Pierre Poilievre to Attend Annual Assembly of First Nations for the First Time as Conservative Leader

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party, is set to attend the upcoming annual general assembly of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) for the first time. The event is scheduled to take place in Montreal next month, where Poilievre will deliver a speech.

During the assembly, Poilievre will also engage in a question-and-answer session with the First Nations chiefs, some of whom have expressed skepticism regarding his promises of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Poilievre had previously assured Indigenous leaders that, if he were to become prime minister, he would not hinder their efforts, especially when it comes to promoting economic growth within their communities.

The Conservative leader’s participation in the annual assembly in July comes as the newly-elected National Chief, Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, seeks to build bridges within the party following tensions with previous Conservative governments.

Earlier this year, Nepinak expressed her optimism that Poilievre would collaborate with First Nations communities if elected, highlighting the frustration felt by young Indigenous individuals during Stephen Harper‘s tenure.

Poilievre’s previous address to the AFN in December 2022, via a video message, was met with some boos from attendees at the extraordinary assembly.

At the event, Chief Scott McLeod of the Nipissing First Nation took the floor to caution against showing such videos to survivors of residential schools, garnering applause from the audience.

Many Indigenous individuals remember Poilievre for his remarks on the day Harper offered Canada‘s apologies to residential school survivors in the House of Commons in 2008.

In an interview with CFRA radio prior to the formal apologies, Poilievre expressed uncertainty about the adequacy of the compensations provided to former Indigenous students who were compelled to attend federal residential schools. He later issued an apology for his comments.

Poilievre has since attempted to make inroads with First Nations, including proposing a measure earlier this year that would allow these communities to collect taxes from the natural resources industry directly, aiming to expedite project negotiations and approvals. This proposal was developed by the Commission on First Nations Taxation, an independent entity, and subsequently presented to the Conservative Party.