NAN seeks new relationship with Trudeau government – Wawatay News

Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler is calling for the newly elected federal government to develop a “new relationship” with First Nations.

“We congratulate the members of this new cabinet and welcome the appointment of Carolyn Bennett as the new minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Jody Wilson-Raybould as justice minister and Hunter Tootoo as fisheries minister and Patty Hajdu as minister of Status of Women,” Fiddler says. “We are encouraged by the strong Indigenous representation in this cabinet and hope this signals a meaningful shift towards a new relationship with First Nations.”

A record 10 Indigenous MPs were elected during the Oct. 19 federal election, including Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Don Rusnak, a Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation citizen and practicing lawyer, and seven other members of the Liberal majority government. Wilson-Raybould is a former B.C. regional chief and Tootoo is an Inuk from Nunavut.