National Chief Says AFN Won’t Endorse Any Party
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 13:16
The head of the Assembly of First Nations insists his group is non-partisan, and doesn’t have a preference which federal party forms the next government.
Still, National Chief Phil Fontaine feels its critical that as many First Nations people as possible take part in the October 14th election.
Yesterday was the AFN’s National Day of Political Action — but Fontaine says the messages his organization was spreading yesterday will continue for the rest of the campaign.
The AFN hopes First Nations citizens become active participants in this country’s political process by voting in greater numbers, writing candidates, and inviting candidates to visit reserves.
Fontaine is also calling on the various political parties to make First Nations poverty a front-burner issue during the campaign.
As well, Fontaine says he’s “crossing his fingers” that the major TV networks will agree to include questions on First Nations issues in the leaders’ debates later this week.