Poilievre delivers first speech to AFN, chiefs confront him about Harper's legacy
First Nations chiefs have heard enough promises and "performative reconciliation," Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Thursday, adding they deserve a partnership based on honest conversations.
It was the first time Poilievre was addressing the Assembly of First Nations, an organization representing more than 600 First Nations that had a tense relationship with the Conservatives when former prime minister Stephen Harper was in power.
In 2018, former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer was booed at an AFN assembly when he was unable to explain how his policies would differ from Harper's.
AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said she wants to turn a page from that legacy, and Poilievre thanked her for inviting him to address the annual general assembly underway this week in Montreal.
Since he became leader in September 2022, Poilievre had only sent pre-recorded remarks to AFN events.
On Thursday, some chiefs appeared to like some of what the Conservative leader had to say, applauding generously during a speech that outlined his commitments to advancing economic reconciliation with First Nations and creating jobs, especially through resource development.
"We believe that economic reconciliation is part of social progress," Poilievre said. "We need jobs and opportunity for First Nations communities."
Instead of companies relying on temporary foreign workers to fill jobs, that work should go to Indigenous youth, Poilievre said.
He also said he doesn't believe in "cancelling or denying history," but rather that more stories of First Nations leaders and heroes should be taught alongside European ones.
It was a nod to disagreements Conservatives have had with decisions to remove statues or rename buildings and roads that honoured Canadians with ties to Canada's unflattering legacy of residential schools.
Poilievre ended his speech acknowledging the relationship will not be easy.
"We won't always agree and you've heard enough promises and enough performative reconciliation," he said.
"What we need are honest and direct conversations and a partnership based on a nation-to-nation relationship and mutual respect. I come here to offer that respect in total humility."
Poilievre was confronted about his priorities on Indigenous issues and the actions of Harper's government during a question-and-answer session after his remarks.
Judy Wilson, a delegate at the gathering, said it should be acknowledged that a handful of veterans and representatives from the assembly's LGBTQ+ council stood silently and turned their back on Poilievre while he spoke.
She then told Poilievre that he did not mention the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women or the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as inherent rights, during the speech.
Harper's government declined to call a national inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did, coming to power in 2015 on a promise to establish a better relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
"You also failed to recognize our residential school survivors," Wilson told Poilievre.
"If you're working to be the next prime minister in Canada, it tells me you have a lot of education to do in those fronts."
In his speech, Poilievre said it was the former Conservative government that delivered the historic 2008 apology on behalf of Canada for forcing thousands of First Nations, Métis and Inuit children to attend the government-funded church-run schools.
He did not mention the personal apology he had to make the day after that.
Hours before Harper issued the residential schools apology, Poilievre had told a radio station he questioned the value of compensating residential school survivors, instead of pushing the values of "hard work and independence."
On Thursday, Poilievre said Conservatives will work to redress historic discrimination in the child-welfare system and resolve "other outstanding issues," which Wilson and Mary Teegee, a child-welfare advocate, raised during the question-and-answer period.
The AFN and the government reached a historic deal to reform child welfare this week.
That came after more than 17 years after the organization, along with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, initiated a human-rights complaint over chronic government underfunding of child welfare services on reserves.
The Harper government was heavily criticized for fighting that complaint in court for years.
In turn, the Liberals have faced criticism for failing to act to implement orders made by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal after its finding that First Nations children were discriminated against.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2024.
IN DEPTH
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922467.1718138898!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6850735.1713368648!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6964821.1721080803!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Follow Live: JD Vance officially nominated at RNC
The Republican National Convention kicked off this week, with delegates and officials descending on Wisconsin amid the tumult that follows a Saturday assassination attempt on Trump as he becomes the GOP’s official nominee. Follow for live updates of the RNC.
'Somebody who knows Canada well': Ambassador says of Trump running mate JD Vance
Canada's ambassador to the United States says Sen. JD Vance, the recently announced pick for former U.S. president and Republican nominee Donald Trump's running mate, 'knows Canada well.'
Trucker who caused Broncos crash applies to have permanent resident status returned
The truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash has applied to have his permanent resident status returned.
Sask. TikTok star Bella Brave dies after latest hospitalization
Sask. TikTok star "Be Brave" Bella Thomson has died. She was 10-years-old.
Manitoba man who rammed gates of Rideau Hall granted statutory release
A Manitoba man who armed himself and rammed the gates of Rideau Hall with a truck in 2020 to confront Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been granted statutory release.
Motive of man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump remains elusive
Former U.S. president Donald Trump called for unity and resilience after an attempt on his life injected fresh uncertainty into an already tumultuous presidential campaign, while President Joe Biden implored Americans to 'cool it down' in the final stretch and 'resolve our differences at the ballot box.'
'Balaclava rapist' Larry Takahashi gets full parole more than 40 years after attacks
A serial sex offender known as the "balaclava rapist" for attacking 23 women in Edmonton more than 40 years ago has been granted full parole while he continues to serve three concurrent life sentences.
Who is JD Vance? Things to know about Donald Trump's pick for vice president
Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio to be his running mate as he looks to return to the White House.
NFL Hall of Famer says he was unjustly handcuffed and 'humiliated' on a flight
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said Monday he was 'humiliated' after being handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight, then later apologized to by law enforcement, over the weekend.
Local Spotlight
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6964378.1721061085!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Sudbury's Big Nickel celebrates its 60th birthday
An event July 22 at Dynamic Earth in Sudbury will mark the 60th anniversary of the iconic Big Nickel, the largest coin in the world.
Cyclist riding across Canada for children's charity stops in Montreal
Cyclist Jagjeet Singh cruised through Montreal on Sunday morning as he rides across the country to raise money for a children's charity.
Rare marine fossil found in eastern Saskatchewan
A rare ammonite fossil – about 75 million years old - has been discovered in eastern Saskatchewan.
Ontario dad highlights Calgary Flames' act of kindness
Seven-year-old goalie Hudson Hardill is an unlikely Calgary Flames fan, being that he lives in Peterborough, Ont., and his dad Chris is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.
'I nearly died': WestJet employee and Spice Girls superfan dances with Mel C
A WestJet employee's chance encounter on a recent flight spiced up her life in a big way.
He thought his gnomes were stolen. But then a secret society returned them
A Kelowna, B.C., man says he's always liked gnomes because they have a 'bit of mystery' to them. And he recently got a taste of that whimsy when his garden gnomes disappeared, and came back to him in a peculiar fashion.
Toronto's iconic 'Leslieville dollhouse' set to hit the market on Thursday
After more than 50 years, Toronto's iconic 'Leslieville dollhouse' will soon have a new owner.
Little free Blockbuster set up in Winnipeg
One man is bringing a blast from the past to a Winnipeg community.
'Her whole future ahead of her': Sask. photographer captures Manitoba graduate posing on iceberg
Some say a photograph is simply a memory frozen in time – and a high school graduation photo taken in Churchill, Man. takes that adage to a completely new level.