Action ramps up to get out the Indigenous vote

Two young Lethbridge women are helping strengthen the Aboriginal voice through voting.

Mairin Gettman and Kristin Krein—both students at the University of Lethbridge—have been coordinating special events to share knowledge about politics in Canada with Indigenous people who might otherwise be lacking in it.

“We’re not doing it so people vote, I really don’t care if you vote. But we’re doing it to empower people’s voices… To ensure that we have a platform for people if they want to learn,” said Krein.

Krein and Gettman got together back in December after realizing the importance politics plays in funding for resources for Aboriginal people.

Krein, who has worked at the Women’s Space Resource Centre for over three years, says she sees a huge number of Aboriginal women come through the door that are too “beaten down” to be involved in the political scene.

“Ninety-five per cent of our clientele is Indigenous… and have been told their entire lives they are worth nothing because of the colour of their skin. We just wanted to have a space where people could voice their opinions and know their vote mattered,” she said.

Krein and Gettman have planned four events, two of which have already taken place. At the end of July, Lori Brayback, co-founder of Lethbridge Idle No More, spoke at the Galt Garden.  In mid-May, the Sik-Ooh-Katok Friendship Centre hosted the initial event, offering free Indian tacos to 200 people, but ran out before they could get to everyone. Local Members of Parliament were invited but only the NDP showed up.

“It really speaks volumes when your presence is there… or not there,” said Gettman of the snub she felt they received by the other parties.

At the initial event, attendees filled out a card with their contact information and suggested one issue they would like to see the federal government address. The response made it clear that people felt disconnected from the political process.

“They feel like they aren’t being heard,” said Krein. “They want to be heard through the media, a lot of people wanted the missing and murdered women enquiries, and some wanted better environmental protection. A lot of people wanted better services.”

So far, feedback for the events has been positive. Gettman and Krein say they reached out to other Aboriginal organizations around Lethbridge, to ensure they were being inclusive of Aboriginal people in the area.

“We wanted to really make sure what Kristin and I were doing, wasn’t just (us) being the gatekeepers, and that we were respecting the Indigenous culture,” added Krein.

LeeAnne Sharp Adze, program manager for the friendship centre, says the work the two women are doing is important. The “ID clinics” Gettman and Krein hold to coach people on the types of identification they need to vote and how to get it are important.

But Indigenous voters are also struggling with transportation issues and not having a permanent address.

“We need that representation from our people to have their vote in there, and change the government that is in right now,” said Sharp Adze, who adds as that as the friendship centre is a central meeting place for Indigenous people all over the city, it is important for the centre to become involved with the cause.

“There’s a lot of young people that didn’t know anything about it, and a lot of old people that wouldn’t waste their time to go… so they need to know their voice makes a difference,” said Sharp Adze.