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`Trudeau has kept his word'

Liberal re-election allows strong ties with MMF to continue: Chartrand

DAVE BAXTER Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The president of the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) says he is happy to see that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals will remain in power in Canada, because of how strong he said the relationship continues to be between MMF and the Liberals.

“Prime Minister Trudeau has kept his word to the Métis Nation, he has kept his commitments, and we have never in our history seen a Prime Minister devote so much time to our file,” MMF president David Chartrand said on Tuesday, one day after Justin Trudeau and the Liberals formed their second straight minority government in Canada.

“The Métis Nation matters to him, the citizens of Red River who founded this province are finally being included in Confederation and to where we belong. It's just a great feeling to have a government that understands and wants to make a difference, but that also backs up its words.”

Chartrand cited the recent signing of the Manitoba Métis Self-government Recognition and Implementation Agreement, which recognizes MMF as the government of the Manitoba Métis, as an example of what he said has been “promises kept” from Trudeau and the Liberals, and he now says he hopes for more of the same.

“The Red River Métis can anticipate the continuation of our nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationship with Canada, a model that has delivered positive results for our community,” Chartrand said.

Conservative candidate Erin O'toole promised a more moderate Conservative government than recent ones in this country, but

Chartrand said he did not believe that the Conservative leader would have stuck to many of his more moderate promises if elected, because he believes that “voices” in the Conservative party would have pulled O'toole farther and farther to the political right.

“When you look at the people he has surrounded himself with there are some that don't believe in climate change or some that are anti-vaccination, and sooner or later these people are going to be coming out of the sheds and telling him what they really want to see for this country,” Chartrand said.

“So it was like he was playing both sides, and that is dangerous.” Chartrand added

he believes it was the moment last week when Alberta announced strict COVID-19 health mandates because of a surge in COVID-19 cases and O'toole refused to criticize Alberta's response to the pandemic that solidified for him that the Conservative leader was “trying to have it both ways.”

“If you are going to be a political party then you have to stand for something and stand strongly for it, and O'toole was shifting his platform as fast as the wind was blowing,” Chartrand said.

“I just never once felt I really got to know what his true politics are.”

Chartrand added that of the 15 priorities the MMF put forward for this election, he said the Conservatives were the only party that would not officially commit to any of the 15.

“And that is what upset me the most,” Chartrand said.

Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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2021-09-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

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