A centrist commenting on politics in Canada's middle province from the "Centre of the Universe"

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Why I want to support Idle no more but can't support First Nations Leadership

I believe in the grassroots movement...

I believe that we must change the reserve and Indian Act system. First Nations have the right to a stake in the management of natural resources. I believe that the best way to improve the quality of life on and off reserves is through education that respects the traditions, culture and language of first nations, through economic opportunities and most importantly through self-determination.

Until tonight I was lukewarm and leaning towards supporting Theresa Spence's hunger strike and the AFN leadership in their demands for meeting with the Prime Minister and the Governor General. Spence's hunger strike was a peaceful and honourable protest. A nice change of pace of highway and train blockades.

However after her and the First Nations leadership dithering and constant changing demands regarding a meeting the Prime Minister and the Governor General has made me lose faith that something constructive can  develop out of this movement.

While I can understand the symbolic value of having the governor general at the meeting (the Treaties were signed by the crown), if the First Nations leadership actually wanted to achieve results they would understand that having the Governor General in a meeting will actually hamper and stop any actual change happening at this meeting.

What bothers me the most is the constant changing of terms by both Theresa Spence and the First Nations leadership surrounding the meeting. Going from initial joy of having a meeting with Harper to then not participating and then participating again is simply mind boggling. They are constantly moving the goal posts as to what they wish to achieve.

Given the seriousness of a hunger strike and now the potential to Theresa Spence's life given how long her hunger strike has lasted, it displays a certain amount of bad faith.

I want to be able to improve the quality of life of First Nations across the country but so far the AFN and other chiefs have showed that they are more concerned with the semantics and visuals of a meeting than achieving concrete results. And for that reason I cannot lend my support to the First Nations leadership who claim to represent Idle no more.

1 comment:

  1. From what I've seen the AFN has been pretty consistent, but the chiefs in general can't get their act together. You may be paying closer attention than I, however. I agree generally with what you're saying.

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