Quebec premier to skip First Nations meeting in Ottawa

Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will not attend Monday’s First Nations-First Ministers’ Meeting in Ottawa, he confirmed Friday, saying he wants to prioritize a different approach with Indigenous peoples, The Canadian Press reported.

The meeting is to bring together Prime Minister Mark Carney, the premiers and territorial leaders, and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, along with other Indigenous leaders. A traditional Indigenous ceremony is planned for Sunday, the day before.

St-Pierre Plamondon confirmed his absence at an unrelated news conference in Montreal. He said he has several meetings scheduled in the near future, including one with the chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.

Other premiers may also miss the session. British Columbia Premier David Eby could be absent because his province holds a general election on Saturday, The Canadian Press reported. We have more on the final day of the B.C. campaign.

Chiefs have described the Ottawa gathering as historic. Woodhouse Nepinak has said she does not want it to be a one-time event, as we reported in our earlier story on the meeting. Earlier this month we also covered the plan for chiefs to sit with Carney and the premiers on Oct. 26.

St-Pierre Plamondon’s Parti Québécois government was sworn in recently, as we reported when the PQ cabinet took office.

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Via The Canadian Press.