Poilievre promises chiefs more economic control in speech to Assembly of First Nations [Video]

In his first in-person speech to the Assembly of First Nations on Thursday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised chiefs a government led by him would reduce the federal government’s role their lives and give them more say over their economic futures.

“I’m not here to run your life. I don’t want to run anybody’s life,” Poilievre said. “I want to run a small government with big citizens free to make their own decisions and live their own lives.”

Poilievre said every delegate in the room is a leader who knows their communities better than Ottawa does, and better than he does. He promised to get rid of the “Ottawa knows best” approach that he said has only led to destructive policies that harm First Nations.

“For too long, you have been held back by a broken system that takes power away from you and places it in the hands of …