Justin Trudeau refuses to show up to vote on motion to stop fighting Indigenous children and Residential School Survivors in court

While Justin Trudeau says nice things about reconciliation, he didn’t even bother to show up to vote on a motion that told him to stop spending millions of dollars fighting Indigenous children and residential school survivors in court

OTTAWA – Canadians across the country were devastated by the discovery of 215 Indigenous children buried at a former Residential School in Kamloops. In the name of genuine reconciliation, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh presented an Opposition Day Motion calling on Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to stop fighting Indigenous children and residential school survivors in court. Today, Justin Trudeau and his cabinet refused to show up to vote on a motion that asked him to stop injustices by his government against Indigenous people.
“Indigenous kids and Residential School survivors, their families and communities feel betrayed and insulted by Justin Trudeau and his government,” said Singh. “They are demanding real action to bring about genuine reconciliation, not just words and symbolic gestures. By refusing to even show up and vote on the motion, Justin Trudeau is confirming that he will continue to fight residential school survivors and Indigenous kids in courts. Not only is he violating their rights, but he is also dragging his feet on implementing the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. People are exhausted by Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government’s symbolic actions.”
The NDP Opposition Day Motion called on Justin Trudeau to end his legal battles against Indigenous children and accept the findings of the Human Rights Tribunal. It also called on his government to end their legal battle against the survivors of the St. Anne’s Residential School. Six years after the release of the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), only a fraction have been implemented. The process of implementing these measures must be accelerated without delay. The NDP Opposition Day Motion also calls on the Liberals to table, within 10 days, a progress report on actions taken.
“Indigenous people should not have to continue to wait for their rights to be recognized and respected by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government,” said Singh. “This falls on the shoulders of Justin Trudeau and his government. Their inaction is hurting Indigenous kids, survivors of Residential Schools, their families and communities. New Democrats will continue to fight for Indigenous people and the justice and genuine reconciliation they deserve and will continue to push the Liberal government to uphold their rights.”