Indigenous ministers tasked with solving country’s biggest challenges — oh, the irony

Opinion

It is ironic a country that has treated Indigenous women so badly is now asking two of them to save it.

The swearing-in of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet was so full of historical “firsts” and fascinating moments, one could barely keep track.

Take, for example, the sight of a record number of Indigenous cabinet ministers (three), who will represent the interests of Canada and the British Crown while being sworn in by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon — the first Indigenous person to represent the monarch.

Or, try the swearing in of Buckley Belanger, who is Métis, as secretary of state for rural development. In a never-before-seen moment, and before taking his oath of office and stating his allegiance to King Charles III, the new secretary introduced himself to Canada by speaking first in Cree, talking about his home.

As the lone Liberal MP and cabinet member from Saskatchewan, Belanger will now be his home’s diplomat, advocate and face on the national stage.

A province that was the site of genocide for Indigenous peoples during the Northwest Resistance in 1885 and has a track record of violence against Indigenous men (not to mention a flirtation with separatism) is now represented by an Indigenous face.

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How about the fact all three Indigenous members of cabinet represent northern ridings — areas and communities often overlooked in past cabinets, long accused of being centred around urban MPs and issues?

Or, try this: for the first time, when the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Cindy Woodhouse-Nepinak, meets with Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty, it will be two women making decisions on how First Nations and the Canadian government will interact.

Add in Mandy Gull-Masty, Canada’s new Indigenous Services minister, and that’s three women making the most important decisions when it comes to First Nations.

Speaking of Gull-Masty, she is part of the appointment of two Indigenous women to arguably some of the most critical positions in cabinet.

Gull-Masty is the first Indigenous person to lead any Indigenous-specific portfolio. She’s used to being a first, as the first woman to serve as grand chief of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee). She will also bring a never-before-seen sensibility to Indigenous Services Canada because she is someone who has lived, worked and led in a First Nation.

The department of Indigenous Services is mandated to help First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities obtain services they have legal rights to while ensuring Indigenous communities and governments function appropriately and legally.

This is an almost impossible job, with many competing challenges.

As my Cree colleague Doug Cuthand wrote in his column in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, when anyone “joins the Department of Indigenous Services, you must serve either the government or the Indigenous people.” In past years, Cuthand writes, “the department has been practising neo-colonialism.”

Gull-Masty, as a First Nations citizen and Indigenous woman, has definitely had first-hand experience with violence, marginalization and inheriting her share of Canadian neo-colonialism. Time will tell whether the new minister will serve government, Indigenous peoples, or some other, never-before-seen middle ground.

That brings me to Rebecca Chartrand (Anishinaabe, Ininew, Métis) and her appointment as northern and Arctic affairs minister and the minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).

As I pointed out in my newsletter this week, Chartrand is the key to Carney’s future plans. As the lone Manitoba voice in cabinet, she not only represents the province but one of the largest ridings in Canada, with more than 20 First Nation and Métis communities where nearly 80 per cent of the electorate identify as Indigenous.

Alongside Belanger, whose riding has comparable demographics, Chartrand will serve a similar role as Canada’s longest-serving Indigenous cabinet minister, Leona Aglukkaq (Inuit). Aglukkaq held various posts in Conservative governments from 2008 to 2015.

Like Aglukkaq, Chartrand will be a voice for Indigenous people, northerners and an entire region with many competing interests all at the same time.

She is in charge of massive entities: millions of square kilometres, the issue of Arctic sovereignty and CanNor — the agency tasked with developing Canada’s most-complicated interests when it comes to oil, gas, and critical minerals.

Chartrand’s portfolio is also ruled by climate change, which impacts Canada’s North more than anyone else. Melting polar ice and rising world temperatures create economic opportunities and emergency situations at the same time.

Carney’s promise, in his words, is “build, baby, build,” but Chartrand will be one of the people who will be central to make pipelines, housing and other resource-based projects possible.

Imagine this: when businesses come to initiate projects in the North, or leaders from governments or Indigenous communities want to do anything there, or Russia comes knocking — all will have to talk to an Indigenous woman.

Canada has now asked two Indigenous women to handle some of the most geographical, political and cultural challenges in history — all crucial to this country’s future.

That’s called irony.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca