The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Ian Lafrenière, says he “completely disagrees” with the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador (AFNQL), for whom the results of the Coalition Avenir Québec are “historically disappointing” in terms of relations with indigenous communities.
Posted at 1:28 p.m.
Passing through the Mohawk community of Akwesasne on Thursday to announce new investments to counter arms smuggling, Ian Lafrenière responded to a very critical open letter published by the Chief of the AFNQL, Ghislain Picard.
“We all agree, we will not settle 400 years of history in a few weeks, in a few months and even in a few years”, first admitted the minister, adding that “where I completely disagree, it is about what has been done so far”.
Citing, among other things, the “170 million announcements in the field”, the “two bills tabled by the Secretariat for Indigenous Affairs” since taking office in October 2020, Ian Lafrenière believes “to be there” .
“Tinted by Arrogance”
Photo François Roy, THE PRESS
Ghislain Picard
In his letter, Ghislain Picard deplores that the relations between the First Nations and the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) are “tainted sometimes by arrogance, sometimes by contempt, paternalism or the flagrant lack of consideration for our realities”.
He criticizes the government for abandoning its commitment to include the notion of cultural safety in the Act respecting health services and social services (LSS), the fact that he rejected several recommendations of the AFNQL with regard to youth protection and the subjection of Aboriginal communities to the An Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French.
“Our approach has always been one of good faith and an outstretched hand. Faced with so many rebuffs and such a disappointing record, we have now chosen to make ourselves heard,” he concluded, adding that he wanted to play “an active role” in the electoral campaign next fall.