I have been watching and listening with interest over the last few weeks about what issues the media outlets have been featuring, as well as what federal, provincial and First Nation politicians have been speaking about. Despite the fact that some very important court rulings have come out which were in favour of First Nations peoples, they seem to have gone largely unnoticed. Similarly, there have been some pretty significant funding cuts to First Nations communities as well as various First Nations organizations, yet the political world has been all but silent on the issue.

As we lurch towards the end of week one of this 41st Canadian federal election, I am particularly interested in those races where the Aboriginal vote could play a key role by virtue of their numbers. And few are more interesting or potentially consequential than the contest that's on now in the B.C. riding of Vancouver Island North.