Indigenous voters urged to make their voice heard in Saskatchewan election

With a fast-approaching provincial election around the corner, some experts say Indigenous communities want to be more involved in governance.

Roughly 17 per cent of Saskatchewan’s population are First Nations and Metis people, according to Statistics Canada.

With a fast-approaching provincial election around the corner, some experts say Indigenous communities want to be more involved in governance.

Jason Bird, the program administrator of Indigenous business at the University of Saskatchewan, said Indigenous communities want to see improvements in health care, education, road infrastructure and clean drinking water.

However, he believes in order for that to happen, the government should be creating space for Indigenous leaders at the decisions-making table.

“We have these deals with the federal government for First Nations bands but we’re kind of left out of the loop with the province,” Bird said.

“(They are) making decisions on behalf of Indigenous people and (deciding) how included Indigenous people are in helping to point the direction of where those decision are going to be made and how they’re going to be made.”

With the polls officially opening Tuesday, a Saskatchewan NDP candidate is urging Indigenous voters to make their voices heard in the election.

Betty Nippi-Albright, a Saulteaux and Cree woman seeking re-election in Saskatoon Centre, says Indigenous people have the power to influence change.