By Adam Donnelly

Employment Minister’s visit to Kamloops overshadowed by SNC-Lavelin controversy

Mar 5, 2019 | 4:52 PM

KAMLOOPS — Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Labour Patty Hajdu was in Kamloops Tuesday, just a day after her cabinet counterpart Jane Philpott resigned. Hajdu was here to announce a significant commitment to improving the skills of young indigenous workers through a new Skills and Employment Training program.

“We’re now in the process of re-negotiating agreements that will be 10-year agreements, with more money and with autonomy,” Hajdu told those gathered at the announcement.

The announcement was made at the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council building on the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc reserve – $400 million per year for the next five years – with members from a number of area First Nations in attendance.

“For us as a cultural people, we’ve always had our working class looking after our elders… and training our youth,” Whispering Pines Indian Band Chief Michael Lebourdais told Hajdu. “That’s something we impress upon our youth today.”

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“I think that the minister is aware that Indigenous people do know what’s best for us,” Shuswap Nation Tribal Council Skills Program coordinator Cherlyn Billy said. “The Tribal Council, as a signatory to the agreement, they’ve really pressed us to make sure we’re training our own people to deliver the training… so we’re actually helping build our own capacity.”

But with the SNC-Lavalin cloud hanging over the federal Liberals, and the recent resignations of two prominent female members of Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, the questions soon turned to the resignations of Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott.

“I respect both of my former cabinet colleagues… and I respect their decisions to step down as well,” Hajdu said. “I’m here today because this is really important work. I’m going to continue to be focused on what I’ve been elected to do.”

Despite being peppered with questions about the current scandal, Hajdu used the opportunity to re-affirm her commitment to the Liberal Party of Canada, and it’s leader, the Prime Minister.

“I think in any organization there can be differences of opinion and approach, but by-and-large I would say caucus, the remainder of cabinet, is very firmly behind Justin Trudeau,” Hajdu said.

While her response seemed confident, Canadians can’t help but wonder what will happen next.