Alberta New Democrats to reach out to Natives

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Alberta New Democrats are reaching out to Native people to get them more involved in the party.

"We're a Native development party. We want to consult with Natives and listen to the advice they can give us," said party leader Ray Martin.

He said two outreach conferences are being organized between the party and treaty Indians. The first meeting will be held in southern Alberta at the end of November and the second will take place in the northern part of the province in the spring.

"It will be the beginning of some very important dialogue," Martin said in an interview.

He said the party will target the Native vote and recruit Native candidates.

Martin vowed the New Democrats will have the strongest Native policies of all political parties because they will be developed with the participation of Natives.

Martin added that the party wants to work with aboriginal people to bring self-government to Alberta. "They have the right to make their own decisions and we want to help them achieve that."

Martin said his party is seeking direction from the four Native MLAs in Manitoba, especially Elijah Harper, the Manitoba MLA who helped put Native issues at the forefront of the Canadian political agenda this summer with his successful fight to kill the Meech Lake accord.

The New Democrats ended their annual provincial convention Oct. 14 in Edmonton with an hour-long speech by Harper.