UOI OFFICES (Nipissing First Nation) October 20, 2015 – Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says that he is proud of the Anishinabek in our 39 communities who voted and made a big impact in last night’s election
“I truly believe that our effort of getting out the vote to protect our rights paid off,” says Grand Council Chief Madahbee. “I thank our leadership and citizens for making sure they got to the polls and voted.”
Grand Council Chief also commended Prime Minister-‐elect Justin Trudeau and says he will work with
him as a partner to work on a Nation-‐to-‐Nation relationship.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his majority win. We have high expectations for this Liberal government,” says Madahbee. “Attention needs to be paid to the health, education and economic disparity in our First Nations. Trudeau needs to quickly get rid of harmful Harper legislation and revisit the Kelowna Accord.”
”The old guard government forgot who they worked for,” adds the Grand Council Chief. “They catered to foreign corporations while forgetting their own backyard. It was shameful for the Harper government for their lack of human decency with ignoring the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women crisis, the boil water advisories in our communities and poor treatment of our veterans, women and immigrants. One of Trudeau’s campaign promises was to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that Canada signed in 2007. It’s time for him to make this change.”
Voter turn out for Indigenous people across Canada hit all time records with some First Nations running
out of ballots.
“It’s so good to hear that our people were getting out to vote. Just goes to show how fed up First Nations were of the Stephen Harper government,” says Madahbee.
The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a
political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.
For more information contact:
Marci Becking, Communications Officer
Phone : 1-‐877-‐702-‐5200 ext. 2290 Email : becmar@anishinabek.ca www.anishinabek.ca www.anishinabeknews.ca
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