Not All the Same: Indigenous Voices, Politics, and the Power of Running
In 1960, First Nations people in Canada were finally granted the right to vote without losing their Indian status. That moment, only 65 years ago, marked a turning point in our political relationship with the state. Today, in the 2025 federal election, we see the result of that long struggle for participation. Across the country, Indigenous candidates—First Nations, Métis, and Inuit—are running for office under the banners of all major parties. This is not just a symbolic gesture; it is a sign of democratic maturity, and it is a call for real inclusion.
When I look at this growing list of candidates, I feel pride. But I also reflect on my own experience as a Member of Parliament. I loved engaging with the public, especially online. Some politicians avoid the comment sections—I never could. I liked the debate, the rough and tumble of politics. I kept my Facebook page clean of hateful language, but I welcomed hard questions and honest dialogue. On Twitter recently (and yes, it will always be Twitter to me, not "X"), I remember reading one comment that stuck with me: “Why would any First Nation be in the Conservative Party? Traitors.” That word, traitors, hit me.
Are we really so uniform that we expect all Indigenous people to think, feel, and vote the same way? We are not a monolith. We are traditionalists and Christians, urban and rural, from reserves and cities. Some of us have deep connections to the land; others are reconnecting. We are fluent in our languages or learning again. Some of us are employed, some are not. We have small families, big families. We speak different languages, come from different Nations. Why should we all vote the same?
I’ve always believed that when the door to policy-making is closed, it’s better to be inside the room—even if you have to fight to be heard. That’s why I hated it when Justin Trudeau’s Prime Minister’s Office made decisions that affected Indigenous communities without even speaking to the Indigenous caucus. It felt disrespectful. We deserved at least a conversation. And if I didn’t like the decision, I would speak up. I’d force a discussion before the policy was finalized. That was my way: walk right up to the line, but don’t cross it.
The 2025 federal election offers a new generation of Indigenous leaders who are doing just that—stepping into rooms where decisions are made. After researching data from IndigenousRockTheVote.ca and comparing it with 2021, the numbers reveal some important trends. In the 2021 federal election, adjusted to remove Green and PPC candidates and include one Bloc Québécois First Nations MP, there were 46 Indigenous candidates. Of these, 10 were elected: five Métis, four First Nations, and one Inuit.
In 2025, that number has decreased to 32 Indigenous candidates across the four major parties. The NDP leads with 14 Indigenous candidates, followed by the Liberals with 11, the Conservatives with six, and the Bloc with one. By identity, there are 17 First Nations, 11 Métis, and three Inuit candidates running in this election.
Though there are fewer Indigenous candidates than in 2021, the distribution across parties is notable. The NDP has increased its share of First Nations and Métis candidates, and the Conservative Party has more Indigenous candidates than ever before. That matters. Our presence in every party challenges the notion that Indigenous people must belong to one ideology. It proves that we can be everywhere—and we should be.
I believe it is good to see a large number of Indigenous candidates running for public office with hopefully a strong chance of winning. Because if we are not around the table, decisions will still be made—just without us. Voting isn’t the only way we shape this country, but it remains one of the most powerful. And when we run, speak, and lead, we do more than claim our place—we expand the possibilities for everyone.
