The Right Honourable Paul Martin Joining Rebecca Chartrand For Campaign Kick-off in Cross Lake

CROSS LAKE, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - Aug. 16, 2015) - Rebecca Chartrand, Liberal candidate for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski, will be hosting a campaign kick-off event featuring the Right Hon. Paul Martin in Cross Lake at 12pm on Monday, Aug. 17. The two of them will also be co-hosting a campaign fundraiser at Fort Garry Place in Winnipeg Monday evening from 7-9:30pm.

"It is truly an honour to be joining our last Liberal Prime Minister who brought us five consecutive balanced budgets and the Kelowna Accord," says Chartrand. "Unfortunately, both of these accomplishments were quickly undone by the current government."

Chartrand says Justin Trudeau's recent commitment to invest $2.6 billion in First Nations education is signalling to communities in Northern Manitoba that a Liberal government will work to re-establish the nation-to-nation relationship that led to the Kelowna Accord.

"Liberals in the twenty-first century are proving to be the strongest allies for First Nations in Ottawa," says Chartrand. "I'm happy to see Trudeau carrying on former Prime Minister Martin's historic commitment to invest in Aboriginal communities."

The Liberal Party of Canada has more Aboriginal candidates than any other party. Chartrand says this is a sign that the party is serious about supporting a stronger voice for First Nations within the federal government.

"First Nations need to have a seat at that table," says Chartrand. "This is true from the local community level all the way up to the federal government, and that's why I'm running to be a strong voice for the North."

Since leaving politics, Paul Martin has founded the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative, which focuses on improving access to quality elementary and secondary education for Aboriginal students. With Chartrand's background in Aboriginal education, the two will definitely be discussing how to improve education opportunities in Northern communities as they campaign together in Cross Lake.