Liberal Leader Mark Carney pledged to keep up “momentum” on reconciliation at a virtual election forum with the Assembly of First Nations Friday.
The AFN, a national advocacy organization for chiefs, is hosting virtual forums with party leaders ahead of the April 28 general election. Green Party Co-Leaders Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault appeared in a session April 14. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addressed the forum Tuesday and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spoke on Wednesday.
Carney opened Friday’s forum by reiterating a commitment to reconciliation, and admitted that there is much more to do on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Act and its action plan, the calls for justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
UNDRIP is a human rights instrument that acknowledges Indigenous Peoples have the right to give or withhold consent for projects that impact them. The Conservatives have opposed this policy as a “veto,” while the Liberals passed legislation in 2021 requiring federal laws be harmonized with UNDRIP.
Carney committed to the implementation of UNDRIP federally.
“We do respect provincial competencies but with the discharge of our federal responsibilities, the commitment of my government, if Canadians do select us, is fundamental and unwavering in its implementation,” he said.
In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised to end all long-term boil water advisories in First Nations by 2021, but that deadline was missed. Bill C-61, the First Nations Clean Water Act, legislation that would set drinking water standards on reserves, did not make it to third reading in the House of Commons before Parliament was prorogued.
Carney said a Liberal government would re-introduce Bill C-61 and that he would take guidance about a “First Nations Water Commission”-type model, ensuring that First Nations have the capacity for maintenance and development of their infrastructure.
The Liberal Party’s platform includes a focus on working “with all orders of government and Indigenous Peoples on critical infrastructure that connects communities.”
Carney was direct with his hopes to close the infrastructure gap between First Nations and the rest of Canada saying, “If we were to close the First Nations infrastructure gap, that alone would have a bigger economic impact than the negative aspect of all the Trump tariffs.”
Carney mentioned doubling the Indigenous Loan Program into a $10 billion dollar program directed at giving First Nations the chance to finance the ownership stake of a project.
When asked about First Nations people unsure about their Jay Treaty rights to free passage and trade with the United States during a time of turmoil between the two nations, he said, “Any partnership we have with the United States does not affect those rights.”
When asked about policing, Carney suggested that the “essential service” to First Nation communities should be put in the hands of the communities themselves.
“We want to move to self-administered First Nation policing services,” Carney said.
Election day is April 28.
