Young First Nation advocates in northwestern Ontario call out candidates' silence on Indigenous issues
'I haven't been hearing a single thing,' says Kris Moore, 20, of Fort Severn First Nation
With tariffs and the trade war between Canada and the U.S. dominating much of the federal election, First Nation advocates in northwestern Ontario are questioning why they haven't heard much from the candidates on Indigenous issues.
For 18-year-old Siigwan McKay, who met former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Thunder Bay last year, she says the silence speaks volumes. She has been a strong advocate for youth mental health support in First Nations.
"We need legitimate reconciliation, like the building back of relationships. I haven't seen [any] leaders of the [parties] go into Indigenous communities and try to meet with the people there — to see how life is on the reserves," said McKay, who is a member of Bearskin Lake First Nation.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Kris Moore, a member of Fort Severn First Nation, said "I haven't been hearing a single thing," when it comes to Indigenous issues on the campaign trail.
The 2021 census indicates there are at least 55,000 Indigenous people in northwestern Ontario. However, community leaders say these numbers may be much greater, due to how many people choose not to self-report as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
While McKay and Moore told CBC's Superior Morning they want to see a greater focus on Indigenous issues leading up to the April 28 vote, they also say it's important to improve opportunities for political engagement within First Nations.
Concerns around sovereignty, youth services
As a first-time voter, McKay said she has a number of concerns this election, including Indigenous sovereignty and future development in the north — particularly around the Ring of Fire mineral deposit in the James Bay lowlands.
While Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said he would create a rapid resource project office to streamline project applications if elected, McKay said she's concerned about what this means for consultation with First Nations.
"It's colonization because you're establishing control and taking away the power of the people who have lived there for so long, since time immemorial, completely disrespecting Indigenous sovereignty and violating the fundamental principle of free and informed consent," she said.
Moore, who brings lived experience as a former youth in care to her advocacy work in child and family services, says development is also a key area of concern for her.
She also wants to see the next federal government offer more support for youth as they age out of care, she said.
"That's actually a new and strange and dangerous time to be an Indigenous person, when you're alone in the cities typically, and you typically don't have any family," Moore said.
"There has been a lot of changes in policies and reform and training I'm seeing so far, so I think we're on the right track."
She did express concerns about news that Liberal leader Mark Carney's former firm, Brookfield, has been accused of breaching Indigenous rights in four countries.
"If those allegations are true, well, it's not going to look good for the Indigenous people here," Moore said.
Improving political engagement
On-reserve voter turnout in Ontario was 41.9 per cent in the 2021 federal election, compared to an overall voter turnout of 62.6 per cent across the country. For reserves in the Kenora—Kiwetinoong riding, it was 38.8 per cent.
At the high school level, McKay said there's not much talk about politics beyond the mandatory civics and careers class in Grade 10, which she'd like to see change.
"Maybe bringing a representative that knows a lot about politics, knows a lot about elections, that can really just get into the minds of the youth and to be like, 'Hey, this is why there's an urgency to your voice and your engagement in terms of a vote.'"
For Moore, while she and her peers have been regularly discussing the election, she said many people in remote First Nations don't have the means to get involved, which feeds into voter apathy.
"A lot of these communities don't vote in any election because either they don't have the supplies to, they don't know the process to go through," she said. "Honestly, they just don't really care because they're so distant; they're isolated communities."
Hiring a co-ordinator or having a band councillor in the community help manage things at polling stations may help bridge the gap, she suggested.
"Every vote matters; they're still in Canada and any elected politician that comes into office will affect them, even if they're living on reserve," Moore said.
CBC News has compiled a list of election promises made by Canada's major parties, which is being updated as their platforms roll out.
More information about local candidates in northwestern Ontario can be found here.
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