On Indigenous Peoples' Day, Mills Recounts Record With Wabanaki Nations as Term Nears Its End
AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Janet Mills marked Indigenous Peoples' Day on Oct. 12 with a statement honoring the Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Nations, whose history, cultures and ancestry, she said, are woven into the fabric of Maine. She thanked the nations for their stewardship of the land and natural resources, for traditions and values that enrich communities, and for generations of military service.
"As I prepare to leave office, I am proud of my Administration's work with the Wabanaki people to rebuild trust, strengthen our State-to-Nation relationship, and help craft a new and better future for all who call Maine home," Mills said. Her office's record includes signing the law that replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, and writing and signing LD 585, described as the most significant tribal legislation in Maine in more than 40 years. That law created a formal state-tribal collaboration process for policymaking, delivered tax relief to tribal members and businesses, and gave the tribes the opportunity to benefit from online sports wagering.
Earlier this year, Chief William Nicholas Sr. of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township praised Mills' two-term commitment to tribal self-determination and prosperity. Mills' term ends early next year, and the state-to-nation relationship will be a key inheritance for the next administration.
(Source: Office of the Governor of Maine)
Source: Office of the Governor of Maine
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 缅因州议会大厦（奥古斯塔），CC BY 4.0，摄影：Quintin Soloviev（Wikimedia Commons）
