Liberals Unveil Aboriginal Election Platform

Liberals Unveil Aboriginal Election Platform

Monday, September 22, 2008 at 15:28

The Liberals say if they form the next government, they will hold a meeting with Canada’s premiers and Aboriginal leaders within the first six months of coming into office.

The Liberals are also promising to bring back the Kelowna Accord and ratify the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The party’s platform also includes pledges to create a nation-wide violence prevention strategy to eliminate violence against Aboriginal women, and to enact legislation to ensure First Nations children are not denied access to services because of jurisdictional issues.

As well, the party is promising to enhance funding for the Aboriginal languages initiative.

It also pledges to work towards establishment of a body to resolve comprehensive claims, and “to ensure that self-government agreements are respected and fully implemented”.

The Liberals also say they will “convene a table of negotiation for Métis jurisdiction and authority, including lands and resources and economic and fiscal arrangements”.

And, they plan to renew the Aboriginal Human Resource Strategy to close the labour force participation gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.