Hi Friends,
I watch news stories and try to predict the eventual out come. The news I'm about to relate began late last year or early this year, depending on your particular time frames.
The Marten Falls community was under great suffering and crying out for help: E Coli in the drinking water, teen suicides, extreme poverty, third-world living conditions - the usual northern reserve issues. But this insignificant (to the Ontario government) little community became quite significant, and a cause celeb. to that government very quickly when chromite was discovered on their territory.
In short order the community found themselves hosting surprise visits from the Northern Development minister bearing gifts of fruit baskets for this poor, impoverished lot. Kinda like the trade beads of days gone by!
Where unpotable water and extortionately high suicide rates before didn't stir the government's altruistic nature, the ring of fire (as was dubbed the chromite deposit) could and did.
Untold wealth was to be had by McGuinty's Liberal government of Ontario, if only they could get those pesky Aboriginals on side. Billions of dollars for the mining stakes for the largest chromite deposit ever found - to bad it is on Indigenous lands.
This, of course, would only be a minor set back for the McGuinty Liberals. The solution, for McGuinty, was to push Bill 191, a law that would abrogate treaty rights and allow the government to go about developing the north as they see fit. This would be in direct conflict with section 35 of the Constitution, which is there to protect Aboriginal and treaty rights for the Indigenous people of Canada.
I'll bet the strategy meeting went something like this:
"You know what would be fun? We could make our announcement on the anniversary of the declaration of Indigenous Peoples Act. I'll call Harper and maybe he can send that hang-around-the-fort-Indian, Burnoose out with the... "we the conservative party are still pondering the U.N. Indigenous peoples declaration and may (or may not) sign it at a later date"...announcement, and we can just slip our little announcement in there then too.
"Then while the Indians or Aboriginals (or whatever the hell they are calling themselves these days) are all up in arms over Harper's refusal to sign on to the U.N. declaration, they'll completely miss the connection between Bill 191 and the Chromite. It's a perfect plan!"
Maybe even played a few bars of that old Johnny Cash tune...Ring of Fire...
So it now looks like, to me, that it is once again time to defend our treaty rights. This time lets decide to define them as well. I get angry at the stop-gap measures and half-assed defenses usually settled for by our First Nations leadership, as happened with the taxation protests earlier this year. That our leaders left a large portion of their citizens, namely the off-reserve portion, only partially tax exempt (like partial citizens), left me and other off-reserve protesters righteously indignant. It is, after all, estimated that about 70% of most reserve populations live off reserve.
That kind of revolt resolution allows Canada to turn its smirking face to the world and look down its nose in scorn at the civil conflicts raging around the world because they have found a better way: pay just enough lip service and just enough in transfer payments to give the smallest glimmer of hope to the Indigenous people to quash any unrest.
We Indigenous peoples live on hope it would seem. The Transfer payments to the reserves have been capped since 1993. Soon, I predict, we will all be worth the five dollars per-head as set out in the original treaties. Yet, I'll bet the INAC Minister's salary isn't capped, nor their pension fund.
The fatal flaw in the plans of other colonizers is that giving nothing can only lead to unrest, civil war and extreme religious fanaticism. Evidently the message from our government to others is: Look to Canada and learn!
Hope, it would seem, has become these colonizers weapon of choice for keeping the civil peace.
Or at least that is the way it seems to me.
regards debra
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
I am Canadian (Red and White) History
Hi Friends
I have in the past blogged about my mother, and today I feel compelled to blog about my father.
My father's, father was one of England's "home children."
These were poor or orphaned children sent out of U.K to their colonies as indentured labourers. A child migration scheme endorsed by evangelical philanthropist Thomas Barnardo and Scottish evangelical Christian Annie McPherson.
Initially the home children were homeless children, but before long many children were admitted reluctantly by widows, or widowers, and in some cases relatives too poor to keep them. My grandfather was one of the latter.
His mother had been hospitalized and his father was too poor and thus, unable to keep his three children.
In Canada at the time, immigration fell under the umbrella of Agriculture, and that agency willingly promoted the child migration scheme by offering two pounds sterling for every child exported to this country.
My grandfather landed on Canadian soil at the tender age of nine with his younger brother James aged six at the time. Their only sister aged twelve, was sent to another country, never to be united with her brothers again.
William and James were sold to a homesteading family in northern Ontario. Here it was expected for them to work themselves out of servitude, which my grandfather eventually did, but James died tragically in a boating accident at the age of seventeen.
They had been abused and beaten mercilessly by their first guardian who eventually gave them over to another farmer, for a price. They fared much better in their second arrangement, they both slept in the barn with the livestock, and though young were expected to pull their weight around the farm.
After James' death, William paid his guardian out for his freedom, and moved into his new wife's family farm, where my father was born: they named him James. My father, and I in turn have a son named James.
