Canada's Aboriginal people, less than half of whom usually vote because many do not recognize the government's sovereignty, could help decide the outcome of an unusually tight three-way federal election race in October.
Spurred by anger over disproportionately high rates of violence against indigenous women and poor living standards as well as resource development and environmental issues, Aboriginal voters are being urged by their national chief to vote.
Known as First Nations, indigenous Canadians want an inquiry into the cases of missing and murdered women. The ruling Conservative government has declined a national inquiry while the center-left Liberals and New Democrats support the idea.