National Chief has never voted federally

Despite repeatedly calling on aboriginal voters to participate in October’s federal election, the head of the Assembly of First Nations says he has never cast a federal ballot — and “may or may not” do so on Oct. 19.

National Chief Perry Bellegarde made the surprising admission at a press conference Wednesday, in which he said aboriginals must speak up at the ballot box if they want federal governments to respond to their concerns.

“I just haven’t done it,” he said of voting. “It’s a real personal thing.”

Bellegarde said he had not voted because, as a First Nations leader, he wanted to maintain an appearance of non-partisanship. At the same time, he wanted to respect the teachings of First Nations elders, who argued treaty obligations must be honoured no matter which party is in power.

“The old people always said no matter who gets in, they’re supposed to live by and abide by this relationship we have,” he said. “And that’s why a lot of people struggle, should we or shouldn’t we participate. That’s the challenge.”

Turnout among aboriginal voters has lagged that of the rest of the population since the vote was given to them in 1961. The AFN says

The old people always said no matter who gets in, they’re supposed to live by and abide by this relationship we have.

this is why successive federal governments ignored aboriginal concerns, a message Bellegarde repeated Wednesday.

The organization has been working for months to increase turnout among aboriginal voters, through press conferences, a partnership agreement with Elections Canada and other measures. Bellegarde has spearheaded many of those initiatives.

Asked earlier what he would tell aboriginals who are reluctant to cast their ballot, Bellegarde said: “Get involved. Exercise your own personal sovereignty. The individual right to vote, we’ve got it since ’61. It’s another arrow in our quiver. It’s another tool that we can utilize to bring about change. To influence. That’s what I would say. We need to get our people involved.”

Bellegarde acknowledged his own situation is at odds with the AFN’s attempts to get more indigenous people to participate in the election, but hoped it would not dissuade them.

“If people are watching this, the young people, I hope they understand my position, and that they still get out, even though I may not,” he said. “I may or may not. But that’s why. That’s what I’m wrestling with personally.”