OTTAWA – The federal New Democrats are accusing the federal Liberals of breaking a promise to First Nation Youth. “The election isn’t even over and Justin Trudeau has broken his promise to First Nation students. Last month he made a solemn promise to spend $2.6 billion on First Nation schools and education. But now he has cut that promise by a billion dollars. Of all the promises you could have broken Justin, why was the first broken promise to First Nation children?,” stated Charlie Angus the Member of Parliament for Timmins James Bay.
“Six weeks after promising specific new money for First Nations’ education, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has abandoned his commitment to First Nations children – before the election is even over.”
“That Justin Trudeau thinks he can walk away from his promise to First Nations children mid-campaign, is disgraceful,” said NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic and Churchill–Keewatinook Aski candidate Niki Ashton. “Worse yet, he thinks he can get away with it.”
On August 13, Justin Trudeau promised a “total new investment of $2.6 billion for core First Nation’s education” over the next four years. Shockingly, when revealing their fiscal framework on September 26th, Liberals slashed that commitment to just $900 million – a cut of $1.7 billion dollars or 65% less than he had first promised.
“An NDP government will honour all our commitments to First Nations, full stop,” said Winnipeg Centre NDP candidate Pat Martin. “Justin Trudeau must explain this $1.7 billion dollar broken promise to First Nations children and their communities.”
