Indigenous leaders meet with Quebec lawmakers over Bill 96 concerns

Indigenous leaders met with Quebec lawmakers to discuss Bill 96. They say the one-hour meeting wasn't enough time to address all their concerns.

Just a day after Indigenous leaders spoke out against Bill 96 at the national assembly, Kahnawake’s grand chief met with the minister responsible for Indigenous affairs.

With Bill 96 expected to pass in the coming weeks, Indigenous leaders were pushing for a meeting with lawmakers sooner than later to discuss the bill and its consequences for their communities.

On Friday, Grand Chief Kahsennanhawe Sky-Deer, Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador Chief Ghislain Picard and Gesgapegiag Chief John Martin had a one-hour virtual meeting with both Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs Ian Lafrenière and French Language Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette.

“When we initially started hearing about the bill, it was about education impacts,” said Skye Deer. “This meeting definitely had the space and opportunity to present different areas such as health, social services, justice, politics, etc.”

Indigenous communities fear the bill will further assimilate them into Quebec culture, impede Indigenous student success, or even potentially drive students out of the province.

“I really highlighted our long-standing history here,” said Skye Deer. “The fact that we have our own language and cultures that pre-dates and pre-exists.”

She says the meeting was a good start but adds that there are more discussions that need to take place.

“We asked for some commitments in terms of moving forward, maybe even establishing a working group, so that we could look at solutions.”