Nova Scotia MPs make history with ‘summit meeting’ with region’s First Nations

By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – A historic meeting between Nova Scotia MPs and the province’s First Nations chiefs has taken place on Parliament Hill.

The Nova Scotia Federal Caucus – First Nations Summit marks the first time federal MPs and chiefs from the province have met in the same room.

The meeting was billed as an opportunity to discuss key areas of concern for First Nations communities in Nova Scotia.

Items on the agenda included First Nations education, the federal government’s promise of an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which examined Canada’s residential-schools legacy.

The two sides agreed to establish a working group that will follow up on the discussions.

Halifax Liberal MP Andy Fillmore expressed his hope that today’s meeting would serve as a model for the rest of Canada.

Morley Googoo, Nova Scotia regional chief with the Assembly of First Nations, said the group would comprise himself, Fillmore and Liberal MP Darrell Samson.

“This is a relationship that is very crucial to us,” Googoo said.

“It is going to be something that is really important if we want our MPs to know more issues directly from communities….as well as chiefs to feel that they’re voices (are) going to have a process to be listened to.”

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