Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde poses for a photo at the Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Wednesday, February 21, 2018. iPolitics/Matthew Usherwood

Combating climate change is the top priority that an incoming government should focus on, National Chief Perry Bellegarde said today while announcing the Assembly of First Nations’ priorities for parties in the upcoming federal election.

“Climate change, climate destruction is the No. 1 issue facing all of us; Look at the flooding in First Nations along the Great Lakes, right here in Ottawa; Look at the fires in Brazil … Look at the hurricanes, look at what happened on the East Coast with Hurricane Dorian. Things are changing, no question, throughout the world,” Bellegarde said on Monday.

The AFN is asking federal parties to make multiple environment-related commitments within the first year of being elected, including treating climate change as a “national priority.”

It also wants the federal government to better consult First Nations in the development of environmental regulations, mitigation strategies and climate plans, including in how to spend revenues generated by the carbon tax. According to the legislation it passed to create the carbon tax, the government is required to return 90 per cent of the levy’s revenues to Canadians, while the other 10 per cent will be used to help municipalities, hospitals, universities, businesses, schools and non-profit organizations become more energy efficient.

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The AFN is also asking for the federal government to support First Nations-led environmental and regulatory reviews, as well as to support the establishment and maintenance of the newly introduced Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, which the government accepted applications for this year. These areas were established as part of Canada’s plan to conserve at least 17 per cent of its land and freshwater by the end of next year.

Climate change’s ascension to the top election concern for First Nations comes after it wasn’t mentioned once in “Closing the Gap,” AFN’s election priorities document from ahead of the last election. Its 2015 agenda largely focused on advocating for initiatives to improve First Nations’ quality of life, which “Honouring Promises,” its 2019 edition, builds on.

“Has the gap closed yet? The answer is no. Has there been movement? The answer is yes, but we have to maintain momentum,” Bellegarde said.

The 16-page document released today also has short and long-term requests for parties that are related to criminal justice, economic development, and improving First Nations’ quality of life with commitments to areas that include education and health care.

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