'We can't be left out:' Indigenous leaders want action, inclusion as election heats up

It's on.

Canada's 45th federal election is underway and Indigenous leaders are demanding action, hoping their peoples' past sacrifices to secure and defend this country aren't forgotten as the trade and affordability focused campaign heats up.

"As we see the threats at our borders, we have to have First Nations people at the table," said Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

"We can't be left out anymore on our own homeland. Look at the War of 1812. First Nations people were there in every war …. We fought hard for this country."

Now, as U.S. President Donald Trump taunts Canadian politicians, musing openly about annexing his northern neighbour, Woodhouse Nepinak is not the only Indigenous leader pointing out their peoples' contributions.

"We've already lived through a pretty massive militarization in our homeland in front of our very eyes, and we've lived with the fallout of that," said Natan Obed, president of national representative organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

Many Inuit were forcefully relocated to the High Arctic in the Cold War, used as "human flagpoles" to assert Canadian sovereignty. Much of the infrastructure in Arctic hub communities was actually built by the U.S. military, he said.

"We still remain patriotic Canadians," he said.

"We still want to help defend Canada against foreign threats but our communities are quite concerned that history may repeat itself in not respecting our rights or our treaties."

David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Métis Federation, was quick to point out it was the Red River Métis who ushered Manitoba into Confederation.

"We helped build Canada," he said.

"Our role in helping build Canada has a strong historical impact to us, and we're very proud Canadians. We went to World War I, we went to World War II to defend our country."

Whether it's tariffs, economic development, affordability or housing, Métis governments still need to be included in election platforms, added Victoria Pruden, president of the Métis National Council, representing Métis governments in Alberta and Ontario.

"We're really hoping to see more distinctions-based platforms and priorities being articulated from all parties," she said.

Unfinished business

Woodhouse Nepinak, Obed and Pruden met with Liberal Leader Mark Carney last Friday, two days before the former central banker triggered a general election. Woodhouse Nepinak has met with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and plans to meet with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

The national chief, whose AFN advocates for more than 630 First Nations countrywide, said her priorities are economic reconciliation, honouring promises, the well-being of children and families, and policing and community safety.

"If they want to talk about economics and making this country work, invest in First Nations people. When you invest in First Nations people, you invest in Canada," she said.

Meanwhile, both Carney and Poilievre have set their sights on Arctic sovereignty, with the Conservative pledging a new military base and the Liberal re-announcing more than $6 billion for an early warning radar system.

Obed said he fully expects party platforms to also include not just militarization, but plans for mixed-used infrastructure, housing and a clearly articulated plan to reduce overcrowding, while also respecting modern treaties and Inuit rights.

"It is time for action. We've had a decade of deliberations about the major social, cultural and political issues of our times. The government of Canada fully understands the positions of Canadian Inuit," he said.

Chartrand said MMF is focused on fighting the trade war, including by cancelling and banning U.S. travel, refusing to buy American and withdrawing from social media platform X. Other priorities include MMF's land claim, child and family services, and housing.

Pruden said her priorities include continued progress on bills, policies, programs and legislation introduced under Trudeau. She said the talks with Carney were "straight up, authentic," where he committed to further entrenching the Liberals' Indigenous child welfare law, C-92.

"This isn't an abstract idea. There are Métis children, youth and families for whom concerns are matters of life and death. It's not just policy, it's not just programs. We really need to see some traction," she said.

Chartrand said the MMF has a campaign in the works encompassing direct outreach to federal leaders, tens of thousands of emails to Red River Métis citizens plus billboards and communications.

Chartrand has met with other leaders but expressed concern and surprise that after years of trying, the MMF has been unable to secure a proper meeting with Poilievre. 

"I honestly do not understand, because I have a lot of people that vote throughout the West," he said, adding bluntly, "We know Métis citizens vote Conservative. Why would they be voting Conservative if the party doesn't even respect them?"

While Chartrand was a vocal Trudeau supporter, the Métis leader insisted he isn't partisan, telling CBC Indigenous he voted for Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney and supported Joe Clark's short-lived tenure as prime minister.

All four leaders said they won't be formally endorsing anyone.