TMU professor says Conservative platform more of the same on Indigenous issues – APTN News

Apr 24, 2025

A Toronto Metropolitan University Mi’kmaw professor says the 2025 Conservative Party election platform offers little that’s new when it comes to Indigenous priorities.

“This is really just kind of a repackaged Harper-era (Stephen, former Conservative prime minister) scenario,” Pam Palmater said. “We know under the Harper regime they were very close with the First Nations Tax Commission. Anything that can kind of put power back in the First Nations Tax Commission which is all about taxation on reserve, privatization of reserves. So, not surprised to see that at all. Almost the entire focus is on resource extraction.”

The Conservative platform, which was released earlier this week, makes no mention of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People or the final reports of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.