Politics and Estranged Bedfellows

Hi Friends

Today I want to talk about a problem as old as democracy itself - voter apathy!
While many around the world are fighting and dying for their chance to democratically elect their leaders, here in Canada I am arguing with many to get out and exercise their democratic rights to do just that.
The last election we had, only 32% came out, so it can honestly be said that it was none-voters who put this government in power. This government ran on open and accountable leadership, along with Senate reform, and of course our Canadian motto of peace, order and good governance!

This has not been what we have gotten at all, in fact many might argue , just the opposite! We have been thrown into this election because of an historic event here in Canada. Our government has been found in contempt of parliament.

Are the people righteously angry, and chomping at the bit to throw these criminals out of power? Not so much from what I can see! The conservative base does seem to be strong, and are for the most part not overly critical of their chosen representatives. Fear and lies, seem to motivate them the most, while others have a defeatist attitude. Voter apathy is an issue among the ones who can afford it the least. The poor and disenfranchised.

There is a reason why the political parties always have something in their platforms for the older citizens, small as it may be, and why there are always tax breaks for the rich, and corporate Canada. These my friends, are the ones who always vote.

As baffled as I am at the Canadian people for not exercising their democratic right to vote, the Indigenous communities really stymie me. I heard all the rhetoric, and even read many opinions on both sides of the issue. Many Indigenous scholars have written of sovereignty ideas espousing non-participation around the Canadian elections, and just as many have given their opinions as to the necessity of our participation in these elections.

Here is just one of the most comprehensive debates on both sides of the coin that I could find.

Now for my musings on this issue.
Duncan Campbell Scott at the inception of the Indian Act, and as First Minister of the newly created department of Indian and Northern Affairs did not mince his words. This was and still is an assimilationist department with legislated assimilationist policies that are still in use by the Canadian government today.

The ghettos that they have force-relocated our people onto, are not Nations, nor do the transfer payments, and the blood quantization of your citizens, all chosen by them, make us anything but wards of the state. The best we can ever hope for at this point in our histories is dual citizenship. We fight in their wars, we pay into their taxation system, we live on land they have chosen for us, carry their designated Indian status cards and live under their Indian Act policies. How does this make us in any way sovereign? Who is the hypocrite or the assimilated in this scenario?
Do I wish it were different? Of course, but as I am a pragmatist I see things more along the lines of those who note that: "Just because you don't take an interest in politics, don't think that politics won't take an interest in you" To have a say in decisions that affect you then you must go out and vote.

To adopt any other notion is what I have seen in many other areas of Indigenous life. Years of paternalistic dominance has effectively blunted our drive and ambition to the point of always awaiting others to solve our problems for us. This is why there is such a flourishing, so called, "Indian Industry". Lawyers, negotiators, consultants...the Bruce Carson's, and his ilk, waiting with bated breath to swoop down on desperate people living in desperate situations...It does not have to be like this, it is time to ride to our own rescue! To stop the exploitation we must engage and participate in the electoral process to have our own say in the legislation that will affect us all!

We also have many Indigenous people running in hopes of being elected in this federal election. To characterize these Indigenous candidates as assimilated is not only wrong, but it is divisive. To do nothing, is to support the status quo, and accept being a beggar in your own country.

If you do not participate, all you get is ignored.
Since we now have the vote, we must use this tool to our advantage.
It took ONE Aboriginal man (participating, by being an M.L A in the Manitoba Legislature...to stop the Meech Lake accord from passing,) His name is Elijah Harper. Elijah Harper, using just one word, while using their rules, and in their government house, stopped the Mulroney Conservative Government, and the ten provincial Premieres in their tracks.

I get angry every time I read judgmental remarks like, if you vote, you are assimilated and should go all the way and not call yourself, Anishinabek or Cree, or Mohawk, because you are now a Canadian. To this I can only respond, you obviously don't know of the contributions of our war hero's, who fought and died for this country, nor do you show proper respect for the residential school educated, Elijah Harper who, through his participation in the Canadian electoral process stood up for ALL of us, and, with the one word, NO, told the Canadian Government they must consider US too!

Regards Debra