For the first time in Canadian History, First Nation people are in a place to sway the vote according to Carl Brave Rock, a student at the University of Lethbridge.
If many people get out to vote, the change that First Nations are hoping for could be coming in the near future. If this is not the case, Brave Rock fears that it can potentially set back First Nations 10 to 15 years.
“In my life time, I’ve never seen the federal election pay attention to Native people, you got Trudeau posing with Natives, Mulcair visiting reserves.” He then goes on to say, that First Nations needs this kind of recognition. “If we don’t get out to vote, the next federal election, we wont be taken seriously” he added.
With the 2015 federal election around the corner, Rachel Crow Spreading Wings, a Lethbridge College staff member says the New Democratic Party (NDP) has Aboriginal voters leading there way.
NDP leader Tom Mulcair had made an announcement that if elected, says he would make in an inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, something that many First Nations across Canada feel the government should take seriously.
“It should be an issue that is respected,” says Brave Rock. He adds Missing and Murdered Indigenous women is one of many Issues First Nations want the government to take seriously, next to poverty, and lack of clean water on reserves.
“They seem to be very balanced when asking for votes by talking about issues that concern both First Nations and non-First Nations,” Says Crow Spreading Wings.
A lot of First Nations don’t feel as if their vote will matter. “I think it is about gathering together and educating people on why they need to vote.”
She then goes on to say that as a First Nations person, we are eligible to vote, and that is part of the reason why our ancestors signed treaty #7 back in 1877.
“Its on us now to make sure our culture will survive,” added Crow Spreading Wings
Kristin Krien, an organizer for Indigenous vote, believes the government has to do more then just apologize and would like to see direct change happen for the First Nations community.
Indigenous vote is a branch of the Women Space Resource Centre and works a lot with the First Nations community in Lethbridge. The organization is designed to help the community by mobilizing the First Nations vote.
Krien explains that Indigenous vote has been there to assist individuals when it comes to registering to vote in the 2015 elections. “We have information at every single one of our events, as well as links on our Facebook page.”
If you are not sure on how to vote, visit electioncanada.ca or email indigenousvotelethbridge@gmail.com for any questions you may have requiring the federal election.
