While Parliament Hill continues to buzz over a potential scandal involving the government, an Indigenous MP and speculation of political inference on legal matters for SNC Lavalin, the National Chief of the Assembly is distancing himself from the controversy, saying his focus is on important Indigenous issues.
“It’s something internal to the Liberal Party. I’m more focused on reconciliation and making sure there’s good water and good housing on First Nations communities. We’ve got the Languages legislation we want to get passed, [and] we’ve got the child welfare legislation we want to see introduced,” said Perry Bellegarde. “We want to keep moving to make sure the quality of life gap closes between First Nations people and the rest of Canadian society. So, we’re going to be focused on things like that.”
Earlier today Wilson-Raybould told reporters in Ottawa that she could not discuss why she quit Cabinet, which comes following media reports suggesting the Prime Minister’s Office pressured her on a court case involving SNC Lavalin.
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand says there is no doubt Wilson-Raybould’s movement out of the justice portfolio and subsequent departure from Cabinet hurts the Trudeau government on reconciliation matters.
“Yes, I feel this sets back reconciliation a little bit because I don’t know if it’s inappropriate that she was let go, or whatever the case is, but again that is the government’s decision, we don’t have a say in that,” he says.
Overall, Arcand says the government is sending the wrong message by the way it has treated Wilson-Raybould. “The two ministers that I think we’re doing some good stuff was Jody and Minister Jane Philpott (former Indigenous services minister) and the child welfare forum. So, we’ve got two ladies that were shuffled out but were making tremendous strides for First Nations people and also other Canadians.”
With files from Fraser Needham.
(Photo courtesy of Jody Wilson Raybould Facebook.)