The appointment of a non-aboriginal person, Ron Irwin, as the new Federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development was a “disappointment,” Ovide Mercredi, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said. “The government had an opportunity, a chance to do something different.”
Ethel Blondin-Andrews, a long-time Liberal MP and a Dene woman, lobbied for the job but was turned down, newspaper reports said. Chief Mercredi also said he will begin meeting with the new minister to ensure the aboriginal agenda is a top priority for the Liberal government.