To find out more about the home children and child migration here is a site.
http://www.cic.gc.ca./english/multiculturalism/homechild/index.asp
You can also read about this on wikipedia
Knowing of the home child phenomenon, add in the residential school fiasco,...and can it be surmised that the true savages are the people who would do this to children.
regards Debra
I have in the past blogged about my mother, and today I feel compelled to blog about my father.
My father's, father was one of England's "home children."
These were poor or orphaned children sent out of U.K to their colonies as indentured labourers. A child migration scheme endorsed by evangelical philanthropist Thomas Barnardo and Scottish evangelical Christian Annie McPherson.
Initially the home children were homeless children, but before long many children were admitted reluctantly by widows, or widowers, and in some cases relatives too poor to keep them. My grandfather was one of the latter.
His mother had been hospitalized and his father was too poor and thus, unable to keep his three children.
In Canada at the time, immigration fell under the umbrella of Agriculture, and that agency willingly promoted the child migration scheme by offering two pounds sterling for every child exported to this country.
My grandfather landed on Canadian soil at the tender age of nine with his younger brother James aged six at the time. Their only sister aged twelve, was sent to another country, never to be united with her brothers again.
William and James were sold to a homesteading family in northern Ontario. Here it was expected for them to work themselves out of servitude, which my grandfather eventually did, but James died tragically in a boating accident at the age of seventeen.
They had been abused and beaten mercilessly by their first guardian who eventually gave them over to another farmer, for a price. They fared much better in their second arrangement, they both slept in the barn with the livestock, and though young were expected to pull their weight around the farm.
After James' death, William paid his guardian out for his freedom, and moved into his new wife's family farm, where my father was born: they named him James. My father, and I in turn have a son named James.
To find out more about the home children and child migration here is a site.
http://www.cic.gc.ca./english/multiculturalism/homechild/index.asp
You can also read about this on wikipedia
Knowing of the home child phenomenon, add in the residential school fiasco,...and can it be surmised that the true savages are the people who would do this to children.
regards Debra
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Run Home
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
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
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
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Elections In Indian Country
Hi Friends
I have in the past blogged about the lack of representation for us the off reserve community. I am also of the philosophy that you can only effect change from with-in...and now as the Rama reserve is finally allowing off reserve candidates I have been nominated, and have excepted the challenge.
This is proving to be a some what monumental task that I have set myself, as the campaigning time is very short: six weeks to be exact, and the off reserve residents list incomplete.
Six short weeks to get my name out in the community as well as to find many of our off reserve members and ask them for their support. I find our people are like the fluff of the dandelion...scattered by the wind.
My hope in running is of course to first win a mandate, and then to voice the concerns of the reserve members who too long have been ignored by those elected to serve them. I can look with fresh eyes at our problems and work with the others on council to try to address these common issues.
I won't insult any ones intelligence by offering immediate remedies to our many problems. I can however and do promise to work for you...as public servants are supposed to. Any one from my home reserve of Rama or a friend of Rama resident living off I'd be grateful if you'd pass along my message and lets start to build a new relationship together.
Regards Debra
Debra Stawnyczy
Uniting the community
I have in the past blogged about the lack of representation for us the off reserve community. I am also of the philosophy that you can only effect change from with-in...and now as the Rama reserve is finally allowing off reserve candidates I have been nominated, and have excepted the challenge.
This is proving to be a some what monumental task that I have set myself, as the campaigning time is very short: six weeks to be exact, and the off reserve residents list incomplete.
Six short weeks to get my name out in the community as well as to find many of our off reserve members and ask them for their support. I find our people are like the fluff of the dandelion...scattered by the wind.
My hope in running is of course to first win a mandate, and then to voice the concerns of the reserve members who too long have been ignored by those elected to serve them. I can look with fresh eyes at our problems and work with the others on council to try to address these common issues.
I won't insult any ones intelligence by offering immediate remedies to our many problems. I can however and do promise to work for you...as public servants are supposed to. Any one from my home reserve of Rama or a friend of Rama resident living off I'd be grateful if you'd pass along my message and lets start to build a new relationship together.
Regards Debra
Debra Stawnyczy
Uniting the community
Friday, July 9, 2010
Majority, mniority rights
Hi Friends
I have always known I was a member of a minority group, but had no idea just what a minority.
That may not be an actual true statement, as the minority group I belong to, is actually, a majority, minority.
I am an off-reserve First Nations person. Now in the past I have stated ( rightly ) that most Indigenous people do in fact live off reserve. About 70% of any reserve's population live and work off reserve. Aboriginal and Canadian governments both know this very well. In actual fact it can be argued we are a very well known group. We are the token Indians at work, we are the token Indians at school, and we are the token Indians in our neighborhoods. More than a few Indigenous families gathered in any town house or high rise complex and it could be correctly guessed your living in " moccasin flats. "(Indian ghetto)
When our Nations called on their people to stand up, we in the off reservation population, answered the call.
