Hi Friends
This being the last week for campaigning I find myself drained but hopeful of getting my message out to the electorate.
It is a simple one. Though we are not your neighbours, we are still your community. We are the foot soldiers on the outside of the borders of our reserves engaging the dominate culture in dialouge around our issues. We are the ones out on the protest lines, marching for the recognition of our treaty rights, or protesting the removal of our children out of the communities, and in some cases handing out coffee and sandwiches to our less fortunate, First Nations people.
Some are from communities with aide programs for the community members, but not for them. Why leave your outside citizens vulnerable and unsupported?
During this election I was assured over and over again, that there is no divide. "Your address doesn't make any difference and you are a community member". Nice words, but what actions have been taken to show this?
In many other reserve communities the Chiefs have already welcomed the second generation cut off onto their band lists. It is a recognized done deal since Sharon McIvor won her case, and rather than await an edict from INAC to begin, they have taken the initiative and gone ahead with doing just that, and welcoming their own back into the fold. There are no transfer payments for these new members that these communities will be getting right away. The money will have to be sorted out later...It's just the right thing to do! "These are our citizens/members and they have waited long enough", seems to be the sentiment in these communities.My own sons are waiting to be welcomed to my community, along with about 200 others.
McIvor won her case in 2009, and the Canadian Government was given till April 2010 to amend the Indian Act. Canada then asked for an extension till July 6th 2010 and then till January 31st 2011, both extensions given.
The point is the Canadian Government has to do this, it is a Supreme Court ruling, and all reserves and their leadership know this, and some have acted...while still others wait.
Why?
I find the leadership is quite practiced at hiding their lack of action behind the Indian Act. This is not the case here, the Indian Act will be amended, and as I've said other Nations have taken it upon themselves to get on with the job of amending their own band lists.
My only other question then is this, "Is it fear of Indian Act retribution or is it Indian Agent thinking that has hampered my Nation and its leaders from acting?"
regards Debra
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Indian Act Rules, tales from Campaign Trail...
Hi Friends
Well as you know I have offered myself for public service to my community, after being nominated, and then seconded...I talked over this amazing turn of events with my husband and sons. Having a budget of zero dollars to mount a run for office, and a distance between my home and the reserve...it was unanimously decided "If you want to,...".
This being decided, I was now ready to take up the challenge.
That first hurdle having been gotten over, it was time for me to introduce myself to the broader community for their scrutiny. I, being a stranger in their midst, claiming kinship with them was in for a hard sell.
I have in the past volunteered in my community, and of course I have run this blog, plus was active both on line and in person, protesting the HST here in Ontario, so I wasn't a complete stranger after all.
The first most astonishing thing I found out about was that the "Indian Act" rules of politics is that an individual can (and some do) run for the position of chief and councilor at the same time!
To me this is like being the back-catcher and the pitcher for the same baseball team, at the same time.
All well and good, I guess, but what happens if you get elected for both?
They (INAC) have thought of that. Should the candidate prove to be popular enough to be elected to both positions, they are not expected to forfeit one for the other, but can (and do) hold these positions, simultaneously. The only proviso is they must declare which one they are holding before the start of any meeting.
This was all explained to me by the Electoral Officer.
I was/am astounded. Democracy as practiced on this Continent was ours...The American constitution was inspired by the Six Nations Confederacy. We all know it, Government of the people, by the people , for the people,
an end to tyrannical monarch rule...
So my question is this! Can things change for the First Nations communities when they are forced to live under such tyranny as is imposed on us by the draconian Indian Act? Have we lost the Utopian ideals of our glorious past? Is it any wonder to you that so many of our Indian Act elected chiefs have no caring or feel for the people they are supposedly leading?
I don't know the answers to these questions. But a good start would be for our Nations to began in earnest to craft their own constitutions, and citizenships codes, and take the power into their own hands and out of Ottawa's once and for all. True Nations with in the Nation of Canada.Then we can get back to our old ways, the noble ways of our ancestors, starting with true democratic governments as was enjoyed in our glorious past.
regards debra
Well as you know I have offered myself for public service to my community, after being nominated, and then seconded...I talked over this amazing turn of events with my husband and sons. Having a budget of zero dollars to mount a run for office, and a distance between my home and the reserve...it was unanimously decided "If you want to,...".
This being decided, I was now ready to take up the challenge.
That first hurdle having been gotten over, it was time for me to introduce myself to the broader community for their scrutiny. I, being a stranger in their midst, claiming kinship with them was in for a hard sell.
I have in the past volunteered in my community, and of course I have run this blog, plus was active both on line and in person, protesting the HST here in Ontario, so I wasn't a complete stranger after all.
The first most astonishing thing I found out about was that the "Indian Act" rules of politics is that an individual can (and some do) run for the position of chief and councilor at the same time!
To me this is like being the back-catcher and the pitcher for the same baseball team, at the same time.
All well and good, I guess, but what happens if you get elected for both?
They (INAC) have thought of that. Should the candidate prove to be popular enough to be elected to both positions, they are not expected to forfeit one for the other, but can (and do) hold these positions, simultaneously. The only proviso is they must declare which one they are holding before the start of any meeting.
This was all explained to me by the Electoral Officer.
I was/am astounded. Democracy as practiced on this Continent was ours...The American constitution was inspired by the Six Nations Confederacy. We all know it, Government of the people, by the people , for the people,
an end to tyrannical monarch rule...
So my question is this! Can things change for the First Nations communities when they are forced to live under such tyranny as is imposed on us by the draconian Indian Act? Have we lost the Utopian ideals of our glorious past? Is it any wonder to you that so many of our Indian Act elected chiefs have no caring or feel for the people they are supposedly leading?
I don't know the answers to these questions. But a good start would be for our Nations to began in earnest to craft their own constitutions, and citizenships codes, and take the power into their own hands and out of Ottawa's once and for all. True Nations with in the Nation of Canada.Then we can get back to our old ways, the noble ways of our ancestors, starting with true democratic governments as was enjoyed in our glorious past.
regards debra
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