THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s newly-minted cabinet minister will play a decisive role in the inquiry the federal government intends to call into missing and murdered indigenous women.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP and Minister for the Status of Women Patty Hajdu was among cabinet members handed mandate letters from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday.
Expectations the new Liberal Government has of Hajdu are outlined therein, including supporting the Ministers of Justice and Indigenous and Northern Affairs to develop a mandate and process into the long-sought inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Hajdu will also play supporting role in developing a federal gender violence strategy and action plan, which will align with existing provincial strategies. She will be instrumental in “growing and maintaining” Canada’s network of women’s shelters and help ensure sexual violence doesn’t occur in Parliament or federal workplaces.
“It’s an incredible set of expectations,” Hajdu said.
“They’re very in-line with the kind of work I’ve done locally and that’s one of the things we’re discussing with the team here, in terms of an agenda and a timeline in terms of implementing the mandate.”
Hajdu insisted the Liberals intend to pursue election spending promises despite the Treasury Board’s Thursday’s revelation that the outgoing Conservative Government had left what Treasury Board President Scott Brison called a fiscal “bare cupboard.”
On the campaign trail, the Liberals promised to run annual budget deficits no greater than $10 billion per year for the next three years.
“I don’t think this is necessarily a tremendous cause for concern in terms of us reversing our position on various commitments,” Hajdu said.
“The finance minister will have suggestions to the prime minister and that will shape the speed of our activity. And our conversations will be shaped for the fiscal reality.”
--With file from CKPR Radio
