At Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Canada Day celebration, conservative leader Andrew Scheer said acknowledging Indigenous people on Canada Day is 香蕉视频直播渙bviously very important,香蕉视频直播� while maintaining that Canada Day is still, nonetheless, a cause for celebration.
香蕉视频直播淭his is a day for everyone to celebrate Canada whether we are Indigenous Canadians, whether our families have been here for multiple generations or if we香蕉视频直播檝e literally just arrived,香蕉视频直播� said Scheer.
That opinion may not represent many in the Indigenous community and it certainly did not bode well with Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis.
香蕉视频直播淎s an individual, I香蕉视频直播檇 say I can香蕉视频直播檛 really support that (statement),香蕉视频直播� said Louis. 香蕉视频直播�(Sure) it香蕉视频直播檚 something we take as a statutory holiday, but once you start getting deeper as an Aboriginal person, there are bigger issues on celebrating a day that (oppressed our community). It gets a little cloudy.香蕉视频直播�
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Tensions between the government and First Nations rose in 2017 when Canada celebrated its sesquicentennial birthday, with the trendy tag line, 香蕉视频直播淐anada 150.香蕉视频直播� Indigenous people raised their voices and created an alternative, opposing campaign called, 香蕉视频直播淩ethink 150: Indigenous Truth香蕉视频直播�; which encouraged Canadians to consider a different perspective on the extravagant marketing campaign.
Since then, the liberal government, in Louis香蕉视频直播� perspective, created momentum for the path to reconciliation; something that he isn香蕉视频直播檛 quite convinced Scheer will carry on if elected prime minister.
READ MORE: RECAP: 10 Canada Day moments and videos you香蕉视频直播檒l want to see
香蕉视频直播淭he past conservative government was quite negative to our clan,香蕉视频直播� said Louis, referring to sweeping budget cuts to First Nations communities across Canada.
香蕉视频直播淥ur constitution has the treaty rights right in there and our party has supported a lot of the work in terms of reconciliation,香蕉视频直播� said Scheer, citing former conservative prime minister Stephen Harper香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渉istoric apology香蕉视频直播� for residential schools over 10 years ago.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 one thing to mean (the apology),香蕉视频直播� Louis responded, 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播檚 another thing to apologize because (we were) threatening to sue (the conservative party) and had a pretty good case.香蕉视频直播�
Although Scheer said 香蕉视频直播渢here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of common ground (and) there are some areas that (they香蕉视频直播檇) like to move forward on,香蕉视频直播� Indigenous-government relations will be 香蕉视频直播渧ery positive香蕉视频直播� if the conservatives take a majority government.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 know what he香蕉视频直播檚 about,香蕉视频直播� said Louis, recalling a number of incidents where he felt Scheer reported vague answers about Indigenous rights. 香蕉视频直播淚t does concern us.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer calls out local MP during Canada Day
David.venn@kelownacapnews.com
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