Jaime Battiste says he likes to think he was loyal to the end.
But in recent days, the Mi’kmaw MP says he, too, began to have doubts about whether his embattled boss, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, was still the right person to lead the party into the election battle.
And so, amid infighting, electoral defeats and a drop in the polls, it was no surprise to Battiste, also president of the Liberal indigenous group, when Trudeau announced on Monday his decision to close Parliament until March and resign once he the liberals choose a successor.
“When Canadian voters tell you something, as politicians you have to listen,” Battiste said.
“And I respect the prime minister’s decision. I know there were many people who called for his removal. As president of the indigenous group, I didn’t think it was necessary or I didn’t have the leadership of my group to make that call.”
Some Indigenous leaders are reacting to Trudeau’s announcement by praising him for his commitment to reconciliation, while others are expressing disappointment over unfinished business and unfulfilled promises.
Trudeau’s decision to prorogue the legislature will kill key bills affecting Indigenous people, including bills to provide clean water to First Nations and recognize Métis governments in three provinces.
Battiste called it disheartening to see the long-promised water bill die. But Trudeau already knew this and no one was surprised by the decision, he added.
“A lot of these things that were put on the table may just be missed opportunities now, and that’s the unfortunate part of all of this,” Battiste said.
“But I think everyone saw that this was a possibility, and it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this.”
What was on the table included a federal offer of nearly $48 billion over 10 years to reform the child welfare system on reservations, which chiefs rejected in the fall in favor of renegotiation.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) called on Canada to return to the table with a new cabinet mandate, but the Liberal Party will now find itself mired in a leadership race, which may mean even greater uncertainty for that process.
Abram Benedict, AFN’s regional chief for Ontario, expects work on the child welfare front to stall now that the prime minister has signaled his intention to step down.
“That really now stops all government business, so we’re going to have to deal with that. You know, we’re disappointed,” he said.
AFN national head Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who worked on Trudeau’s 2015 federal election campaign, praised the prime minister.
“During his decade in power, Justin Trudeau has done more to help improve the quality of life for First Nations than any prime minister in the history of this country,” Woodhouse Nepinak wrote on social media.
‘Unprecedented access’
Inuit leaders also enjoyed the kind of cabinet access under Trudeau that was unusual under previous Canadian leaders, said Natan Obed, president of the national Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami organization. He said the prime minister built real connections with Inuit in communities across all four regions of his homeland.
“The prime minister and ministers within this government have given leaders unprecedented access to time and resources to be able to do the much-needed work that needs to be done,” Obed said.
David Chartrand, president of the Métis Federation of Manitoba, said he believes Trudeau made the right decision.
“I will also say openly, from the indigenous world, that I believe we have never seen a prime minister like him in our history. I have been in office for almost 30 years as president,” he said.
“Even Paul Martin was a very close friend of mine. I’ve never seen a prime minister do so much.”
The Federation, which is the recognized government of the Red River Métis, recently signed a modern treaty for a Métis government. But with Parliament suspended, the Liberals cannot introduce legislation to ratify the treaty.
Chartrand laments that Trudeau never followed through on his promise to resolve the Manitoba Métis land claim, though he believes there is still time to deliver.
“He said he regrets it… They are still a functioning government, even though they have been extended. They are still a government,” he said.
Trudeau also has his critics, including his own former justice minister and attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, the first Indigenous person to hold that position.
She resigned from cabinet and was kicked out of caucus during the SNC Lavalin scandal in 2019. On social media, she said Trudeau “didn’t look like he wanted to leave.” [and] unfortunately he was not too kind”, but now the country can turn the page.
“I hope to see an elevation in our discourse beyond petty, toxic partisanship and a reinvigorated focus on developing strong public policies to guide our future,” he said.
What will happen in the coming months as the Liberals select a leader is the subject of speculation. The three main opposition parties expressed their desire to hold elections as soon as possible.
Chartrand suggested those parties could sing a different tune in March, while Obed said he intends to focus on figuring out what work can be done in the run-up to the spring budget season.
