Former politicians and aboriginal leaders announce new partnership – CBC
Paul Martin and Joe Clark among group calling on Canadians to act on aboriginal issues
A perceived breakdown in the relationship between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians has spurred the creation of a new organization led by former prime ministers and aboriginal activists.
Those involved in the group include former prime minister Paul Martin, former prime minister Joe Clark, and several former leaders of aboriginal groups. They say without fixing the relationship through education and discussion, the difficult economic and social conditions faced by many aboriginal people can’t be improved.
“I think that Canadians feel very strongly that the condition that indigenous Canadians find themselves in is just simply not tolerable. There is a huge desire out there for the kind of partnership that we are talking about up here,” Martin said at the news conference in Ottawa. .
The declaration calling for a new partnership was signed this morning by a coalition of indigenous and political leaders. The goal of Canadians for a New Partnership is to achieve better living conditions, education, and economic opportunities for aboriginal groups — but first everyone must pledge to work together, the group says.
