First Nations

First Nations

publicpower means treating our First Nations with respect and fairness and working cooperatively with them, government to government.

publicpower means guaranteeing First Nations communities a fair share of revenues from resource development on their traditional lands for their own sustainable future.

publicpower means finding the truth in the death of Dudley George at Ipperwash Provincial Park, including the involvement of former Premier Mike Harris and the Conservative government and the federal Liberal government.

Conservatives: The Conservative government, particularly Mike Harris and cabinet ministers, are implicated in the shooting death of unarmed protestor Dudley George at Ipperwash Provincial Park in September 1995. This was the only death that resulted from a legal land claim struggle in Canada in the twentieth century. It put Ontario on an international list of human rights violators and has shamed our province.

Eight years later, the Conservatives continue to refuse to call a public inquiry, instead choosing to drag the George family through the courts. Harris and his Conservative caucus are using public money to defend themselves against a lawsuit launched by the George family, just to prevent the truth from coming out.

The Conservatives have excluded First Nations from the dialogue table, all the while seeking to give lucrative contracts to multi-national corporations to exploit resources on First Nations lands. They have systematically undermined the ability of First Nations communities to develop economically and socially.

They abruptly cut off negotiations to provide Northern First Nations fire protection and reduce
evacuations as a result of Forest Fires.

Liberals: The Liberals flip-flop when it comes to public accountability for the killing of Dudley George. They want a public inquiry to examine the Conservatives' role but reject a similar inquiry to examine the role of the federal Liberals despite the documented involvement of the federal government in the events that led to Dudley George's death.

The Liberals have no plan to guarantee First Nations revenues from resource development on their lands. The federal Liberals, for their part, are stoking growing anger among First Nations about planned Indian Act changes. Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault suggested, for example, that protesters who are headed to Parliament Hill should turn back because their protest will be ignored.

The Liberals flip-flopped on their plan to add a provincial seat to the legislature for First Nations representation. Before their party's president could announce the initiative, leader Dalton McGuinty nixed it.

NDP: Howard Hampton and the NDP are committed to working cooperatively with First Nations, government to government, in a relationship of mutual respect.

Any forestry, mining or hydroelectric development strategies must respect aboriginal and treaty
rights. The NDP will ensure economic self-sufficiency for First Nations communities.

The NDP will immediately call a public inquiry - long overdue and blocked by the Conservative
government - into the killing of Dudley George.

The NDP will also expand Aboriginal justice programs, revise the school curriculum to include the historic contributions of First Nations, and reopen fire protection negotiations.

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