Ponoka—Didsbury's candidates' promises on Indigenous Peoples and Nations

Drinking water in Indigenous communities

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Fix the basics first. Clean water is non-negotiable. Fund infrastructure, not virtue signalling bureaucracy.

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

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Support Indigenous entrepreneurship. Cut red tape unleash local resource development.

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Protect kids. End ideological experiments. Fund strong families, not state overreach.

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Let communities lead. Fund direct care, mental health support, and addiction recovery—not federal red tape.

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Build homes—not departments. Fast-track local housing solutions controlled by Indigenous communities.

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 mental health

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Get serious. Fund policing, end catch-and-release, and crush organized crime exploiting 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

Reconciliation

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Real reconciliation starts with truth, fairness, and opportunity—not empty gestures or guilt politics.

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

Grant Abraham

United candidate in your district

Respect self-governance. Empower Indigenous communities—not Ottawa—to chart their own economic and cultural future.

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