A provincial working group aimed at addressing issues identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report has lost three members.
Chief Ross Perley, Chief Rebecca Knockwood and Regional Vice-Chief Roger Augustine announced Wednesday that they will no longer be taking part.
Chief Perley says they no longer have confidence that Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn and the government were approaching the work with good faith and spirit of cooperations “in light of recent events.”
“The working group appears to have been used as a political smoke screen,” said Chief Perley in a news release. “For us it’s not political, it’s personal. It impacts lives in our communities.”
The chiefs called for Dunn’s resignation last week because of her opposition to holding an inquiry into systemic racism in the province.
According to the release, the chiefs were also concerned that the province was trying to use the working group as an alternative to an inquiry into systemic racism in the justice system.
They also raised concerns that the province announced the working group and set an initial meeting date without working with members of the group.
The chiefs said they will instead create their own process to continue the work their nations have already started on implementing the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“We will continue to work with those treaty partners that have already shown a genuine commitment to implementing the Calls to Action,” said Chief Knockwood. “Perhaps once the province shows that they are ready to approach this in good faith, they will be invited to the table.”
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