leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre Shortly after coming under fire for comments on residential schools and discrimination, his government said his government would conduct a “thorough investigation” into graves at former residential school sites, after speaking to a Winnipeg-based group.
poilievre spoke in a Frontier Center for Public Policy (FCPP) Lunch Inn winnipeg friday.
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The Winnipeg-based think tank ran radio ads in 2018 saying it was a myth that residential schools robbed Indigenous children of their childhoods.
Last summer, the center posted a commentary on its website saying that stories of residential schoolchildren being murdered and buried in secret were highly dubious if not outright false.
And last month, the Center posted an article arguing that anti-white male policies simply represent systemic discrimination.
Poilievre defended his decision to speak at the luncheon.
“We speak all the time with groups we disagree with,” Poilevre said in an interview with The Canadian Press after his speech.
Asked about his thoughts on reconciliation in an interview with Global News, Poilievre said that if elected, he would take “a different approach” to the efforts, and pledged his government would “not allow human remains”. Or will fully finance all investigations into it.” Sites of residential schools.
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He said he would work to bring clean drinking water to “every reserve and every community” by paying some of the contractors working on the installation of water systems that would continue to operate for years to come. ,
“Our First Nations people deserve clean drinking water,” he said.
Poilievre also promised to revisit the Canadian Indian Act, which he called “a disaster”.
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“It is a racist, colonial, hang-over that gives all control to self-serving and incompetent politicians, bears and lobbyists in Ottawa and takes control away from First Nations themselves,” he said.
“I want to make it easier for First Nations who want to opt out of the Indian Act to do so. So that they can control their money, their land, their resources and their decisions.
On Friday, Poilievre drew criticism on social media for his decision to speak at the FCP meeting.
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Federal Liberal cabinet minister Dan Vandal, who represents the Winnipeg riding of St. Boniface-St. Vital, accused Poilievre of promoting ideas and organizations that do not represent Winnipeg or Manitoba.
Federal Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations Mark Miller also criticized the Conservative leader.
“In 2008, Mr. Poilievre appropriately apologized for saying that residential school survivors, many of whom were of very advanced age, needed to learn the value of hard work. Today’s stunt raises questions on that apology.
Poilievre said his feelings were clear.
“I unequivocally support reconciliation and I believe that residential schools are an ugly and terrible blot on our history as a nation.”
Poilievre also hit back at his detractors, saying that in the past Liberal and NDP leaders have spoken to the Frontier Center.
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His staff provided examples, including former federal finance minister Paul Martin giving an interview to the center 21 years ago and former governor general and head of the Manitoba NDP Ed Schreier speaking at a center luncheon in 2013, 29 years after he Last held public office.
Poilievre compared the situation to federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh’s support of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government after Trudeau admitted to using blackface and brownface in costume during his younger days.
Frontier Center officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Poilievre’s speech was part of a day-long visit to Manitoba’s capital, where a by-election is expected soon in the Winnipeg South Center seat, which is held by Liberal member of parliament Jim Carr. who died in december,
The seat has a long Liberal tradition, although the Conservatives won it for one term in 2011.
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Poilievre said he would campaign in the riding and expressed optimism.
“I think people in Manitoba have had enough under Trudeau and they want change.”
— With files from Global’s Melissa Ridgeon and Steve Lambert at The Canadian Press
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