Ottawa trip a success, NAN youth say

A six-day trip to Ottawa has a group of 22 Nishawbe Aski Nation youth feeling hopeful.

The group met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Members of Parliament, and members of the Senate during the trip, which wrapped up on Thursday.

"I feel awesome now that we went there to be a voice for the young people across this NAN territory and throughout Canada," said Randall Crowe of Deer Lake First Nation.

"It feels awesome knowing that we achieved our goal, knowing that the Prime Minister of Canada, the federal government, and the MPs ... listened to us and they took the things that we addressed into consideration," he said. "It was an awesome achievement. It felt amazing to do this, as young people, and it was only us young people around those tables."

During the meetings, the group spoke about the issues facing NAN youth in their home communities. Crowe, for example, discussed health. Other topics raised by the youth included education and living conditions.

Everyone on the government side was very receptive, Crowe said.

Historic meeting with Trudeau

"It felt awesome to know that a Prime Minister of Canada wanted to sit down and have a round-table discussion with Nishnawbe youth," Crowe said. "I believe that it was the very first time in history that a federal leader took time to talk to Indigenous youth, and he responded so well to what we talked about."

"Justin Trudeau told us that this shouldn't be a one-time thing, but it should be continuous," Crowe said. "Senator Murray Sinclair said the same thing."

The youth also presented the government representatives with a declaration, Crowe said.

"What that states is that, basically, we have the right to live, [and] the right to a proper education, proper housing, proper infrastructure, and just a proper way of life," he said. "I personally called on the federal government to work with our leaders, our youth, and just our people, to work towards this."