Jagmeet Singh apologized on Tuesday to the chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations in British Columbia for not responding to an invitation to speak at their annual meeting.
During a campaign stop in Toronto on Tuesday morning, the leader of the NDP admitted that it was a mistake and took full responsibility for it. “It should never have happened. “
Regional leader Terry Teegee says the organization invited the leaders of the three major federal parties to virtually address the leaders at their two-day annual meeting this week. The lack of a response calls into question politicians’ commitment to genuine and lasting reconciliation, Teegee said.
“It clearly shows how they prioritize indigenous issues – and frankly we are no longer a priority,” he said. Mr. Teegee points out that although all party leaders spoke about Aboriginal issues in televised debates last week, the refusal to attend the annual meeting shows that these are “empty rhetoric”.
Chief Teegee assures us that he did not speak to Mr. Singh about the apology. The Assembly of First Nations of British Columbia represents 204 communities in that province.
“Grand Chief, my apologies,” Singh said Tuesday morning. “I’ll make sure we do it right. “
The organization’s press release states that although the Liberal leader Justin trudeau was in Vancouver during the annual meeting, even he did not agree to “spend a few minutes” with aboriginal leaders in British Columbia.
Mr. Trudeau explained at a campaign stop in Richmond, British Columbia on Tuesday that one of his “extraordinary” Aboriginal candidates had attended the annual meeting. He argued that his party had achieved real results in reconciliation and had seen a record number of Aboriginal candidates running under the Liberal banner.
“Indigenous people face a very important choice in this election, like all Canadians: they must ensure that we continue to move forward in the work that we have been doing,” he said, including lifting more boil water advisories.
A spokesperson forErin O’Toole said that although the Conservative leader was unable to attend due to his campaign schedule, Kelsey Shein, Conservative candidate for Burnaby North-Seymour, represented the party at the meeting. “For too long, Aboriginal people have waited for the Liberal government to keep its empty promises.
“A Conservative government led by Erin O’Toole has committed to taking meaningful action from the early days of our mandate to implement Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 71-76, and will work in working with Indigenous partners on the path to reconciliation, ”wrote Mathew Clancy.
Mr. Singh has always positioned himself as an ally of Indigenous voters. He was the first party leader to campaign on a reserve; he spent Monday in the community of Neskantaga in northern Ontario, which has the oldest drinking water advisory in Canada – 26 years old.
Seats in Ontario
The NDP leader’s campaign is now turning to coveted seats in Ontario, including Toronto Center, where the leader of the Greens is running, Annamie Paul. The NDP came in third last year, behind the Liberal and Ms. Paul, in a by-election prompted by the resignation of Minister Bill Morneau.
While reiterating his commitment to lowering the tariffs for Internet and wireless phone services, Mr. Singh faced a protester who heckled him over a “new world order”, communism and related conspiracy theories. to COVID-19.
Singh was scheduled to stop later Tuesday in Kitchener Center, where outgoing Liberal Raj Saini dropped his candidacy earlier in the campaign after allegations of harassment against a woman in his political circle. Mr. Saini categorically denied these allegations.
Mr. Singh was due to end the day of campaigning in Windsor-Tecumseh, a constituency where he lived between the ages of seven and 23. The New Democrats have held this riding since 2000, but in the 2019 election the Liberals won with a slim majority of 630 votes.
A new poll suggests that the Liberals and Conservatives both have the support of 32% of “determined voters” in Canada. The NDP is in third position with 20% of the voting intentions.
In Toronto, Mr. Singh declined to say whether he would support either party’s efforts in a minority government, while focusing his pikes on Mr. Trudeau. “(Canadians) cannot afford four more years of Trudeau,” he said.
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