First Nation chiefs receive 4 out of 5 survey responses from political parties
As the province heads into an election next month, chiefs of five Wolastoqey First Nations are still waiting for one political party to respond to a series of questions they had about important issues in their communities.
While the governing Liberals, Green Party, New Democrats Party and the People's Alliance Party all responded to the survey, First Nations chiefs are still waiting on New Brunswick's Progressive Conservatives.
Each party had a month to respond to the survey and the PCs missed the deadline by a few days.
Allan Polchies Jr., who was recently elected chief of St. Mary's First Nation, said it's a sign the party doesn't take the First Nations seriously.
"The Conservative party has been around a very long time. This is not their first rodeo," Polchies said.
"So, to get a survey from the First Nations that have been here for thousands of years, come on now, respond back to the people."
"We're part of this province. And they want our support here in the province? They need to engage with us. That's how you move forward."
Response is on way
Nicole Carlin, a PC spokesperson, told CBC News the party had been working on a response, and there was never an intention not to respond.
She added the chiefs would receive the party's response on Friday.
The questions were asked by chiefs in St Mary's, Tobique, Oromocto, Kingsclear and Madawaska Maliseet First Nations.
In their survey, they covered topics like health and wellness, economic development and future of resource revenue sharing in New Brunswick.
Madawaska Maliseet First Nation Chief Patricia Bernard said First Nations have been a growing resource in the province for years.
"It's time for the province to understand the more successful First Nations are, the more successful New Brunswick will be."
And revenue sharing is an important part of that, she said.
A need for relationship building
The chiefs said it was important to have each party's position on different issues on the record.
The survey was the first of its kind, Tobique First Nation Chief Ross Perley said.
Meanwhile, another portion of survey questions will be sent out and discussed again in early September.
"It's important that the parties know that they have to have a policy on Indigenous issues. I can't remember another election before this that our issues were a part of any of the parties' platforms."
Oromocto First Nation Chief Shelley Sabattis said it was time for relationship building between government and First Nations communities in New Brunswick.
"That's what we are looking for, relationship building," she said.
"We want our voices to be heard. We represent our communities and we have to report back … and at the end of the day, we want to report something positive."
