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Music NB awards should include aboriginal category, exec says

The executive director of Music New Brunswick says next year's music awards should include a category for First Nations artists.

Jean Surette was responding to comments by Tobique First Nation musician Gary Sappier during an interview with CBC's Information Morning in Fredericton earlier this week.

Sappier contends leaving aboriginal artists out was a serious omission and there should be more recognition for aboriginal artists.

Surette says things will change.

"I think it's time for us here to be able to offer something and propose those opportunities," he said.

"Artists in the aboriginal community, in the last couple of years, it's like an explosion of talent. We saw it this year at the ECMAs. Out of the five nominees, four were from New Brunswick, and when I saw that this year, it really floored me."

Surette says a category for aboriginal artists was considered when the awards were created five years ago.

But organizers were worried about creating too many categories at the start, and decided to focus on style of music and language sung, he said.

The 2014 Music NB awards were held in Fredericton Oct. 16-19.