Indigenous Nationhood

PLATFORM PROMISES NDP LIBERAL CONSERVATIVES Gov’mt to Gov’mt Relationship Yes, will sign accord, will work on stable revenue sources w First Nations (FNs) Yes, already have an accord L Land transfers back to First Nations L ? Will try to resolve land claims w FNs & Canada L Resource revenue sharing Yes, will share revenue w FNs, will give ON’s mining taxes to FNs ($218M over 5yrs) No? will continue to share “ benefits of resource development” w FNs & Metis L Implement TRC Calls to Action Yes, will start w action items under prov jurisdiction Journey Together plan + $250M/3yrs (in progress) L Contribute to First Nation Health Yes, will double ON investment to $209M/year in FN Health Action Plan, FNs will decide health funding priorities, ex. expanded suicide prevention, more doctor time on reserve, more health

*This article was originally published in Lawyer's Daily on June 4, 2018 Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberal Party have been taking a significant amount of heat for their collective failures to act on their substantive promises to First Nations — including, water, housing, education health and Aboriginal, treaty and land rights and title — as well as his approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline without First Nation free, prior and informed consent. Here in Ontario, many First Nations also have their focus on Election 2018 and what it might mean for their relationship with the Crown in right of the province of Ontario. In theory, it shouldn’t matter which party gets elected in Ontario assuming they follow the rule of law which includes respecting Indigenous laws, the right to be self-determining, inherent rights, Aboriginal rights and title, treaty rights and the right to free, prior and informed consent. However, we know from practice that federal and provincial governments br