Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste has announced his intentions to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party and become Canada’s next prime minister. Battiste, who made history in 2019 as Canada’s first Mi’kmaw MP, now aims to make history once again as the country’s first Indigenous prime minister.
In a statement released on Monday, Battiste drew parallels to other trailblazers who paved the way for future leaders. He expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of individuals like Elijah Harper and Jesse Jackson, emphasizing the importance of breaking barriers and creating opportunities for future generations.
At 45 years old, Battiste currently serves as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and chair of the Liberal Indigenous caucus. He has received overwhelming support from Indigenous leaders, friends, and citizens across the country, urging him to enter the leadership race.
Battiste has outlined key priorities for his potential leadership, including restarting national negotiations on a $47.8 billion offer to reform the First Nations child welfare system and pausing planned increases to the consumer carbon tax. He also voiced support for the government’s National School Food Program, Canadian Dental Care Plan, pharmacare, affordable child care, and housing supports.
Despite facing criticism for past racist and sexist remarks on social media during the 2019 federal election campaign, Battiste has apologized and emphasized that those comments do not reflect who he is today. He is committed to learning from his past and moving forward with integrity.
One of the challenges Battiste faces in his campaign is fundraising, as he has only secured $40,000 in commitments towards the $350,000 required to enter the race. However, he remains determined to overcome this obstacle and plans to launch a social media campaign to engage Indigenous communities and youth in his candidacy.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
While running for Liberal leadership was not initially on his radar, Battiste was inspired to enter the race after conversations with other potential candidates. He believes that his focus on reconciliation, the environment, and social justice will resonate with voters, particularly in the Atlantic region and among Indigenous communities.
Battiste’s decision to run for Liberal leadership represents a significant milestone in Canadian politics, as he seeks to bring a unique perspective and voice to the forefront of the national conversation. If successful, he would not only make history as Canada’s first Indigenous prime minister but also contribute to a more diverse and inclusive political landscape.
