Federal Election: Peltier runs for Liberals in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding

By Rick Garrick

ALGOMA-MANITOULIN-KAPUSKASING RIDING — Duke Peltier from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory running in his first federal election as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding.

“I’ve been an elected leader in my community since 2006 and I felt there was an opportunity for our issues to be elevated and through this federal election a chance to actually become part of the federal government as a Member of Parliament,” says Peltier, Children’s Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation, Board Regent at the University of Sudbury, Advisory Council member at the Northern Policy Institute, and Ogimaa of his community for five consecutive terms. “I think the opportunity is there for having a voice that lives in the riding and also with my years of experience and wealth of knowledge, I feel that I bring a unique perspective to discussions within federal government as it relates to their efforts of reconciliation with the Anishinaabe peoples in this country.”

Peltier says he was named the Liberal Party election candidate in the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding two days before the election was called.

“It has been quite the journey in securing some volunteers and individuals with some experience to support my efforts in ensuring I get my name and my experience out to the individuals that will consider me as a potential Member of Parliament,” Peltier says. “The group that are part of the Liberal riding association here have really stepped up to support my campaign by volunteering and taking on roles and responsibilities that they feel are important to ensure that I have the best chance of getting elected. I do have a strong network of individuals that I can rely upon for not only advice but also to seek out their guidance and to point me in the right direction as it relates to the campaign and securing volunteers to support me getting my messages out.”

Peltier says reconciliation, the environment, and COVID-19 precautions and supports are three of his main priorities during the election.

“I believe that reconciliation is one of the main drivers of my motivation to ensure that the federal government responds appropriately and correctly and accelerates its responses as part of its platform,” Peltier says. “I’ve always been a strong advocate for protection of the environment and the lands and that is another thing that I wanted to make sure that we continue those discussions here within this riding. And I think more importantly and more of an urgency is to ensure all peoples continue to be protected during this pandemic and to ensure there are appropriate supports available to all individuals, not only in this riding but right across the country.”

Peltier says the water levels on Lake Huron have been fluctuating over the past several years, noting they were at the lowest level in 2012-13 and the highest level last year.

“And the other thing that I’ve definitely noticed because I do fish quite a bit … is anytime you get an east wind the fish don’t cooperate,” Peltier says. “What I’ve been seeing is there’s a lot more east winds of late rather than the predominate west, south-westerly winds. Typically we have some drier Julys and this year out of the 30 days in July we may have had 20 days of rain.”

Peltier encourages people to get out and vote for the candidate of their choice in the federal election.

“I think it is important that individuals exercise that privilege to vote for a candidate that will speak on their behalf in the House of Commons,” Peltier says. “As we know, the federal government has a hand in our daily lives so I think it is very important to continue encouraging our people to have a say in who their representatives are.”

Peltier says he has an understanding of Indigenous issues and supports the First Nation assertion to land rights over their territories.

“I’ve been working on behalf of restoring our lands as well as the rights of our people to be self-determining,” Peltier says. “And I’ve done that on a daily basis on behalf of my community as an elected official.”

Peltier says First Nations should be able to determine which benefits they wish to obtain through any agreements they arrive at with industry.

“In fact, I think the discussions should be more than Impact Benefit Agreements,” Peltier says. “It should be full participation including equity ownership.”

Peltier says he has a thorough understanding of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Report.

“I do fully support the First Nations people in achieving their wishes and desires in relation to being full participants in the territories that they govern,” Peltier says.

Peltier says First Nation people have asked and fought for equality over the years including having special sections within the Constitution of Canada that specifically reference protection of Indigenous peoples’ rights.

“There are some very obvious barriers that exist that First Nations collectively have been attempting to address, and I think those discussions need to happen not only within the federal government but each party that wishes to govern the federal government should be having those discussions to remove those barriers to allow for equality to happen,” Peltier says.

Peltier says he has been an advocate during his leadership role as Ogimaa for treaty implementation by the federal and provincial governments.

“I believe that those discussions do need to happen and fully implementing the treaties is something that is necessary,” Peltier says.

Peltier says the federal government cannot unilaterally remove sections of the Indian Act.

“Anytime that a system of governance that’s been in place, [it] requires a full robust conversation in order to arrive at a place where consent can be achieved and that everybody is well informed of what the options are and what mechanisms will be in place to replace the legislation that the Canadian government had put in place,” Peltier says.

Peltier says he does support the self-government initiatives that any First Nation wishes to pursue.

“Those are conversations that each community has to [have] and if they feel that the opportunity is something that is beneficial to their community that they will be supported by myself,” Peltier says.

Peltier says the Liberal government recently made a commitment to provide about $300 million in funding for Indigenous-led, survivor-centric and culturally informed initiatives and investments to help Indigenous communities respond to and heal from the ongoing impacts of Indian Residential Schools, including the search for burial sites at former Indian Residential Schools.

“What has always been advocated for by First Nations is that the truth be told and that the historical record be corrected,” Peltier says. “These events are not something that happened in history, some of these things are still happening and I think that in order for society to understand, these discussions do need to happen and the sharing of information, as well as determining what the next steps could be as it relates to prosecution of individuals that were perpetrators in these institutions or other avenues are very important to allow for this country to move forward.”

Peltier says the federal government has to place the social determinants of health as the primary focus in relation to any supports and services it contemplates to provide to First Nations.

“As a result of the social determinants of health, there are many initiatives that could be supported by the federal government but these conversations do have to happen with the First Nation communities,” Peltier says. “In my own experience, many times, the funding or programs that are developed are not necessarily responsive at the community level because they are trying to provide a broad program design that meets national issues, so I think the discussions do have to happen with the First Nation leaders in each of the communities to determine how best to support their removing some of the colonization efforts that have happened to allow for a seamless transition for First Nations to truly respond to the needs of their peoples.”

Peltier says it is important for the newly designed curriculum to include the contributions of Indigenous peoples to modern society in order to inspire students to complete their studies.

“I think that is one of the most important aspects of any education system is for an individual to see themselves as part of their own education journey and to see role models and accurate reflections of the histories of their communities as part of any curriculum,” Peltier says.

The federal election takes place on September 20, 2021. For additional information on the election, please visit Elections Canada.

The Anishinabek News is profiling Anishinabek Nation First Nation candidates who are running in the Federal Election on September 20, 2021. The Anishinabek Nation (Union of Ontario Indians) is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse any political party or candidate.