'The time for transformative change is now': Kettle and Stony Point First Nation chief running as NDP candidate

London, Ont. -

Chief Jason Henry had been seriously contemplating running in the next federal election.

"I've been talking to Jagmeet (Singh) for about a year-and-a-half or two years about the potential of working with him and trying to bring positive, transformative change to this country," says Henry, the chief of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

Henry was recently acclaimed as the NDP candidate in the riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex (LKM).

"It's a tough decision as I was elected leader in my community, but in June, with the discovery of the children, things changed for me," says Henry, who has taken a leave of absence from his role of leader of band council.

"I don't think that it's a coincidence for me or for Indigenous people, that the NDP colour is orange. I welled up when I saw the Turtle Island healing rally in London with the orange smoke, the sea of orange coming down Richmond Row, that drove it home for me."

Chief Henry at Turtle Island Healing Walk in London, Ont. in June 2021. (Brent Lale/CTV London)

He's hoping to earn his way to Ottawa, where he'll advocate for health care, housing and problems connected to drugs and alcohol.

If he is chosen, he hopes his experience will be better than that of Nunavut MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq.

In a scathing farewell speech in June, Qaqqaq blasted the federal government for inaction on Indigenous issues and accused parliamentary security of racial profiling.

During a series of speeches by MPs not seeking re-election, Qaqqaq said federal security frequently stopped her to the point where she did not feel safe on Parliament Hill.

Her comments have sparked reaction from her colleagues, who spoke to the work still needed to be done in Ottawa to make Parliament a welcoming place for a diversity of voices.

“Every time I walk on House of Commons grounds, speak in these chambers, I’m reminded every step of the way (that) I don’t belong here,” she said during her speech.

Henry says Canada's system has marginalized women and Indigenous people. He says he'll continue to fight.

"Even if the experience is bad, we have to put ourselves out there, we have to try and make change, and she made those attempts," says Henry.

"It's hard, as my grandfather would say, it's a tough road to hoe, particularly for an Indigenous person -- a person with traditional tattoos, cultural tattoos and a female."

The president of N'Amerind Friendship Centre, Brian Hill feels Henry is a great candidate because he identifies as being from Kettle and Stony Point, and isn't trying to hide his roots.

"Our younger people are reaching higher, they're looking, they're looking into law they're looking into two doctorates and PhD," says Hill.

"All those things that were never part of our lives, even 30 or 40 years ago. It's good to see that they're standing up and they're taking their rightful place in society."

Hill also hopes it will entice many Indigenous voters to head to the polls next month.

"Not just in his riding but also here in London and other areas that where we have a large population of indigenous people," says Hill.

"For years it was not, that wasn't a door that was open for us, but that door is open now. I'm hoping that the community members will take the opportunity to walk through that door and support him and help him as much as they can."

Henry says people need to be engaged, but it has been tough for Indigenous people to get engaged in the Canadian political system.

"It has oppressed us for so long, but a few of us have to walk across the aisle so to speak, get involved in a federal level and make that change," says Henry.

"It's done from the inside, and some of us have to stop fighting against everybody else and fighting with everybody. If we're going to succeed, and we're going to save this earth, if we're going to save our country we have to work together."

Henry will be up against Conservative incumbent Lianne Rood, Liberal candidate Dr. Sudit Ranade, the Green Party’s Jeremy Hull and People’s Party of Canada candidate Kevin Mitchell.