Police, youth protection and federal elections in the sights of the APN for 2025

With the federal election looming next year, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak closed the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) meeting with a message of unity. More than ever, we need to stand together, she stressed at the end of an extraordinary assembly which was a little less hectic than the previous one, but just as busy.

The discussions are always vigorous during the assemblies of theAPN. The diversity of points of view and realities of the more than 600 communities in Canada that the political organization represents is felt at the microphone

But with a federal election approaching, the national leader showed her colors, both for indigenous leaders and the Canadian political class and drew up a list of priority grievances for the next year, but which the next government will have to take into account : child protection, an investigation into systemic racism in police services and the lack of drinking water.

We will participate in a federal election where the voices of First Nations and your votes will matter. Cindy Woodhouse NepinakNational Chief of the Assembly of First Nations

What’s more, in 2025, 10 years after the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, we have the opportunity to hold leaders accountable for what they have done or not doneshe said.

Chef Woodhouse Nepinak’s eyes were also on the international scene, because there is no Team Canada without the First Nationsshe said to Ottawa, asking that First Nations be included in the Canada-United States dialogue.

Police violence at the forefront

The assembly opened Tuesday with a unanimous vote by leaders to call for a national inquiry into systemic racism in the country’s police forces, while at least 11 Indigenous people have died during police interventions since August 29 last.

Then, what should have been a conventional stocktaking exercise for Justin Trudeau and his ministers on Thursday became arguably the most impactful moment of this assembly. The mother of Jon Wellskilled during a police intervention in Calgary in September, and the mother of Chantel Moore and of Michael Martinwho died in 2020 during an intervention and in detention, respectively, emotionally challenged government representatives.

In a powerful moment, the whole room stood up, including the regional leaders around Justin Trudeau and the ministers, to listen to these mothers who also called for a national investigation into systemic racism, but also an examination of the treatment of Indigenous cases in the justice system.

The Prime Minister, after listening to the grieving mothers in silence, affirmed thatthis has to stopsaying he has heard stories across the country. But he didn’t get too involved.

You can’t keep coming out and saying you feel a sense of urgency and then continuing to deny taking any action. Just showing up here is not enoughdenounced the chef Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak in his closing speech a few hours later.

The ball game of youth protection

Unsurprisingly, the issue of youth protection and the future of its long-term reform has monopolized a lot of time, to the point that certain highly anticipated resolutions, including one on the carbon tax, have been pushed back to the agenda. of the next meeting.

In October in Calgary, chiefs rejected a $47.8 billion deal with Canada, after decades of legal battles that revealed the federal government discriminated against First Nations children.

Several resolutions called for renegotiation, but on different terms. According to Indigenous leaders, the draft agreement will now have to include the Northwest Territories and the negotiating team, led by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

I am sure they will be in good hands with the Child and Family Caring Society.

In the last year, theAPN and the Society have had certain disagreements, not only over the agreement with Ottawa announced in July for reform, but also in the context of an appeal before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal against Ottawa concerning Jordan’s Principle.

The chiefs are still waiting for a response from Ottawa and certainly hoped that the Minister of Indigenous Services of Canada (ISC), Patty Hajdu, who came to address the assembly with Justin Trudeau, would be more involved.

However, she has not made any progress on a return to the negotiating table regarding the long-term reform of the protection of indigenous youth.

She simply said she was disappointed with the rejection of the $47.8 billion offer because she was expecting his approval to invest in other spheres for the success of young people. In an email to Espaces nationaux, the spokesperson for SAC,Eric Head, indicated that Canada continued to review and analyze the resolutions and has not yet determined the next steps.

He added that Canada has made every effort to achieve a fair, equitable and complete resolution without resorting to a legal process, including by securing unprecedented levels of funding.

This response appears to be addressed to Cindy Blackstockthe director of the Child and Family Caring Society, who presented to the chiefs the different possibilities for Canada to move forward. According to her, Canada does not have a good negotiating history.

Don’t be afraid to go to courtshe pleaded while recalling the numerous causes which pit Indigenous people against Canada, particularly on Jordan’s Principle. In an interview with Espaces nationaux, the chef Woodhouse Nepinak said he was still hoping for a response from Ottawa for a completely new negotiation.

And the water?

It was a flagship promise from Justin Trudeau. The chief of Neskantaga, in northern Ontario, and several members of the community came to remind Justin Trudeau that it was not held. For almost 30 years, they have still not been able to drink the water that flows from the tap.

And this is still the case in 28 other communities, although the Liberal government made a loud and clear commitment in 2015 to put an end to these long-term notices.

This file is a priority, recalled Chief Woodhouse Nepinak, because it is a necessity, not a privilege. And without that, there is no hope, no prosperity and no future for us.

She also welcomed Bill C-61. Although imperfect in her eyes – she would like it to be strengthened by the time it receives royal assent – ​​the text constitutes an important first step in ensuring safe, clean drinking water for First Nations across the country.

Solidarity and protests

During the assembly, calls for the dissolution of theAPN were heard in particular by a group of leaders from Alberta. Some, including the head of Cold LakeKelsey Jacko, argued that problems that theAPN attempts to resolve are not within its competence.

The leaders also debated – sometimes heatedly – ​​citizenship, the environment or even treaties and the rights associated with them.

Sometimes the agenda was disrupted by emergency resolutions or special requests. Between two resolutions, the regional head of Nova Scotia Andrea Paul asked that a blanket dance be made to help the family of Jeremy Meawasige, from the First Nation of Pictou Landingin Nova Scotia.

His mother fought and won against the federal government to have her disabled son treated according to Jordan’s Principle. The mother died, but the leader invited the members of the assembly to participate to highlight their fight.

The blanket dance therefore made it possible to raise funds which will go to the family, but also to another man who cannot, due to lack of means, go and take care of his brother, who must also stay in the hospital.

Despite the strong positions taken in front of the media or on the microphone in the room, the national leader ended this busy week with a more peaceful face than in Calgary, highlighting the record number of participants in this assembly which ended almost a year, to the day, after his election as head of theAPN.

It’s great to see theAPN live and see so many diverse people passionate about the issues that matter most to First Nationsshe said, reiterating her message of unity.

With information from Dominique Degré