Canada’s First Nations people are feeling a growing sense of pride in former Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould and in her performance while under political pressure and media scrutiny this week.
Graydon Nicholas, who was New Brunswick's first Indigenous judge was watching with interest as the controversy in Ottawa unfolded.
“I’m really grateful that she has spoken her truth and I believe her,” said Nicholas.
"I come from a long line of matriarchs and I am a truth teller, in accordance with the laws of our big house,” Wilson-Raybould said when she testified before the House of Commons justice committee on Wednesday. “I was taught to always hold true to your core values and principles and always act with integrity.”
Nicholas says Wilson-Raybould's career has been a matter of pride in the community, but more recently, a matter of concern as well.
“That's the highest an Indigenous person has ever achieved a position in cabinet,” Nicholas said. “It was a total shock for me when she was moved from cabinet in early January.”
The former cabinet minister's appearance this week was watched closely.
“It was really inspiring as a woman and as an indigenous woman, to have such a great role model standing up for what is right in Canada and I thought it was just phenomenal,” said Amanda Leblanc of the New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples’ Council.
Leblanc says Wilson-Raybould has proven herself -- and then some.
“Being an Indigenous person, there's always that fear of being a token, the tokenism that comes with that sometimes,” Leblanc said. “I think she blew that stereotype or misperception out of the water.”
University of New Brunswick at Saint John political science professor J.P. Lewis wonders about the prime minister's response to the evolving scandal.
“It was a quite a remarkable day in Ottawa,” Lewis said. “It appears he's doubling down on this idea that he's defending jobs, but I think any voter with half an understanding of how things work can ask, ‘how far would you go?’ Like we might support economic and job creation but you know, at what expense?”
Concern is shifting to the future of indigenous representation.
“For her to be elected and then to be put in a position as minister of justice and attorney general, I mean that was amazing,” said Nicholas. “And, now, there's nobody in cabinet; there's no Indigenous voice in cabinet right now.”
Lewis has also described recent events in Ottawa as extraordinary, especially with a former cabinet minister apparently pulling back the curtain and offering a glimpse of the very inner workings of government.
Lewis says it's far too early to say if this scandal will still resonate with voters in this fall’s election.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mike Cameron.
