This story originally ran on April 23. It is being republished in case you missed it.
Three federal election candidates have been confirmed for a community engagement session aimed at mobilizing Indigenous voters in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding area.
NDP candidate Laura Mayer, Green Party candidate Robyn Eshkibok and Liberal incumbent Terry Sheehan will present their respective platforms on various issues impacting Indigenous Peoples in the Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma riding as part of the event.
The community engagement session — organized by Garden River First Nation member Nadine Roach alongside Batchewana First Nation member Cathy Syrette — is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 24 at Delta Hotels Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
“We're the first peoples of this land, and we have a large population of Indigenous people in Baawaating, a.k.a. Sault Ste. Marie — how will you be addressing the needs of our people?” Roach told SooToday.
“Share your wisdom, share your platform, and let the people decide who they're going to vote for.”
Noticeably missing from the list of attendees is Conservative candidate Hugh Stevenson, the former chief of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service who has been actively dodging the media since hitting the campaign trail late last month.
Roach said that an individual on Stevenson’s campaign team confirmed he will not be attending Thursday night’s event.
“Obviously we're not a priority,” she said.
According to the Assembly of First Nations, the Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma riding is one of 36 ridings across Canada that could potentially shape the outcome of the April 28 federal election, according to figures gleaned from 2021 census population data and Election Canada’s voting results from the 2021 federal election.
“I think this is one of the first of its kind in our area, for two grassroots people to put together an educational event,” said Roach. “This election feels very critical, and candidates are encouraged to put their best foot forward and share their platform.”
Thursday’s engagement session will be livestreamed, in response to inquiries from prospective voters in Toronto, Sudbury and Thunder Bay looking to attend the event virtually.
“If you can’t participate in person, this is another opportunity to at least be a part of listening to the conversation,” Roach said.
The Indigenous community engagement session will be livestreamed here beginning at 5:30 p.m.