When our people are denigrated in the main stream press, it is us, the off reserve, who write letters to the editors of these papers demanding fair and unbiased coverage of our struggles.
Many off reserve persons (like myself) have blog sites to help us connect with our communities, and have access to our leadership, to inform and pass on news, and to help get the word out to others like ourselves, away from their communities, and keep the information flowing.
There are many identities, used to keep track of us. To some we are C-31s and others know us as 6(-2)s. Both of these codes come from INAC, and have to do with our lineage, meaning we are Indigenous through our mothers and therefore less Indian than those who have lineage through their fathers. This is exactly what these numbered codes mean. Don't let any one try to tell you any differently.
Most C-31s/6(2)s live off reserve, because for the most part we are all the products of enfranchised mothers, and having been born to these women have very little or even no experience of reserve living.
This is proving to be a very divisive problem within our communities. Most on reserve have the mistaken impression that we the (C-31s/6(2)s ) are less indigenous then they are.This thinking exists even in the leadership band administration offices.
The leaders want our bodies on the lines for the protests, yet want us to disappear once it is over. They demand their citizens be recognized, as the first inhabitants of this land, and their rights as such protected. Great! Not so fast...not all their citizens, but the on reserve ones for sure...and throw a few crumbs to those off reserve. They then tell us we should be grateful as I myself was recently told. You see, when I was protesting for tax immunity for the Nations I was protesting for ALL the members not just the on reserve citizens. Imagine my surprise when told that I would NOT be receiving the same protection of my rights as my on reserve counterparts. I was chastised by a band office worker for having the gall to expect that my rights as a First Nation citizen should be fully advocated along with those of the on reserve members. I have a vote, yet no representation. Our band membership is used to determine the transfer payments to the reserve, yet there are no programs for us. We are told to access the friendship centers for our needs.
Whats going on here? Assimilated, colonized thinking directed at your own? This from the very people we are engaged in fighting the colonizers over recognition of our rights to be enjoyed...by all of us... I feel the need to add: It can be argued that you are every bit as evil toward us as the colonizing governments, with your willingness to disrespect your own, just because we don't live in your neighborhood!
Debra
I have always known I was a member of a minority group, but had no idea just what a minority.
That may not be an actual true statement, as the minority group I belong to, is actually, a majority, minority.
I am an off-reserve First Nations person. Now in the past I have stated ( rightly ) that most Indigenous people do in fact live off reserve. About 70% of any reserve's population live and work off reserve. Aboriginal and Canadian governments both know this very well. In actual fact it can be argued we are a very well known group. We are the token Indians at work, we are the token Indians at school, and we are the token Indians in our neighborhoods. More than a few Indigenous families gathered in any town house or high rise complex and it could be correctly guessed your living in " moccasin flats. "(Indian ghetto)
When our Nations called on their people to stand up, we in the off reservation population, answered the call.
When our people are denigrated in the main stream press, it is us, the off reserve, who write letters to the editors of these papers demanding fair and unbiased coverage of our struggles.
Many off reserve persons (like myself) have blog sites to help us connect with our communities, and have access to our leadership, to inform and pass on news, and to help get the word out to others like ourselves, away from their communities, and keep the information flowing.
There are many identities, used to keep track of us. To some we are C-31s and others know us as 6(-2)s. Both of these codes come from INAC, and have to do with our lineage, meaning we are Indigenous through our mothers and therefore less Indian than those who have lineage through their fathers. This is exactly what these numbered codes mean. Don't let any one try to tell you any differently.
Most C-31s/6(2)s live off reserve, because for the most part we are all the products of enfranchised mothers, and having been born to these women have very little or even no experience of reserve living.
This is proving to be a very divisive problem within our communities. Most on reserve have the mistaken impression that we the (C-31s/6(2)s ) are less indigenous then they are.This thinking exists even in the leadership band administration offices.
The leaders want our bodies on the lines for the protests, yet want us to disappear once it is over. They demand their citizens be recognized, as the first inhabitants of this land, and their rights as such protected. Great! Not so fast...not all their citizens, but the on reserve ones for sure...and throw a few crumbs to those off reserve. They then tell us we should be grateful as I myself was recently told. You see, when I was protesting for tax immunity for the Nations I was protesting for ALL the members not just the on reserve citizens. Imagine my surprise when told that I would NOT be receiving the same protection of my rights as my on reserve counterparts. I was chastised by a band office worker for having the gall to expect that my rights as a First Nation citizen should be fully advocated along with those of the on reserve members. I have a vote, yet no representation. Our band membership is used to determine the transfer payments to the reserve, yet there are no programs for us. We are told to access the friendship centers for our needs.
