It's exciting watching Canada Vote today. Earlier, CBC interviewed someone from the First Nations, but it was seeing this tweet that made me aware of Canada's indigenous voters participating like they've never done before. Why? Get rid of Harper.
From CBC Aboriginal News: 3 reasons why First Nations voters are suddenly more engaged
Just a few weeks into the federal election, it's fair to say this campaign will see a dramatic rise in participation by indigenous voters... From the earliest days surrounding the introduction of voting, First Nation reaction has generally oscillated between apathy and outright hostility.
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So what changed?
Anyone but Conservative
Throughout Canada's modern history there have been few government's more hostile to indigneous concerns than the three led by Stephen Harper.
Nearly every piece of legislation affecting First Nations, from the Financial Transparency Act to matrimonial real property legislation and even the Safe Water Act has been passed unilaterally, without serious consultation.
• Harper rebuffs renewed calls for murdered, missing women inquiry
• First Nations Transparency Act may do more harm than good
• Bill C-51 has potential to scoop up aboriginal rights activists
• Dear Prime Minister, Elections Act not fair to First Nations
As well, criminal justice laws have led to rising incarceration rates, environmental policy has eroded treaty rights, funding for everything from political advocacy to healing foundations and homeless shelters has been dramatically cut, the Idle No More movement was ignored, and the response to missing and murdered indigenous women and girls has been essentially to blame indigenous men.
There is a widely held sentiment that First Nations must do what they can to oust Harper. [my emphasis]
more stories...
Meet the Winnipeg women working around the clock to rock the indigenous vote
[see video] "We have the power to change this," says Jackie Traverse.
And, that's the message that she, Sylvia Boudreau and Lisa Forbes have taken with them to Winnipeg streets and reserves across Manitoba in the name of one goal: To rock the indigenous vote.
Meet the women who are working around the clock to galvanize the community to come out to the polls on Oct. 19.
Rock The Vote Mobilizes Aboriginal Voters
Will all this effort turn into more actual voters come the big day? It will if Kirk Cameron has anything to do with it.
"We'll go pick them up and go grab them out of their house, steal them out of the shower," he said with a laugh.
Don't put it past them.