First Nations voters weigh issues, history and apathy in Alberta's upcoming election

Alberta's provincial election campaign is into its second week and, like all potential voters, Indigenous people in the province are wrestling with who to vote for at the polls on May 29 — and whether to vote at all. 

Rocky Sinclair, CEO of Alberta Indian Investment Corporation, a First Nations-owned investment company, and president of Aksis, Edmonton's Indigenous business and professional association, said he plans to vote in this election "just like every other one." 

He attributes that to his father, a veteran of the Second World War, who stressed the importance of voting to Sinclair and his siblings.

His nephew Scott Sinclair has taken the family views of politics a step further and is running as a candidate for the United Conservative Party (UCP). 

While Sinclair said his position as an advocate for Indigenous businesses means he won't share who he plans to vote for, he said he has a clear idea of who will get his vote in Edmonton's west end — unless something significant changes. 

"There's big Indigenous issues that could certainly cause me to consider changing a vote one way or another," Sinclair said.

"If somebody said something like, 'We're going to guarantee that there's going to be a revenue sharing of resources with Indigenous people,' then that would give me pause."

In Edmonton's southwest, Janice Makokis, a scholar and advocate on Indigenous legal rights originally from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, describes herself as an Indigenous sovereigntist and "can't remember the last time" she voted in a provincial election. 

"I wouldn't necessarily support any political party because of my own beliefs that I hold around treaty and Indigenous peoples sovereignty," she said. 

Makokis said this election is so important that she not only plans to vote, she's also displaying a lawn sign supporting her local New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate.

Both Sinclair and Makokis said they're concerned that negativity around the election, especially on social media, could lead some people to disengage.

Makokis said when she announced on social media her decision to support the NDP, she was surprised by what she called a "just unbelievable name calling" from UCP supporters. 

"I'm just a concerned mom who wants to see change in the province that I live in," she said.

"This is my peoples' home territory and the decisions that the leaders make in this province ultimately impact our people."