APTN National News
OTTAWA--Prime Minister Stephen Harper called on the NDP Thursday to back his government’s efforts to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in the country.
Harper was responding to an NDP attack in question period over his government’s plans to cut government spending.
NDP interim leader Nycole Turmel used her second question during the daily allotted time for quizzing government ministers to highlight the impact of Aboriginal poverty on the rest of the country.
“The National Council of Welfare says (that) the high unemployment of Aboriginals is costing Canada’s economy more than $35 billion a year in lost production and billions more in lost tax revenue,” said Turmel. “When will the government invest in communities instead of cutting public services?”
Harper responded by saying his government had invested in Aboriginal communities.
“We made important infrastructure investment in Aboriginal communities in the most recent budget, measures that are still finding their way through Parliament,” said Harper. “WE have made important investments specifically in training Aboriginal people for the jobs that do exist.”
Harper then said the NDP should support his government’s agenda.
“I think what Canadians, Aboriginal Canadians would especially support would be if the NDP supported those positive measures for Aboriginal Canadians,” said Harper.
The question period exchange came as Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo and other chiefs launched a lobbying campaign of MPs on Parliament Hill in an attempt to push Indigenous issues up the ladder of political priorities.
