Candidates discuss Anishinabek issues at Nipissing First Nation

By Joey Krackle
NIPISSING FIRST NATION – Some 35  participants attended the Nipissing First Nation’s electoral discussion at the Nbisiing Secondary School on Oct. 5.  Maurice Switzer, former Union of Ontario Indians Director of Communications, moderated this discussion among the candidates for the electoral district of Nipissing-Timiskaming.

Candidates present included Nicole Peletier for the Green Party, Kathleen Jodouin for the New Democratic Party (NDP); and Anthony Rota for the Liberal Party. Jay Aspin the Conservative Party candidate pleaded prior commitments as a reason for not attending this discussion.

The Nbisiing discussion was focused on the following areas:
1. Importance of First Nation having their own constitutions as an important step along the path to self- government;
2. The importance of First Nations being able to manage the fishery in their territory;
3. More equitable funding and opportunities for First Nation students to enable them to participate on a level playing field in K to 12 education, post secondary education and training in the trades;
4. First Nation ability to share on a equitable basis in resource revenue generated from their traditional lands along with meaningful consultation and informed prior consent as required by the United Nations Declaration of Rights by Indigenous People (UNDRIP);
5. Meaningful consultation and prior informed consent to ensure protection of the environment along the route of the proposed Trans-Canada East pipeline and other areas in their traditional lands;
6. Practice of environmental stewardship in all areas, especially in the reduction of green house gases caused by the emission of fossil fuels; and
7. Individual candidate’s role and commitment to what you will do to make First Nation citizens equal partners in sharing Canada’s tremendous opportunities instead of being portrayed as victims and problems when they were major players in keeping Canada in British as opposed to American hands in 1812.

Kathleen Jodouin, the NDP candidate, stated that “she had worked hard to decolonize herself and became culturally appropriate”. She further committed to” implementing the NDP platform on Aboriginal issues which included and inquiry into murdered and into missing Indigenous women (MMIW) and setting up a cabinet committee to deal with Aboriginal issues”.

Nicole Peletier, the Green candidate committed “to advocate for working together with First Nations in an atmosphere of respect and to hold an inquiry n (MMIW). “ She promised to “rip the band aid off First Nation issues in a diplomatic way”.

Liberal candidate Anthony Rota said that “an enhanced relationship with First Nations starts with respect and a commitment to work on a Nation-to-Nation basis.” He committed to “working together and recognizing the use of traditional ways in the implementation of change to make Canada the envy of the world as we have imported the best of the world”.  He concluded his remarks by stating “that one of his proudest days as a former MP for this riding was being present during the apology to First Nations by the Prime Minister for Canada’s role on residential schools. He emphasized that he wore a red T-shirt that day with the status number of former Chief Marianna Couchie’s father.”