These Indigenous voters and experts say their concerns are on the back burner this election

Kat Pasquach says the issues and concerns of Indigenous people are never at the forefront of any campaign trail — and this federal election has been no different. 

"It's frustrating. It absolutely is," said Pasquach, who owns Culture Shock Jewelry in Windsor. 

"An election is a representation of so many more issues than just our relationship to the neighbours to the South."

The entrepreneur, who is Cree First Nation from the James Bay region, said in every election cycle, provincial or federal, Indigenous people's concerns are sidestepped. Even in her own riding of Windsor West, Pasquach said, she hasn't "seen anything of substance."

"In my riding, not seeing the inclusion of Indigenous people, Indigenous issues is apparent, not just in this federal election, but even in the provincial election that just went by," she said.

The three things that are top of mind, Pasquach said, are access to affordable housing on and off reserves, food sovereignty and the opioid crisis.

"We know that the cost of food has risen in urban areas but for Indigenous people in remote areas, it's even higher," she said.

"As well as the opioid crisis, we need support and help just as much as we need it in urban centres."

Pasquach said while the focus has been on the ongoing trade war and tariffs, there hasn't been a lot of coverage around how Indigenous rights are being affected.

"There's a treaty agreement between Canada and the U.S. for Indigenous people to be able to cross freely and be able to trade," she said.

Jason Henry, the former Chief of the Chippewas of Kettle And Stony Point First Nation, shares a similar view. 

While cross-border trade and travel are being impacted, Henry said there has been a "lack of respect and acknowledgement of the Jay Treaty rights," referring to the Jay Treaty of 1794. The treaty recognized Indigenous rights to freely move and trade across the border for travel, studies, employment, retirement and immigration— though Canada has never ratified it.

"Canada's implementation of counter tariffs has affected us greatly as Indigenous people," he said. "It's made us afraid to cross the border and to exercise our right to free trade. That's not even a topic issue now."

Henry said the fact that there's still more than 30 long-term boil water advisories, when there were past election promises to eradicate them, is a real electoral issue.