Vote federally for party that'll protect First Nation rights, says head of northern Ontario treaty group

In parts of northeastern Ontario, including areas in or around Sudbury and Timmins, First Nation voters could help decide election outcomes, according to the Assembly of First Nations.

For Earl Commanda, executive director of Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin, a group that defends treaty rights in the area, this is all the more reason for Indigenous people to weigh their options carefully as they head to the polls Monday.

"My advice to Indigenous voters is vote for the candidate you feel is going to protect and maintain that relationship we have with the federal government," said Commanda.

He said that, over the past decade of Liberal rule, the relationship between the Lake Huron Anishnaabek and the federal government was marked by a consequential legal battle over annuities, but also by a willingness to sit down together and negotiate a resolution.

"We've noticed this trend with the current federal government settling a lot of land claims and class action lawsuits."

During their time in government, the Trudeau Liberals almost tripled investments in Indigenous communities, from over $11 billion in 2015 to $32 billion in 2024, according to Canada's Department of Finance. 

Commanda said there are still important gaps in infrastructure, housing and social services, and he's also concerned that key programs have been disrupted by recent changes in Jordan's Principle funding, but still — he wonders how a different party would approach spending on Indigenous priorities.

 "If it is a Conservative leadership, what will that mean for us?" 

Conservatives pitch ways to create economic prosperity in First Nations

In a bid to court First Nations voters, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke to chiefs countrywide in a forum organized by the Assembly of First Nations earlier this week. 

"I think First Nations can be the richest people in the entire world," he said.

"Conservatives will get the government out of the way so First Nations are no longer denied the wealth and opportunity that is their birthright." 

He shared different ideas to create economic prosperity for Indigenous people, including financial incentives like a refundable tax credit for companies who enter into agreements with First Nations to develop resources like mining or natural gas. 

Other Conservative promises include introducing an optional First Nations Resource Charge, and creating a new Indigenous Opportunities Corporation and an Indigenous Outcomes Fund.

But Commanda isn't sold on this.

"He's promising these things to sway our vote … but there are a lot of social, health, and educational needs in our communities."

Commanda also takes issue with some of the other promises of the Conservative platform, like the view that the auditor general should be empowered to review the spending of Indigenous governments. 

"It's quite easy for any citizen in Canada to look at how First Nations are spending their money… I don't know what more he would want from us," said Commanda.

Definition of consent for resource extraction projects remains key issue

With only a few days left in the election campaign, candidates across Ontario's northeast are making their last pitch to Indigenous voters, including Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma New Democrat Laura Mayer, a member of Mississauga First Nation.

"First Nation voters are very pragmatic — they consider the history of the parties and they vote for who their candidates are," she said as she knocked on doors in Garden River First Nation on Thursday.

She thinks First Nations are moving into a new era with the federal government and she doesn't want that relationship to be defined by the courts, especially when it comes to consent for resource projects. 

In her view, the Conservative platform focuses too much on revenue sharing, and not enough on consent as defined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which states Indigenous Peoples have the right to give or withhold consent for projects that impact them.

"It's like: 'Vote for me because you'll have resource revenue tax.' It doesn't take into account all the other programs, services, relationships that we have with one another," Mayer said. 

In 2021, the Liberals passed legislation requiring federal laws to be harmonized with UNDRIP.

The Conservatives have historically opposed this policy, and during his address on Tuesday, Poilievre declined to endorse the law implementing UNDRIP.

He said his party supports the goals and aspirations of UNDRIP, but that the Liberal legislation was passed before the government could develop an understanding of what exactly "free, prior and informed consent" means in a legal context.