JUSTIN TRUDEAU WAS BEST PRIME MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

[Oscar]

JUSTIN TRUDEAU WAS BEST PRIME MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

[ https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/colu ... ous-people ]

- by Doug Cuthand Star Phoenix - January 11, 2025

EXCERPT: "The resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been met with relief and gloating from much of the Canadian public, but in Indian country his resignation has been a cause for reflection and regret: Simply put, Justin Trudeau was the best prime minister we ever had.

He made the relationship with First Nations his priority and established a nation-to-nation relationship with us. This relationship had been a longstanding request from the First Nations, and recognizes our special relationship with the Crown and Canada through our treaties and our specific place within the Canadian Constitution.

Under his direction, the federal government instituted the policy of reconciliation and worked to implement the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Reconciliation became a process that was adopted by corporations, provinces and individuals.

His leadership has been a period of increased awareness and understanding of Indigenous issues, which has raised our profile to the point where I doubt that any new incoming government can ignore us.

Trudeau also recognized the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, which Stephen Harper’s government had refused to recognize along with the United States and Australia.

The recognition of our rights under international law was in keeping with our treaties and our Aboriginal title as the original inhabitants of this land.

Detractors maintain that it gives the First Nations a veto over resource development, but it really means that as the original inhabitants of this land, we have the right to be included in both the conversation and the decisions:

In other words, we are now partners in major economic decisions.
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[Oscar]

What is Justin Trudeau’s environmental legacy?

[ https://thenarwhal.ca/trudeau-resignati ... l-impacts/ ]

The impactful, the promised, the marginal and the undelivered. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s climate-conscious government bought Canada an oil pipeline while ushering in significant environmental laws

January 7, 2025 - By Carl Meyer and Fatima Syed

EXCERPT: "During their nine years in power the Trudeau Liberals have campaigned politically on fighting climate change and passed a number of climate-related laws, while also buying a massive pipeline project. According to a December 2024 estimate from Environment and Climate Change Canada, industrial emissions dropped to 694 million tonnes in 2023, the lowest level in 27 years, excluding the pandemic. The government said this is the result of its climate plan, as projections made in 2015 at the start of the Trudeau government were for Canada’s emissions to increase nine per cent by 2030.

Trudeau has “accomplished more on climate action than any other Canadian prime minister,” despite falling short in a number of areas, Climate Action Network Canada said Monday. . . . ."

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