Lisa Vollans-Leduc and the NDP are committed to working alongside Indigenous communities towards reconciliation

WHITEHORSE – Alongside Jagmeet Singh, the NDP candidate for the Yukon, Lisa Vollans-Leduc, is committing to action that advanced reconciliation with Yukon First Nations in a meaningful way.

“Indigenous peoples have lived with the impact and legacy of colonialism for decades. Their resilience in the face of genocide is why Indigenous people, language and culture survive,” said Vollan-Leduc. “The Trudeau Liberals sound like they care, but have spent millions fighting First Nations kids in court and have repeatedly broken their promises on ending boil water advisories.”

The NDP will respect the spirit and intent of the Final Agreements under the UFA which provide a framework for reconciliation and a path to working together on so many things, including the Climate Crisis. We will also fully implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

Lisa will be a strong ally with Yukon First Nations on renewable energy projects – in order to advance economic reconciliation and address the Climate Crisis.

“Yukon First Nations are leading the charge against the climate crisis. They want energy sovereignty, they want to get off fossil fuels, they want to protect the planet, they want good jobs for their citizens,” said Vollans-Leduc. “As MP, I will be an ally and work with First Nations on renewable energy projects and secure funding to make Yukon communities safe and resilient to the changes we see every year.”

On top of scrapping subsidies to oil and gas companies and cutting Canada’s emissions in half by 2030, New Democrats have also committed to put reconciliation at the core of this effort, upholding Indigenous knowledge and respecting inherent sovereignty. Success stories in the Yukon include the Vuntut Gwichin solar park. There is strong interest among many Yukon First Nations in harnessing wind energy. In Northern BC, the Taku River Tlingit have a successful hydro project and Yukon is a potential customer.

“As original peoples of this country, Indigenous peoples have intimate connections to their homelands, territories and resources and have provided stewardship since time out of memory. We must work together as we adapt to climate change in our communities,” added Vollans-Leduc.

A costing breakdown of our platform commitments was recently verified by the Parliamentary Budget Officer. New Democrats plan to spend $214 billion over the next five years including:

• $26 billion to fight climate change and support workers who may need to transition out of high-polluting industries such as oil and gas
• $35 billion redirected into a “climate bank” to boost investment in renewable energy
• $30 billion towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples

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