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Indigenous affairs reinvented – a tale of three Provinces: Ken Coates in National Newswatch – MLI

October 17, 2024

After decades of ignoring Indigenous affairs, happily leaving the challenging file to Ottawa, provincial governments have begun to take notice, especially in this fall’s election season.

On the East Coast, the provincial governments shunned the field for many years. British Columbia, to leap to the West Coast, deliberately rejected federal and Indigenous entreaties to get involved. Given that the government of Canada moved slowly on Indigenous files, provincial neglect attracted little political attention and had virtually no impact on regional politics.

The world has changed. Indigenous issues are now, finally and fortunately, commonplace. The federal government has, for constitutional reasons, preeminent responsibility for Indigenous affairs.

Municipal and local authorities are, likewise, increasingly active in the field, as shown by collaboration with massive housing developments in Vancouver and Victoria and the development of dozens of urban reserves in Saskatchewan. Provinces have finally entered the policy debate, with Indigenous affairs flowing over, unevenly, into provincial politics.

Read More: https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/indigenous-affairs-reinvented-a-tale-of-three-provinces-ken-coates-in-national-newswatch/

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