Chief critical of Trudeau’s comments
Prime minister said First Nations young people need youth centres
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent comments about youth centres on First Nations reserves were “dismissive,” says Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas.
Thomas attended Trudeau’s town hall meeting in Saskatoon on Wednesday night and asked the prime minister what he would do to ensure a strong relationship between the federal government and First Nations people.
Trudeau told Thomas and the 500-plus others in attendance that the relationship is of “fundamental importance” and that the federal government wants to make sure it’s building the capacity of First Nations and “truly empowering young people.”
A number of chiefs he has talked to said they need a youth centre with “TVs and lounges and sofas so (youth) can hang around,” Trudeau said. “When a chief says that to me, I pretty much know that they haven’t actually talked to their young people,” he said. “Because most of the young people I’ve talked to are asking for a place to store their canoes and paddles so they can connect back out on the land and a place with Internet access so they can do their homework in a meaningful way because their homes are often too crowded and they need a place to work and study.”
Thomas said the remarks were “dismissive” and out of place.
“It strikes me as odd that you would bypass the democratic system that you created to talk to people that don’t represent anybody but themselves. That’s like not talking to the Government of Saskatchewan on certain issues and going directly to people in the community or not talking to the City of Saskatoon on civic and municipal affairs and going directly to the citizens of Saskatoon. There’s got to be some respect for First Nations leadership in that matter.”
Thomas also said he was disappointed Trudeau did not arrange to meet with him, given that the prime minister organized meetings with Saskatoon city council and the University of Saskatchewan.
Trudeau continued his listening tour Thursday with stops in Regina and Winnipeg.