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Indigenous

Record 10 indigenous MPs elected to the House of Commons

There will be a record number of indigenous people in the House of Commons following Monday's federal election, which saw 10 indigenous MPs elected.

8 Liberal and 2 NDP MPs of indigenous heritage will take a seat in Parliament

In the inner-city riding of Winnipeg Centre, Liberal candidate Robert Falcon-Ouellete unseated long-time NDP MP Pat Martin, capturing 56 per cent of the vote. (CBC)

There will be a record number of indigenous people in the House of Commons following Monday's federal election, which saw 10 indigenous MPs elected.

That'san increase ofthree from the 2011 election, when sevenindigenous people won seats. But there was a significant shift towards Liberal representation, awayfrom Conservative and NDP.

Of the 18 indigenous candidates the Liberals ran, eightwon seats. Only one, Yvonne Jones from Labrador,was an incumbent.

Notable new Liberal MPs include JodyWilson-Raybould, a regional chief of the Assembly of First Nationswho tookthe newly created riding of Vancouver-Granville with just over 40 per centof the vote.

In the inner-city riding of Winnipeg Centre, former mayoral candidate Robert-FalconOuelletteunseated longtime NDP MP Pat Martin, capturing 56 per centof the vote.

RAW: Robert-Falcon Ouellette victory speech

9 years ago
Duration 1:22
RAW: Robert-Falcon Ouellette wins in Winnipeg Centre


"The goal of this campaign was never, never, never just to win. The goal of this campaign was to see your values reflected in Ottawa, to see your values reflected in our Parliament," Ouellette saidMondaynight.
The NDP, which ran 22 indigenous candidates, saw just twoof them elected. Incumbent Romeo Saganashbarelyheld hisAbitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou seatin a tight race against a non-indigenous Liberal challenger.

The Green Party ran 10 indigenous candidates but none were elected.

Nunavut Liberal candidate Hunter Tootoo defeated Inuit MP and cabinet minister Leona Aglukkaq. (Sima Sahar Zerehi/CBC)
The Conservatives, who once had foursitting indigenous MPs the most of any party lost every single one of them in this election. Two opted not to run again but two others were defeated,including the firstInukcabinet minister,Leona Aglukkaq,who placed third in Nunavut.

While there werea record 54indigenous candidates running in this election, indigenous people will end up occupying justthreeper cent of the 338 seats in the House of Commons:

Liberal Party of Canada


NDP

  • Georgina Jolibois(Dene) - Desneth-Missinippi-Churchill River, Saskatchewan
  • Romeo Saganash (Cree) - Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik--Eeyou, Quebec


Those newly elected indigenous MPs now represent ridings in British Columbia, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Working relationship

Justin Trueau's Liberal Partyhaspromised significant improvements toFirst Nations education, including$2.6 billionin new funding over four years, as well as a vow to call an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Trudeau also promised to end boil-water advisories on First Nations reserves within five years.

On Twitter, the head of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) congratulated the Liberals on their victory and national chief Perry Bellegarde saidhe looks forward to working with the new government on "closing the gap" the AFN's plan for reducing poverty and improving education for First Nations.

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story said Leona Aglukkaq was the first Inuk MP. She was the first Inuk cabinet minister.
    Oct 20, 2015 11:25 AM ET