Liberals weigh in on new Indian Affairs minister
Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 15:45
The Liberals’ Indian Affairs critic says Chuck Strahl won’t have an easy time in office unless he learns new tactics.
Anita Neville says the new INAC minister has shown an interest in learning his new portfolio, which she says bodes well for the future.
But Neville says his past public battles with the Canadian Wheat Board show he can be confrontational when he wants to – something she says won’t help him in this file.
She says if he doesn’t already know this, he will learn very quickly that this approach doesn’t work in aboriginal communities.
Neville also notes Strahl doesn’t have as much experience as Jim Prentice did when he took over at Indian Affairs.
However she hopes Strahl can be convinced to tackle some issues that Prentice backed away from – including a long-awaited apology to residential school victims.
Neville says she also hopes Strahl backs the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a document the Conservative government has actively opposed.