Edmonton West's candidates' promises on Indigenous Peoples and Nations

Drinking water in Indigenous communities

Liberal

Immediately introduce and pass legislation affirming that First Nations have a human right to clean drinking water

We don't have any Conservative policies on Drinking water in Indigenous communities.

NDP

Make new investments in clean water infrastructure and support Indigenous-led water management programmes

"We will end all long-term boil water advisories on First Nations. The Liberals promised this would be done by 2021, but too many communities are still waiting. To do this we will make new investments in clean water infrastructure and support Indigenous-led water management training programs." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Indigenous access to post-secondary schooling

Liberal

Launch a $25M/year fund to support partnerships between Indigenous communities and schools, training centres, and colleges to advance access to skills training and education opportunities

"Launch a new Indigenous Pathways to Prosperity Skills and Training Fund which will support partnerships between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations, schools, training centres, and colleges to advance access to skills training and education opportunities. This will support the training of more First Nations, Inuit, and Métis doctors, teachers, and builders, amongst other priority areas identified by partners." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22
Invest in Indigenous-led post-secondary education institutions, and accelerate funding for access to post-secondary education

"Accelerate funding for access to post-secondary education so more First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students can go to school and invest in associated infrastructure. Cost should not the barrier. We will also invest in Indigenous-led post-secondary education institutions such as the Inuit Nunangat University and the First Nations University." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous access to post-secondary schooling.

NDP

Provide post-secondary financial assistance for children who grew up in care

"This will include financial assistance and increased opportunities for children who grew up in care, and improved distance education." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Indigenous businesses and economic opportunity

Liberal

Double the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program to $10B and expand it to support more infrastructure, transportation, and trade projects

"Double the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 to $10 billion and expand it to support more Indigenous-led infrastructure, transportation and trade projects across the country. This will make it easier for more Indigenous communities to become owners of major resource projects;" — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-16

Conservative

Establish a Canadian Indigenous Opportunities Corporation, led by Indigenous people, to offer loan guarantees for Indigenous communities

" A Conservative Government will establish the Canadian Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (CIOC), led by Indigenous people, to offer loan guarantees for Indigenous communities. It will operate under the First Nations Financial Management Act, similar to other Indigenous financial institutions." — conservative.ca, retrieved 2025-04-17

NDP

Provide dedicated regional economic support for Indigenous communities
Create a Northern Infrastructure Fund
Expand the Northern Resident Deduction to include more remote regions, including Haida Gwaii

Indigenous children

We don't have any Liberal policies on Indigenous children.

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous children.

NDP

Guarantee long-term and predictable funding in legislation for child welfare systems under Indigenous jurisdiction

"We will respect, support and resource Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare systems. Long-term and predictable funding will be guaranteed in legislation, and we will work with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society to implement the Spirit Bear Plan." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Negotiate with the National Children's Chiefs Commission on long-term reform for First Nations Child and Family services

"Negotiating with the National Children’s Chiefs Commission to negotiate the necessary long-term reform for First Nations Child and Family Services;" — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Provide permanent, consistent, and predictable funding for the Inuit Child First Initiative
Invest in more staff and better case management to address the backlog in Jordan's Principle applications

"Address the backlog in Jordan’s Principle applications by investing in more staff and better case management," — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Build proper school facilities on reserves

"We will ensure that every child has a safe place to learn, and we will implement Shannon’s (sic) Dream so that no student is forced to learn in a dangerous environment. And we will work to incorporate traditional knowledge into our contemporary education system." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Indigenous health

We don't have any Liberal policies on Indigenous health.

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous health.

NDP

Make new investments in healthcare infrastructure, medical supplies, and diagnostic equipment in Indigenous communities

"We will step up to close the health gap in Indigenous communities and bring health care closer to home. Indigenous people have an equal right to the highest standard of physical and mental health, with a right to access traditional medicines. New investments in healthcare infrastructure, medical supplies and diagnostic equipment will help meet people’s needs in their communities." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Indigenous housing

We don't have any Liberal policies on Indigenous housing.

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous housing.

NDP

Support Nunavut's request to build 3,000 homes in the territory by 2030
Take a for-Indigenous, by-Indigenous approach to housing
Increase the federal commitment to Indigenous housing by $2B/year

Indigenous infrastructure

Liberal

Allow the Canada Infrastructure Bank to support more kinds of projects in line with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis priorities

"Expand the kinds of projects the Canada Infrastructure Bank can support to be more in line with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis priorities." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22
Consider creating an Indigenous Infrastructure Bank

"Explore options for an Indigenous Infrastructure Bank to address access to capital." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22
Realise First Nations control over First Nations infrastructure wherever possible through models like the First Nations Atlantic Water Authority

"Realize First Nations control over First Nations infrastructure wherever possible through models like the First Nations Atlantic Water Authority." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous infrastructure.

