Liberal Indigenous caucus chair: Identity ‘complicated’ [Video]

OTTAWA –

The chair of the Liberal party’s Indigenous caucus says Indigenous identity is “complicated” after questions have been raised about the claims of two Liberal MPs who currently sit with the group and one cabinet minister who is no longer a member.

“It’s a very complicated issue, and there’s no right answer,” said Jaime Battiste, who is Mi’kmaq from Eskasoni First Nation.

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“It’s not biological or mathematical. It’s a social construct, and that’s why there are challenges.”

Others say it’s not so complicated, and want answers as to why Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, who has claimed to be Cree, sat on the party’s Indigenous caucus and was touted as an Indigenous member of the party for years, is now changing his tune.

In 2018 at a Canadian heritage committee meeting, he referred to himself as “non-status …