With the federal election a little more than two weeks away, Federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was in Cowichan Bay with the local candidate, Lydia Hwitsum recently.
May said if the Greens win the October 21 election, her party is going to set up a framework for Indigenous communities to opt-out of the Indian Act, legislation that she calls “racist and oppressive.”
May said, if the Greens form the government, the party would re-introduce legislation implementing calls to action of both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
There are seven available seats on the island.
Locally, members of Cowichan Tribes recently voted overwhelmingly in favour of their own land code, meaning land-related decisions no longer require approval from the Indian Affairs Department.
Hwitsum is representing the Greens, NDP incumbent Alistair MacGregor seeks re-election, Blair Herbert is representing the Liberals, Conservative Alana DeLong is running, Rhonda Chen is representing the Peoples Party of Canada, and Robin Morton Stanbridge is representing the Christian Heritage Party.