We don't have any NDP policies on Indigenous infrastructure.

Indigenous languages

Liberal

Support community-driven projects to restore, protect, and promote Indigenous languages

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous languages.

We don't have any NDP policies on Indigenous languages.

Indigenous mental health

Liberal

Increase investments for Indigenous mental health, healing, and wellness centres, and friendship centres

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous mental health.

NDP

Invest in Indigenous healing centres and healers
Launch a new action-plan to prevent suicide

Indigenous women and girls

We don't have any Liberal policies on Indigenous women and girls.

We don't have any Conservative policies on Indigenous women and girls.

NDP

Expand the Red Dress Alert to cover the entire country, ensuring the public is notified when an Indigenous woman, girl, or gender-diverse person goes missing

"We will expand the Red Dress Alert to ensure it covers the entire country. This important measure will ensure the public is notified when an Indigenous woman, girl, or gender-diverse person goes missing so they can be brought home safely." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Ensure full gender equality for First Nations, including the right to pass on the ability to qualify for Indian status registration

"We will ensure full gender equality for First Nations, including the right to pass on the ability to qualify for Indian status registration." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19

Northern food security

Liberal

Co-develop evidence-based food security approaches to replace Nutrition North

"Co-develop evidence-based food security approaches to replace Nutrition North Canada with Inuit and Northern Indigenous leaders. The affordability crisis that all Canadians are feeling is even more extreme in Northern communities. Concrete action that brings real results must be taken to bring down prices and increase access." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

We don't have any Conservative policies on Northern food security.

We don't have any NDP policies on Northern food security.

Reconciliation

Liberal

Support Indigenous communities to uncover unmarked and undocumented graves and burial sites at residential schools

"Move forward on the important work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and support Indigenous communities to uncover unmarked and undocumented graves and burial sites at residential schools." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22
Implement the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the Action Plan

We don't have any Conservative policies on Reconciliation.

NDP

Provide long-term funding to search for grave sites at former residential schools
Work with nations and survivors to commemorate children who died at residential schools
Introduce legislation to combat residential school denialism

"We will introduce legislation to combat residential school denialism—because truth is essential to reconciliation, and survivors deserve more than words. The House of Commons has unanimously recognized that the residential school system was a genocide, deliberately designed to erase Indigenous cultures, languages, families, and identities. Survivors and their families must be protected from hate and historical erasure." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Appoint a special prosecutor to investigate crimes against Indigenous peoples through the residential school system, with a mandate to access documents

"We will appoint a special prosecutor to investigate crimes against Indigenous peoples through the residential school system. This special prosecutor would have a mandate to access necessary documents from religious institutions as well as government departments such as the Justice Department and Indigenous services." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Support community-driven healing initiatives to address emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental harm from the residential school system

"We will support community-driven healing initiatives aimed at addressing the emotional, physical, spiritual and mental harm inflicted upon communities and children inside the residential school system." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Launch a national inquiry into systemic violence and racism against Indigenous people within Canadian institutions

Self-determination

Liberal

Support Indigenous-led process for advancing self-determination and jurisdiction in areas such as education, health, child and family services, and community safety and policing

"Support Indigenous-led processes for advancing self-determination and the exercise of jurisdiction in priority areas such as education, health, child and family services as well as community safety and policing." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22
Increase lands added to reserves within the next four years, and speed up additions

"Increase lands added to reserves within the next four years and work with First Nations to accelerate additions to reserve." — liberal.ca, retrieved 2025-04-22

We don't have any Conservative policies on Self-determination.

NDP

Support First Nations building or re-building their governance structures

"We will recognize and respect treaties, and we will support any Nations building or re-building their governance structures." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Respect Inuit self-determination and co-develop the Arctic Policy Framework

"We will respect Inuit self-determination, co-developing the Arctic Policy Framework and addressing the massive infrastructure deficit in Northern communities." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Recognise Métis self-determination and pursue government-to-government negotiations on issues like self-government, education, housing, and health
Ensure equitable access and self-determination over land, culture, language, housing, childcare, income security, employment, education, and health

"We will ensure equitable access and self-determination over land, culture, language, housing, child care, income security, employment, education, and physical, mental, sexual, and spiritual health." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19
Fund on-reserve emergency management and prevention, including firefighting
Ensure Indigenous leadership is at the table and part of any decision-making regarding trade negotiations with the United States

"We will ensure that Indigenous leadership are at the table and part of any decision-making when it comes to Canada’s trade negotiations with Donald Trump’s administration." — ndp.ca, retrieved 2025-04-19