, and advancing issues of importance to First Nations youth in Ontario. I welcome the opportunity to work with Minister O’Regan.”

“However, I am sad to see Prime Minister Trudeau’s decision to move Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould from the Ministry of Justice to Veteran Affairs. She made history as the first Indigenous woman to assume the position of Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. As Minister of Justice, she was changing Canada’s legal landscape in order to build a better relationship with Indigenous people. I hope the new Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada can meet the standards that Minister Wilson-Raybould has set.”

“Finally, I wish Minister Jane Philpott the best in her new role as President of the Treasury Board. She was the most competent person to ever handle the delivery of Indigenous services. I am confident that she will continue to prioritize the needs of First Nations youth and their communities.”

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Lance Copegog is the Youth Chief of the Beausoleil First Nation Youth Council and an Indigenous youth leader in Ontario. The Beausoleil First Nation Youth Council (BFNYC) represents the youth of the First Nation, advocates on their behalf, and creates a vision for the future.

Media Contact:

Beausoleil First Nation Youth Council

media@bfnyc.ca / www.bfnyc.ca / @BFNYouthCouncil