VOTE 2022: Vaughan-Woodbridge candidates' views on truth and reconciliation

Yorkregion.com
May 18, 2022

We asked Vaughan-Woodbridge candidates running in the June 2 election five questions. When asked the question, each tackled issues of truth and reconciliation when it comes to Canada's Indigenous community.

The candidates each had a maximum of 150 words to respond. Here's what they said.

QUESTION: What steps can we take to ensure we engage in Truth and Reconciliation?

Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate Michael Tibollo:

Did not answer

NDP candidate Will McCarty:

We would implement recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and implement the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Persons (UNDRIP).

New Blue candidate Luca Mele:

My daughter is Indigenous, her mother is Indigenous. I am Italian, so this one is very personal to me. I've set up a whole platform to co-create laws with the Indigenous communities, and hundreds are in Vaughan. We are not seeing any body of government take accountability for what has been done, and not just hundreds of years ago. It still happens today. When millions of dollars are spent in court fighting the Indigenous to make sure they don't have clean water just a few years ago and recently is still happening, then we are far from forgiveness. But we must stay on the path to unity and peace. We are all one beautiful human race, we must remove the ego and work together for the future generations.

Liberal candidate Steven Del Duca:

As a starting point, we will appoint a standalone Minister for Indigenous Reconciliation. We will also make the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation a statutory holiday. We know that truth comes before reconciliation, which is why we will support the investigation and commemoration of residential school sites. In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action 12 in particular, we will expand the curriculum so that our students learn about Indigenous culture and the historical realities of this nation.

Green Party candidate Philip Piluris:

We need to establish mutually respectful relationships between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in the community. We need to acknowledge the harm caused, and atone for it by changing the behaviours and perceptions that have caused damage for so long.