Outgoing Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme says he can see himself running in federal or provincial politics one day, but not yet.
Delorme, who announced earlier this month that he wouldn’t be seeking a third term as chief, said in an interview with CBC News Thursday that he has “gotten calls” from the federal Liberals and Conservatives.
“I let each and every one know I am so humbled to be suggested at this time,” he said. “[But] I just want to be a dad, I want to be a husband, and I want to play more of a strategic, non-political role for a couple years.”
Delorme said he does have political aspirations.
“I do see myself playing a future role, potentially as an MLA or MP,” he said.
“I just need a break from politics.”
Cadmus Delorme speaks about his goals for after his time as chief of Cowessess
Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme, who recently announced he won’t be seeking re-election, says he has aspirations of one day being an MP or an MLA, but not yet.
Parity for Indigenous people a priority
When it does come time to make a decision about a potential foray into federal politics, Delorme said he will have to pick a party first.
“I tend to lean left at times and tend to lean right at times and I’ll tend to stay centre,” he said.
“So at this time, I’ll work with anybody that wants to get to that end goal to make sure Indigenous people have parity.”
Delorme was first elected as chief of Cowessess, located about 140 kilometres east of Regina, in 2016. He rose to global prominence for his leadership after the discovery of 751 potential unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School on the reserve.
He was recently appointed as the chairperson of the new Residential School Documents Advisory Committee, but he said the committee will be meeting quarterly over five years and it’s not a job.
The committee is being asked to recommend how to identify historical documents related to residential schools and share them with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
When asked what attracted him to this role, Delorme said the discovery of unmarked graves across the country has offered validation to First Nations people.
“The validation of the pain, frustration, anger, tiredness of trying to remain Indigenous in a country that is still somewhat oppressive to the Indigenous worldview,” he said.
He said he has amazing friends in this country who have “put their shield down” and are admitting they maybe don’t know much about the truth concerning Indigenous people in Canada.
“I feel that my knowledge and energy and understanding of the end goal could help the Government of Canada play their role in this part of reconciliation,” he said.
Interested in helping with economic reconciliation
As for his next job after his term as chief is over, Delorme envisions helping governments and the corporate sector with reconciliation, especially economic reconciliation, and helping Saskatchewan businesses reduce carbon emissions.
Delorme said he is chief until April 25 and will fulfil his duties for two more months, adding he doesn’t have another job confirmed yet.
He said he wants to increase his language options — so he is learning Cree and French, estimating he is about 30 per cent fluent in Cree and 15 per cent fluent in French.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
