The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) is encouraging its members in the territory to get out and vote in the upcoming federal election.
“What we are doing is pretty much encouraging our membership to go to the polls to vote in this election,” said Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte. “And I guess the importance of their vote in this election.”
Hardlotte said on-reserve voting for band elections is always high and he wants members to do the same for the upcoming elections that affect our communities.
The grand council has a total of 40,000 members of which, 22,000 are eligible to vote.
“In the past many of us you know didn’t participate in the federal elections or even the provincial election,” he said. “But now we recognize that voting is one way we can influence the policy and legislative change.”
He also encouraged people to pay attention to what the candidates platforms are and the issues that affect our communities.
“We have many challenges in justice environmental of course a lot of climate change issues that our people care about and of course health,” he said.
Jordyn Burnouf, a member of Black Lake First Nation that is a part of PAGC, said she is paying attention to the platforms of each candidate before making a decision on who to vote for.
“I think theirs multiple issues that affect Indigenous communities missing and murdered indigenous women and girls is definitely one of those as well as the youth incarceration rates especially in Saskatchewan,” she said.
“Those statistics are staggering like it’s unbelievable and people don’t talk about it enough and that goes hand in hand with youth suicide rates.”
Metis film maker Marcel Petite says being proactive and voting is part of democracy and he’s been taking part in voting since he was 18.
He sees it as a way to help make changes to improve circumstances for people.
“Let’s talk about poverty and climate, climate is a big thing climate & poverty go almost hand in hand and we need to think about that stuff.”
Hardlotte says it’s important to get the message out to vote in our Indigenous languages.
He said the PAGC is now running PSA’s in Cree and Dene on MBC radio to help get the message out to take part in the upcoming federal election.”
