My Ideal Candidate…

As young people and their supporters march in the streets demanding climate action now, and as Mother Earth reels under the impacts of human activity, this election is critical for all people who live in Canada.

But oddly, I am finding it hard to get involved, join the fray and be vocal and critical or supportive.

I am so very tired of the drama about who lied about their background, who did what and when. I just want to rise above that crap and focus on important things, things that matter to our existence here on Earth.

This election is about more than the issues. It is about who you believe will actually do what they say. Who will actually keep their promises.

Election promises can be so empty. Actions and doing what you say you are going to do are what matter.

And as a voter, you have to try and decide which candidate will actually do that.

When Justin Trudeau was campaigning in 2015, he made so many positive promises concerning Indigenous peoples. He said he would implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right of free, prior and informed consent before development in their territories, and that their no would mean no.

Then he made decisions on projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that ignored the declaration’s principles and forced First Nations back to the courts, saying he was justified because the project was in the “public interest.”

Four years ago, Trudeau said that relationships with Indigenous peoples would be critical to the federal government. This time, he forgot to even mention us when he opened his campaign. He promised reconciliation but left legislation on the UN declaration, languages and children and families to the last minute so it had to be rushed and did not reflect what Indigenous people really wanted and needed.

So based on his track record, we know Trudeau doesn’t do much of what he says he will do. He did get the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women completed, but now the question is whether the recommendations will be implemented.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer says he won’t allow “one group of individuals” — a dismissive way to describe First Nations — to hold development projects “hostage.”

That’s why he won’t accept the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, he says. He’s clear about being determined to ignore our rights. I’ve seen nothing to indicate that reconciliation and a nation-to-nation approach are even words in his vocabulary.

So with Scheer, you know he will do what he says — at least to First Nations people. That will mean ignoring Indigenous rights and title, reversing any progress and plunging relations with Indigenous peoples back into the dark ages.

When Stephen Harper was running, I warned First Nations people to vote to keep him out, as we would be in for really tough times if he became prime minister. We suffered under his government and are still trying to recover. Scheer would just bring more of the same suffering.

Green leader Elizabeth May has always been strong, feisty and outspoken about many issues, including climate change. She is fighting to make the Green party vital in Canada and has made many inroads. She does what she says she will do.

Jagmeet Singh is a relatively new person on the political scene, and it is hard to determine his track record and how he carries out his election promises. But he has been supportive of Indigenous initiatives and working out the historical wrongs.

Climate action is one of the most important, urgent issues we face. Yet the Liberals and Conservatives seem to think jobs and money are more important than reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking action to protect our ability to survive on this planet.

As this election campaign unfolds, I’ve chosen to focus on finding information about the parties’ platforms. I’ve refused to be drawn into the drama, scandal and putdowns, which only show how nasty people can be, and the values of some candidates. I am weighing things based on my research and what I see and know of the parties and their leaders.

My ideal candidate for prime minister would commit to implementing court rulings on our rights and working with Indigenous peoples on the best ways to do that. Instead of constantly appealing court decisions and trampling on our rights by approving projects on our territories without our consent, an ideal government would recognize those rights and work with Indigenous peoples.

My ideal candidate would take effective, immediate action on climate change and work with First Nations on preparing to mitigate its effects. That would include plans to build appropriate housing with materials that resist fire, prepare for flooding, construct zero-emission buildings and transition from fossil fuel-based energy. We need action to prepare for emergencies today, not some plan for the distant future.

The ideal candidate would know how to work with Indigenous peoples in implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Their government would recognize Indigenous rights and title. They would know that free, prior and informed consent is essential before any developments in our territories are approved.

I recognize that there is no perfect candidate, so I have to choose one who comes closest to really embracing the things I want to see for the future.

I wish the many Indigenous candidates success in their efforts to change politics and the government of Canada. But they are subject to party discipline and must support the policies of their parties, even if they harm First Nations people (With the exception of the Greens, which allows MPs to vote based on their beliefs and the interests of their ridings). We saw this with Jody Wilson-Raybould.

I know how I will vote in this election. I know the candidate of my choice works tirelessly on the important issues. He never stops asking how he can help and goes out to do what you ask. He does what he says he will do.

For me, it is about the person, not the party. For this election, that’s the best choice I can make.

And that’s what I hope we will all do — rise above the campaign attacks and slurs and make decisions that are good for us, the future and the world we live in.