Whether they like it or not, every political party in Canada, be it federal or provincial, has an obligation to consult with our Indigenous communities. The problem is, most leaders haven’t a clue as to how to do this effectively, and for the centre-right organizations, their leaders might as well all have come down with laryngitis the microsecond such talks have to begin.
Herein lies the “problem”. Most Canadian haven’t the vaguest idea as to how financial arrangements are structured when it comes to our federal/provincial governments dealing with First Nations groups, and to be honest about it, NEITHER the Liberal nor Conservative parties want the public to be better informed. There’s a reason for them taking that position as well, that being when they actually do have some cash to “splash” to Indigenous communities, they can make a “big deal” as to their “generosity” – and in the process allow the lesser of our non-biased leaders such as former premier Brad Wall, whenever there inevitably ends up there being a shortfall in the monies available to complete a project (e.g.: the elementary school in La Loche, where funding for a traditional community kitchen somehow “forgot” to be added to the school’s construction costs), the communities are told to “ease up” on the coin, and if they really “need” that kitchen (or the gym equipment also left off the list, for that matter), go do their “begging” at Cameco’s doorstep.
If you can’t “understand” why this attitude is so sickening to listen to, ask yourself this question – which may not seem relevant at the moment, but wait for your own answer to find out why it’s relevant to this discussion:
IF a landlord decides to rent a specific property, how much should he/she REASONABLY charge for the occupation of that property?
If you don’t “understand” the question, then you’re most likely a Canadian who gets his “news” from the FOX Network. OUR nation was formed on the basis of PEACEFUL negotiation with our First Nation brethren through Treaties, legal documents in which in RETURN for the British Empire being able to share the land in peace and harmony, trade with one another in good faith, and rely upon each other’s military support in times of conflict, the colonizers must be prepared to provide and maintain lands upon which these Nations traditionally resided, and allow for the changes of such boundaries as their own populations increased.
In other words, your taxes are your “rent” for the privilege of living in Canada.
To be honest, the early European empires who colonized Canada, France and Britain, accepted such terms as reasonable and adhered to the Treaty promises almost without question, which is why most of the issues arising from the “language” of such negotiation become increasingly litigious as one moves westward across Canada, where over time the condescendingly paternalistic nature of the colonialist “elite” enacted convoluted laws to provide exceptions to treaty law.
One of the major issues thus confronting Canadians, particularly in our province, is that in not understanding Treaty language or knowing their terms, bad actors can increasingly rely upon the misinformation created by such lack of legal knowledge as to the nature of treaty entitlement so as to retain that power. Thus, “They (i.e.: Indigenous peoples) don’t pay any taxes…” becomes a truism, even though those entitled to First Nation citizenry DO in fact pay such fare when living on the lands governed by descendants of the original two “founding” colonizers.
It doesn’t take a “genius” to realize that once a foothold is made in the sand based upon prejudice it doesn’t take long for the list of “ailments” afflicting First Nation peoples in general to be expanded to accommodate the prejudice and feed upon its growth. Often it results in this updated rendition of nonsense is delivered with a vacuous sense of piety and religiosity, such as how “they” drain social services resources, or that “property values” take a nose dive whenever “they” move in “next door”.
And then there’s “CRIME”, that perpetration of the evilness of all societies that sticks to the moccasins of Indigenous peoples as rigorously as toilet paper does to Donald Trump’s shoes, and suddenly we have opened our minds to the idea of punishment, perhaps on a more permanent basis than our so-called “permissive” laws now allow.
One has to note with equal portions of amusement and disdain how Conservatives categorize the prevalence of criminal activity as a genetic trait of the perpetrator, when in fact it is more likely a result of economic mismanagement and malaise than anything else. Yes, First Nations are now attempting to grapple with the after-effects of mental anguish brought about by a government incapable of developing a mandate that addressed the need to limit the social abnormalities created by the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in increased usage of harm-inducing drugs, overconsumption of alcohol, violence and death – all of which find their origins in the reality that economic opportunity eludes them, especially on reserve lands.
Even more sickening is the now obvious reality that this province has not properly invested in the psychiatric and psychological treatment services necessary for their people to heal, so that they can then deal with the gangs that have grown through their leadership offering fake promise to link their joining the ranks to the protection of their own people. In fact, it is their own people who end up suffering the most and becoming the victims of their tyranny.
In the end, then, it is the conservative elements of society that must now drive this urgent need to begin their economic negotiation with our First Nations. Such consideration should worry Liberal Party leadership, who know full well that their governments, along with those managed by Conservatives, have constantly “borrowed” from the resources set aside by past governments to the tune of some $500 billion or more in order to feed their own prioritized interests.
Conservatives, however, prefer to ignore their own negligence in failing to honour Treaty commitments, and rather than replenishing these funds choose instead to provide economic development to Indigenous communities by, in the words of Pierre Poilievre, “We need to get the Ottawa gatekeepers out of the way, put First Nations in control of their money, and let them bring home the benefits that are dually theirs.” To most Indigenous leaders, such a promise is merely an attempt at something called “economic reconciliation”, a solution that in the words of podcaster Janelle Lapointe merely “implies that a mere financial transaction can erase the deep scars inflicted upon our communities and restore justice.”
Implicit in Lapointe’s dissection of Poilievre’s statement is that he is “tone deaf”. First Nations leaders will never take such advice to heart, as to do so leaves questions as what may happen to their people once such economic activity ceases. Simply put, Poilievre is not asking for input, in effect only continuing to deal with Treaty language and intent in the most paternalistic of manners and expectation of outcome. This leaves open an opportunity for Carla Beck and her NDP caucus, at least on the provincial side of matters, to need only ask our Indigenous leaders what they see as the ingredients structuring this path to recovery, and in what priority such factors be addressed.
To strengthen any commitment to address First Nation concerns, the leadership of the NDP, both at the provincial and federal levels, must be prepared to sit with First Nation leaders and share their thoughts as “equals” in this discussion – something that current premier Scott Moe is oblivious to as he continues in his vain attempts to grasp constitutional power away from his federal counterparts.
