Some First Nations people critical of Justin Trudeau's commitment to reconciliation
Critics say Trudeau fell short on issues like clean drinking water on reserve, and pipeline policy
Some Indigenous people reacted to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement this week that he would resign once the Liberals select a successor by praising him for his commitment to reconciliation, but others are pointing to unkept promises.
Russ Diabo, a Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) policy analyst, said he's "not a big fan" of the Trudeau government.
"I've been a critic of the Trudeau government's approach because they've used basically a communications strategy of talking about reconciliation," said Diabo.
Diabo does give the Trudeau government credit though for increased spending on Indigenous programs.
According to the 2024 federal budget, the Liberals increased spending in Indigenous communities to more than $30 billion in 2024 from $11 billion in 2016.
However, Diabo said the money was invested into the current "colonial Indian system," referring to how the government works with First Nations communities under the Indian Act, which he said created circumstances leading to systemic poverty.
"It's not enough. It was a drop in the bucket from what's needed," said Diabo.
"I don't think the situation has really improved much for them at the community level, which is why you're seeing a lot of unrest."
Diabo also criticized the government's commitment to lifting all long-term boil water advisories on reserve by 2021, a 2015 election promise.
There were 105 long-term drinking water advisories on reserves in November 2015. Since November 2015, 147 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted. As of Nov. 7, 2024, there were 31 long-term advisories in place in 29 communities, according to government data.
"If it was a priority for him, like he said ... all of them would have been out of the way," said Diabo.
Clayton Thomas-Müller, a member of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation also known as Pukatawagan, in northern Manitoba, is an activist, author and director of the book and film titled Life in the City of Dirty Water.
He said it is disappointing Trudeau didn't keep his promise to lift all the long-term boil water advisories.
He was also critical of the Liberal government's climate legacy.
"Trudeau did monstrous things to Indigenous peoples in the interests of big oil and their profits," said Thomas-Müller.
He pointed to the purchase of the Trans Mountain Pipeline in B.C., in a bid to ensure its controversial expansion.
Failure to follow through
The Conservative Party is showing a strong lead in the polls, projected to make a majority government if an election was called this week.
B.C. Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Terry Teegee told CBC Radio's The Early Edition that he hopes a new Conservative government won't be a reflection of the Stephen Harper government.
"It was probably some of the worst 10 years we ever experienced, with the erosion of many of our First Nations rights, and also vast cuts in funding," said Teegee.
LISTEN | Regional Chief Terry Teegee on Trudeau's announcement:
Teegee said there was positive movement in the direction of reconciliation once the Liberal government took power, but said the Liberal's commitments lacked the resources to see them through.
In a news release Wednesday, Teegee said the Liberal Party's leadership race is an opportunity to recommit to progressive politics based on Indigenous human rights.
"It was these commitments that led to the early popularity of the Liberal Party in 2015, and its failure to follow through on these commitments which has led to the party's decline," said the release.
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