Canada Elections 2015 Party Platforms: Aboriginal Peoples

Transcription

1 Canada Elections 2015 Party Platforms: Aboriginal Peoples A Document prepared for the Blood Tribe, Tribal Government and External Affairs Department The following political grid will help the reader understand where Canada s three main political parties stand on the issues relevant to Aboriginal peoples this 2015 federal election. It will help you see who s pledged what to Aboriginal peoples so far this campaign and how it stacks up against their opponents. It will be updated as planks are added and/or refined. The author would like to point out that where a party platform is silent on an issue, it s been left blank; where a promise overlaps with more than one subject area, it ll be included more than once to reflect that. In terms of method, the author has simply conducted basic searches on words such as Aboriginal, First Nation or Self Government. Issues Liberal Conservative NDP Education Will invest $2.6 billion over the next 4 years Will invest $1.6 over 5 years to improve First Nations Education Will invest 1 billion per year over the next 4 years to address the education deficit Core education funding from k to 12 Will invest $515 million per year. This will rise to over $750 million per year by the end of its first mandate School infrastructure Will invest $500 million over the next 3 years Will invest $500 million over the next 7 years Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) We will invest $50 million in additional annual support to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), providing additional financial assistance to Indigenous students attending postsecondary education. We will also work closely with Indigenous leaders and

2 communities, provinces, and territories to engage Indigenous high school students so that they are aware of the available post-secondary financial support and tools Funding for First Nations We will immediately lift the 2% funding cap on funding for First Nation program Promises to remove the 2% funding cap Skills and Development Training Consultations/Intergovernmental Relations On Reserve Child and Family Services Land Management Community Development If Justin Trudeau is elected Prime Minister after the next election, he will go to meet with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders each and every year of his government s mandate. Promises to establish equitable funding Will invest $567 million over 5 years towards building stronger communities Will invest $215 million over 5 years for skills and development training Promise to support consultations between Canadian Environmental Agency and Aboriginal Peoples over natural resource projects by investing $34 million over 5 years Promises to invest $30.3 million toward developing a land management scheme aimed at economic development on reserves New money for Aboriginal communities Will invest $2.3 billion in new money for Aboriginal communities Aboriginal languages We will also provide substantial new funding to support the ability of Indigenous communities to promote, preserve and enhance Indigenous languages and cultures.

3 Women A Liberal government will immediately launch a national public inquiry into We support provisions for property missing and murdered Indigenous ownership and women s equality on women and girls in Canada. The reserves. process by which it is established will be fully inclusive, designed to find justice for the victims and healing for their families. An inquiry would seek to recommend concrete actions that governments, law enforcement, and others can take to solve these crimes and prevent future ones. Not by ignoring uncomfortable truths, but by understanding and taking action to deal with the root causes of this national tragedy These principles should also govern future legislative reform to the Indian Act and related legislation. They should also form the basis for government decision making in the resolution of rights disputes whether based upon existing treaties, court decisions or section 35 of the Constitution Act. We support provisions for property ownership and women s equality on reserves. Within 100 days of assuming office, call an inquiry into the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reconciliation starts with recognizing and respecting Aboriginal title and rights, including treaty rights. A Liberal government will do just that. Not only in accordance with Constitutional obligations, but also with those enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples something the current government steadfastly refused to do. The Liberal Party of Canada was the first to agree to the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We will support the work of reconciliation and continue the necessary process of truth telling and healing, we will work with First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples to enact the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, starting with the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Ensure that all new legislation abides by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Begin to act on recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

4 The New Nation to Nation Relationship We will immediately engage in a renewed, respectful and inclusive nationto-nation process with Indigenous Peoples to advance progress on the issues prioritized by First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities issues like housing, infrastructure, health and mental health care, community safety and policing, child welfare, and education. Aboriginal Self Government The Indian Act (and related legislation) should be replaced by a modern legislative framework which provides for the devolution of full legal and democratic responsibility to First Nations, including the Inuit, for their own affairs within the overall constitutional framework of our federal state. Such legislative reform should be pursued following full consultation with First Nations, with the objective of achieving a full and complete devolution of democratic authority that is consistent with the devolution of other decision making responsibility within our federal system. First Nations like other Canadians, are entitled to enjoy democratic control over their own affairs within a legislative context that ensures certainty, stability, respect for the rule of law and which balances collective and individual responsibility. First Nation communities must have the flexibility to determine for themselves, whether and how free market principles (such as individual property ownership) should apply to

5 reserve lands. Self-government should be accomplished in a manner which takes into account the cultural and linguistic diversity of Canada s First Nations. Within the context of the Canadian Constitution, we should be prepared to make flexible accommodations for the protection of language and culture within selfgovernment agreements. We believe the government should not negotiate land claims where the rule of law is not respected. Transparency in Aboriginal Affairs Both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians are entitled to complete transparency and accountability in the expenditure of all public funds on aboriginal programs, services and intergovernmental transfers. Aboriginals, like other Canadians, must have ready access to police and judicial intervention to constrain and check any exercise of governmental authority (whether aboriginal or nonaboriginal) which is illegal, corrupt or an abuse of power. The Auditor General should be empowered to review the spending of Aboriginal governments and Aboriginal organizations which receive public funds. Comprehensive Claims Settlement of all outstanding comprehensive claims must be pursued on the basis of a clear framework which balances the rights of

6 Aboriginal claimants with those of Canada. In particular, negotiated settlements must balance the economic and social needs of Aboriginal Canadians with Canada s need for certainty and finality of terms. Self-government agreements must reflect Canada s need for both efficacy and practicality in institutional structure, and constitutional harmony so as not to impede the overall governance of Canada. Specific Claims and Lawsuits Against the Federal Crown The federal government should, as a priority, adopt measures to resolve the existing backlog of specific claims so as to provide justice for Aboriginal claimants, together with certainty for government, industry and non- Aboriginal Canadians. Institutional reform in the specific claim area should be pursued in a manner which resolves claims in a timely manner. The jurisdiction of the Federal Court should be expanded and the arbitrary ambit of the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister and the Specific Claims Policy contracted to eliminate the inherent conflict of interest of the Federal Crown in the resolution of specific claims. First Nations Land Title The Conservative Party supports the development of a property regime that would encourage lending for private housing and businesses. This will promote economic opportunity and individual freedom. We support the development, in conjunction with First

7 Nations, of a First Nations Land Ownership Act, which would transfer Reserve land title from the Federal Crown to willing First Nations. First Nations Matrimonial Property The Conservative Party supports, in conjunction with First Nations, the creation of a matrimonial property code to protect spouses and children in cases of marriage breakdown. Creation of a Cabinet Level Committee Creation of a cabinet-level committee, chaired by the prime minister, to ensure federal government decisions respect treaty rights, inherent rights and Canada's international obligations Business Development Physical Infrastructure Kelowna Accord That the Liberal Party of Canada commit to implementing the agreements set out in the Kelowna Accord within its first term as government and dutiful consideration of changes in costs and inflation. Increase access to capital for Aboriginal business development so that First Nations, Inuit and Metis can fully participate in the Canadian economy Improve physical infrastructure such as housing, drinking water facilities, roads, and other essential services