Trudeau slighted aboriginal groups, Tom Mulcair says

OTTAWA – NDP Leader Tom Mulcair wants Justin Trudeau to apologize to a pair of national aboriginal organizations excluded from upcoming discussions on climate change in Vancouver.

Both the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and the Native Women’s Association of Canada have written to the prime minister to complain about being excluded from the meetings, which get underway Wednesday.

READ MORE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit Alberta First Nation

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Mulcair calls the lack of an invitation a “slight” and urges Trudeau to ensure they are at the table.

He says Trudeau promised to engage with all five nationally recognized aboriginal groups, so there is no reason to exclude two of them this week.

READ MORE: Families of missing, murdered indigenous women want action beyond inquiry

Trudeau has also faced similar pressure from the premiers ahead of the meeting.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger says all five groups should be able to attend.