BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee has thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his leadership and service but is calling on the Liberal Party of Canada to elect a strong, principled leader who will recommit to progressive values and take meaningful action to honor the human rights of First Nations peoples.
Teegee acknowledged the progress made under Trudeau’s leadership, including historic legislation such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and laws supporting Indigenous children and languages. However, he criticized slow implementation, inadequate funding, and insufficient engagement with First Nations, which have hindered true progress.
The upcoming leadership race offers the Liberal Party an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to these values, unite Canadians, and focus on issues critical to First Nations. Teegee emphasized the need for progress on the ongoing Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls crisis, police violence against Indigenous peoples, clean drinking water, housing, and reforms to address historical harms, among other key issues.
Looking ahead, Teegee expressed his willingness to work with the next Prime Minister and invited leadership candidates to meet with First Nations in BC to ensure their platform is grounded in the needs and values of Indigenous communities.
