Conservatives distance themselves after Northern Ontario senator says First Nations should give up status cards – Sudbury.com

Party’s Senate leader says steps have been taken to address her role

Senator Lynn Beyak’s latest statements about Canada’s Indigenous people are meeting criticism from all the major parties, including her own.

An open letter the senator from northwestern Ontario posted on Sept. 1 took more than ten days to get the attention of the media, but it’s led to widespread condemnation.

Beyak, from Dryden, suggested among other things that Indigenous Canadians should “trade in” their status cards for citizenship, with a payout to settle all outstanding land claims and treaties.