A clean environment and better living conditions for local families are the top of list issues for Chief Duke Peltier as he runs in a field of four other men and one woman to represent Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing in the Sept. 20 general election.
The Liberal contender is Wiikwemkoong's Chief. Peltier has been Chief of First Nations on Manitoulin for nine years. To make his bid for a seat in the House of Commons, Peltier has taken a leave of absence from his chief's duties.
He told ElliotLakeToday that his years as elected band chief have left him with a lot of experience in dealing with all levels of government.
"I've gained a tremendous amount of experience on how the government works," he explained.
“I have a clear understanding on how reconciliation should be put into action. I've always been of the belief that I can definitely make a difference in ensuring the needs of our people being advocated for within government.
“If the focus of the discussion among Canadians right now is reconciliation, then it's important to have an Indigenous voice advocating for what those needs are,” he went on.
"I did attend the residential school in one of the last ones operating in Canada. I was there for one year.
"So if anyone's going to understand the experiences it's someone who attended a residential school."
Family, children's and senior's issues are also top concerns for Peltier. He says the small business community has been suffering during period of the pandemic.
"I think it's important that the government initiated a suite of programs and services that allow for transitioning back into what we would call normal," he said.
"I guess that another issue that I truly believe are important in this riding is tourism because obviously the nature and the lands are second to none across the globe," Chief Peltier continued.
"The other is that we do require some investments in the forestry sector. Not only from the business perspective but also to insure that this natural resource is sustainable.
We asked what he tells people who simply say they plan to vote for incumbent New Democrat Carol Hughes. He said, "I tell them that, yes, Carol has worked very hard for this riding.
"I tell them to consider myself as an individual that has a clear track record of advocating for the people that I've been advocating for for the past nine years and they should reconsider their vote."
Peltier favours partnerships involving First Nations and other northern Ontario communities working together.
"We have been building capacity Here in other communities for many, many years. We support entrepreneurship And in many years we have supported the business community outside of our First Nations."
Peltier is in a six way race for A-M-K with incumbent Hughes, PCP candidate John Sagman, Green Party standard bearer Stephen Zimmerman, Christian Heritage Party candidate Clarence Baarda and PPC rep Harry Jaaskelainen.
