The future of Indigenous Canada is more than an argument over pipelines – The Globe and Mail

Midway through the only official English-language leaders’ debate, the party heads turned to Indigenous issues – and quickly got sidetracked into arguing about pipelines.

That was understandable, but unfortunate. Understandable, because resource development always raises questions about Indigenous rights. Unfortunate, because Indigenous Canada’s future is about so much more than the pros and cons of Trans Mountain.

Canada is one of the world’s richest countries, but the average Indigenous Canadian is not sharing in that prosperity. Our common future has to be one where Indigenous Canadians, whether on- or off-reserve, are at least as likely as other Canadians to have graduated from high school and gone on to college, apprenticeship or university. It has to be a future where they are just as likely as other Canadians to enjoy middle-class incomes, good health and long lives.

Read More: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-future-of-indigenous-canada-is-more-than-an-argument-over/