October 28, 2015 the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C
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October 28, 2015 The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister Designate of Canada House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Via email: [email protected] Dear Prime Minister-Designate Trudeau: We are writing as Chiefs of First Nations of all the Mi’kmaq/Mi’gmaq and Maliseet First Nation communities in the Maritime Provinces asking for your help to protect poor families in our communities from devastating cuts to social welfare planned by the Harper government. Under the previous government, an order was given to remove the freedom of First Nations governments to design the best social welfare program for their communities. Instead, First Nations were to be ordered to simply use monthly social assistance rates as set by the provincial government. This change would have meant cuts of up to 40% for poor families in First Nations communities, and hundreds of cases of families losing their social assistance altogether overnight. These cuts would be especially cruel because provincial rates are designed to work alongside supporting programs for housing, child care, training and home heating--all programs that were to be denied First Nations people under the Harper plan. First Nations governments challenged the cuts in court, and won several lower court rulings delaying these cuts. While the right of government to proceed was ultimately upheld, all courts accepted the finding of fact of the Federal Court, Trial Division judge that the Harper government had failed to study the impact of the cuts upon the well-being of children and the future employability of adults. In short, the cuts were ordered with no study into what would happen to vulnerable families. Page 1 of 3 We are worried for our communities if these reckless cuts proceed. We also think it would be unfair to your new administration, and the hope your words of generosity and reconciliation have raised, if the first actions of AANDC under your government were cuts to poor families that you neither designed nor intended. Indeed, Atlantic members of your caucus such as the Honourable Dominic Leblanc were admirably outspoken against these cuts. We understand that a new government is always inundated with calls to reverse past decisions, and your government has many wrongs to right. We are not asking for you to immediately repudiate the decision and pledge to forever keep the status quo. What we are asking is that your government delays the cuts until such time as a proper impact study can be completed, and that we have had time to discuss alternatives to reforming social welfare and training programs for First Nations in the Atlantic. We would even suggest that a group such as the Martin Institute would be a credible and worthy choice to lead such an impact study and to propose options for reform. Rest assured, Prime Minister-Designate, that First Nations leaders know that smart, evidence-based change is needed. We, too, wish for changes to move families from welfare to work. We know that people forced to worry daily about food and shelter rarely make the major changes needed to become employable, but that sensible and successful programs do exist. We were heartened by the respect and empathy you showed our communities as Leader of the Liberal Party. We hope you will consider this gesture of good faith and compassion as our Prime Minister. Yours truly, ___________________________________ Chief George Ginnish Co-Chair, Assembly of First Nations Chiefs of New Brunswick Chief Rebecca Knockwood Social Lead, Assembly of First Nations Chiefs of New Brunswick ___________________________________ Chief Brian Francis Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island Chief Leroy Denny Social Lead, Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs Page 2 of 3 cc: Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Beauséjour [email protected] Serge Cormier, Acadie-Bathurst [email protected] Matt DeCourcey, Fredericton [email protected] Alaina Lockhart, Fundy Royal [email protected] René Arseneault, Madawaska-Restigouche [email protected] Pat Finnigan, Miramichi-Grand Lake [email protected] Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Moncton-Riverview [email protected] Karen Ludwig, NB Southwest [email protected] Wayne Long, Saint John-Rothesay [email protected] TJ Harvey, Tobique-Mactaquac [email protected] Honourable Scott Brison, Kings-Hants Fax: 902-542-4184 Bill Casey, Cumberland-Colchester [email protected] Rodger Cuzner, Cape Breton-Canso Fax: 902-842-9025 Honorable Mark Eyking, Sydney-Victoria Fax: 902-564-2479 Andy Fillmore, Halifax [email protected] Darren Fisher, Dartmouth-Cole Harbour [email protected] Colin Fraser, West Nova [email protected] Sean Fraser, Central Nova [email protected] Bernadette Jordan, South Shore-St. Margaret’s [email protected] Geoff Regan, Halifax West Fax: 902-426-8339 Darrell Samson, Sackville-Preston [email protected] Sean Casey, Charlottetown [email protected] Honourable Wayne Easter, Malpeque [email protected] Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Caridgan [email protected] Robert Morrissey, Egmont [email protected] Honourable Stephen MacNeil, Premier of NS [email protected] Honourable Brian Gallant, Premier NB [email protected] Honourable Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of PEI [email protected] The Right Honourable Paul Martin [email protected] Honourable Carolyn Bennett, MP [email protected] Honourable Yvonne Jones, MP [email protected] Jody Wilson-Raybould [email protected] Honourable Niki Ashton, MP [email protected] Honourable Elizabeth May, OC MP [email protected] Honourable Ed Doherty [email protected] Colleen Swords [email protected] Helene Laurendeau [email protected] Page 3 of 3 .