[LINK] "First Mi’kmaq senator aims to ‘rebuild’ Crown-aboriginal relationship"
I approve of this, reported by MacLean's after the Canadian Press, quite strongly. We have to start somewhere.
Daniel Christmas helped transform his near-bankrupt First Nation into one of the country’s most successful.
Now, named what is believed to be Canada’s first Mi’kmaq senator, he says he hopes to use his experience to “rebuild” Ottawa’s relationship with aboriginals.
Christmas, senior adviser for the First Nation of Membertou, N.S., said it was his top priority after being appointed one of nine new independent senators Thursday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I hope to bring a lot of my experience and lessons learned and know-how to try to point to a way to try and rebuild that relationship,” said the 60-year-old, who believes he is the first Mi’kmaq senator. “I have some definite unique experiences that will share a certain perspective on how this can be done.”
Bernd Christmas, a longtime friend and former Membertou CEO, said the new senator was instrumental in the development of his home community, which during the late 1990s was on the brink of bankruptcy and grappling with a 95 per cent unemployment rate.
Daniel Christmas helped transform his near-bankrupt First Nation into one of the country’s most successful.
Now, named what is believed to be Canada’s first Mi’kmaq senator, he says he hopes to use his experience to “rebuild” Ottawa’s relationship with aboriginals.
Christmas, senior adviser for the First Nation of Membertou, N.S., said it was his top priority after being appointed one of nine new independent senators Thursday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I hope to bring a lot of my experience and lessons learned and know-how to try to point to a way to try and rebuild that relationship,” said the 60-year-old, who believes he is the first Mi’kmaq senator. “I have some definite unique experiences that will share a certain perspective on how this can be done.”
Bernd Christmas, a longtime friend and former Membertou CEO, said the new senator was instrumental in the development of his home community, which during the late 1990s was on the brink of bankruptcy and grappling with a 95 per cent unemployment rate.