“The news of the 215 children found in a mass grave in Kamloops last week has been met with shock, pain, sadness, and anger across our country. First Nations, Survivors, their children, and grandchildren want action in response to this genocide,” said NDP MP Niki Ashton (Churchill-Keewatinook Aski). “Instead the Liberal government has failed to take responsibility. Members of Cabinet chose not to vote on our historic motion calling for meaningful action in solidarity with First Nations and in pursuit of justice.”
“Both the report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the report on Truth and Reconciliation, have been out for years, without being fully implemented by the Liberal government. While the Liberals have dragged their feet, Indigenous peoples continue to experience ongoing genocide and injustice,” said NDP MP Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre). “There is no reconciliation in the absence of justice. The government must act now to end systemic racism and discrimination.”
The NDP motion called on the Liberals to end their legal battle against First Nation children and accept the findings of the Human Rights Tribunal. New Democrats have also been pushing the Liberals to stop fighting St. Anne's Residential School survivors in court.
In addition to ending these legal proceedings, New Democrats have been asking the Liberal government to implement all of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions’ Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report’s Calls to Justice.
“This government can’t continue to say that their most important relationship is with Indigenous people when they are actively fighting them for recognition and compensation in the court system. Symbolic gestures and nice words mean nothing when the Liberals refuse to take real action,” added NDP MP Daniel Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona). “New Democrats will continue pushing for justice and real reconciliation with Indigenous people.”
MANITOBA—On Monday, MPs Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) and Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) demanded that the federal government take action to end child poverty, citing rising rates in the recently released Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card. Gazan and Ashton are calling on the government to implement a national school lunch program and a framework for a guaranteed, livable basic income (GLBI).
WINNIPEG – Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan, the NDP’s critic for Women and Gender Equality, is reiterating Jagmeet Singh’s call on the Trudeau Liberals to cover contraception costs as part of the party’s push for a universal pharmacare framework.
“Contraceptives are an essential part of reproductive health for women and gender diverse people,” said Gazan.