By Canadian Press

National chief concerned with Saskatchewan minister’s ‘lobbyist’ comment

Apr 26, 2019 | 3:56 PM

REGINA — The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is raising concerns about Saskatchewan’s social services minister referring to national Indigenous leaders as lobbyists.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Social Service Minister Paul Merriman said he and his fellow provincial ministers were unable to speak about child welfare reform directly with their federal counterpart because Indigenous organizations were at a meeting. 

Merriman said there are issues that need to be worked out government-to-government “without the lobbyist in the room.”

In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press, AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde tells Merriman that First Nations are not lobbyists.

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He says any discussions on child welfare need to happen with those who are most affected at the table.

Bellegarde says, with Saskatchewan’s high rates of Indigenous children in care, the status quo in the province is not acceptable.

The Canadian Press