Indigenous voters watching new Prime Minister closely

Indigenous voters came out in record numbers to vote in last week's federal election. Now, a First Nations broadcaster and writer says prime minister designate Justin Trudeau will be held to account.

Angela Sterritt told Saskatoon Morning host Leisha Grebinski that expectations are high.

"Justin Trudeau has quite a laundry list, or mountain, of promises that he's made," she said. "Within the first 100 days, he's committed to an inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and girls. That's something indigenous people absolutely have their eye on."

However, Sterritt said the list of promises doesn't end there. She says Trudeau is talking about stressing a nation-to-nation relationship between First Nations and the federal government, as well as repealing some laws drafted by the Conservative Party over the past decade.

"Bill C-51, all the omnibus bills, the Indian Act," she said. "Then we see him talking about implementing the recommendations coming out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission."

Sterritt said many people, including herself, hadn't voted in a federal election before this. She said that means voters will be focusing even more closely on the issues.

"I think this time around, a lot of indigenous people felt that this was really a protest vote," she said. "This was really a chance to see a shift in government and a shift in some of those policies."