Voting becomes harder to do for First Nations

Changes to be implemented for the upcoming federal election could be a double-edged sword for Aboriginal voters.

“It’s going to put up a few more barriers and make it more difficult for First Nations people to … exercise their opportunity to vote,” said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde.

Bill C-23, dubbed the Fair Elections Act, has changed the requirements for identification at the polling station. One individual can no longer vouch for a number of voters, a common practise employed by many Aboriginal voters.

“The vouching is limited to only one person and that doesn’t respect the authority of the chief or a respected Elder from the community,” said Bellegarde.

Two pieces of identification are now required, one of which needs to include an address. Overcrowding on many First Nations reserves means numerous adults of voting age live in a single dwelling, with an addressed bill coming under only one adult’s name. Treaty cards do not include addresses.

In urban locations, high numbers of homeless are Aboriginal. The new voting law also no longer accepts the voter registration card as a valid piece of identification.

Bellegarde said the AFN is working with Elections Canada to address the issues and there is “some light at the end of the tunnel.”

Elections Canada has agreed to accept a letter of confirmation from chief and council as one of the pieces of identification. The letter would include the name of the voter, his eligibility, and that he is a resident of the reserve.

“This letter, combined with status card, (it’s) my understanding that should be sufficient in order to be eligible to vote,” said Bellegarde.

However, that does not provide a way in to vote for First Nations people living off-reserve, which represents more than half of the country’s First Nations population.

For that, Bellegarde said, he’s hoping an education campaign for the urban voters on the requirements will help them put in place what they need before the Oct. 19 election.

“We want to ensure that First Nations people who wish to exercise their right to vote, their opportunity to vote, do indeed exercise that right,” said Bellegarde.

That is also a goal being pushed by groups like Indigenous Vote Sask.

“Indigenous Vote Sask is a provincial, non-partisan effort to mobilize the First Nations, Metis and Inuit vote in Saskatchewan,” reads the website. “Our intent is to move Indigenous issues forward by supporting Indigenous voters to stick together in a bloc vote per electoral district or Indigenous community.”

IVS is promoting what it refers to as “voting hubs” in four strategic Saskatchewan communities: Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and La Ronge. In these central points, IVS plans to provide information about candidates to be endorsed and to encourage bloc voting.

A campaign of mobilizing Indigenous voters and promoting strategic voting is something Bellegarde supports. There are benefits, he says, to getting Indigenous issues out in the open and having candidates speak on them as well as forcing parties to establish platforms based on Indigenous priorities.

“I think more and more now, chiefs and councils are starting to recognize that if First Nations do get to vote they can Ö have a determination on who gets elected,” he said.

Bellegarde notes that studies indicate there are 63 federal ridings that Indigenous voters could swing.

“There are some strategic things First Nations people can do and I’m really happy there is that dialogue going forward,” he said.