Whats going on here? Assimilated, colonized thinking directed at your own? This from the very people we are engaged in fighting the colonizers over recognition of our rights to be enjoyed...by all of us... I feel the need to add: It can be argued that you are every bit as evil toward us as the colonizing governments, with your willingness to disrespect your own, just because we don't live in your neighborhood!
Debra
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Choices, Political and otherwise...
Hi Friends
Here in Ontario we are now coming up to an election year for most First Nation communities.Like most everything else, these are Indian Act mandated governments. Our electoral process like so many other things in our lives have been crafted for us by the ever present Indian Act.
We have been told, by those in power, ( INAC ) just how we must go about electing the prescribed councilors and chief for our reserves.
We were not allowed to elect off reserve members for council, (until very recently...and it took a court challenge) yet the position for chief could be from off reserve, and did not necessarily have to be a member of the community. This meant any non Indigenous person who felt like they could get voted in was welcome to run for that office... Indian Act rules. It was thought by the Canadian Government that the First Nations citizens were too ill prepared or uneducated to lead their own communities.
Sadly they may have been right. What could make me possibly think this? The myriad of stories coming to light from various community members, in various communities, from all over Indian Country. Stories of greed, and nepotism, and those caught in the middle.
Chiefs and councilors getting wealthy on the backs of the impoverished members of their own electorate.
First Nations people are for ever being admonished to stop being victims and move on...this is the message from the Canadian Government the educational institutes and Joe Public, (mostly anonymously through the comments sections of the daily papers, either on line or in print) but still the same.
Naturally when I hear of abuses within the communities, abuses meted out to the already put upon and victimized members, by their own Indian Act approved (and this may very well be the problem) elected officials, well then I feel a burning rage.
Most reserves have the ever present (as in all communities, native and non-native alike)"haves and have nots" within their ranks, and these "have not" individuals are the victims of all sides. Over the years many have learned the easiest existence is to not make waves, and they may even one day build up enough good will that they too could crack the "buckskin" ceiling and run for council.
The other option is to leave the reserve and their extended family and try their luck outside the reserve, and possibly face even worse discrimination.
What's to be done about this sorry state of affairs? We who have already lost so much, through the residential school system, stand to lose so much more should this oppressive sort of band politics be allowed to continue. We are not able to reach back and retrieve our old, and from all accounts more "noble" ways, no matter the wishes of the romantics among us, these are gone, lost to time and prejudices of the dominate society, beaten out of the stolen children forever for the most part, and anything else put in place feels disingenuous, to say the least. You definitely get the feeling of ceremony being made up as we go along. Leaving newer members, with a feeling of having missed the secret meeting where all these supposedly time honored rituals were explained.
This serves to further divide the communities between the two factions of on and off reserve, and even down to the watered down (61)-(62) designations prescribed by the Indian Act, and the Canadian Government.
The news doesn't have to be all negative though. We can, and have, moved out of our collective doubt, and put away the inter-Nation prejudices and stood side by side and have had our voices heard, collectively. Uniting over the attempt at taxation, the various Nations became allies and overcame the Canadian Government's best efforts to keep us divided by Nation and address, and ultimately relegate our concerns to the back burner as usual. We saw exemplary leadership and real union of all the people. Not an easy thing to achieve, given past grievances, and the general disconnect of rural and urban populations.
Could this herald a new co-operation within the Nations? God I hope so! The only way forward as I see it is through our connectedness wether Haudenasaunee (Mohawk), Anishnabee (Chippewa), Cree,... all nations , and, on, as well as off reserve populations. Maybe after having seen what a united effort can do, maybe just maybe, our less than honorable leaders, will abandon the victimization of their people who have entrusted them with elected office, and put away the pseudo spiritualism, adopt an honest political strategy and get things on track to a brighter future for all. That is my hope and should be the hope for all Indigenous people. I have a feeling that our survival as First Nations may depend on it.
regards Debra
Here in Ontario we are now coming up to an election year for most First Nation communities.Like most everything else, these are Indian Act mandated governments. Our electoral process like so many other things in our lives have been crafted for us by the ever present Indian Act.
We have been told, by those in power, ( INAC ) just how we must go about electing the prescribed councilors and chief for our reserves.
We were not allowed to elect off reserve members for council, (until very recently...and it took a court challenge) yet the position for chief could be from off reserve, and did not necessarily have to be a member of the community. This meant any non Indigenous person who felt like they could get voted in was welcome to run for that office... Indian Act rules. It was thought by the Canadian Government that the First Nations citizens were too ill prepared or uneducated to lead their own communities.
Sadly they may have been right. What could make me possibly think this? The myriad of stories coming to light from various community members, in various communities, from all over Indian Country. Stories of greed, and nepotism, and those caught in the middle.
Chiefs and councilors getting wealthy on the backs of the impoverished members of their own electorate.
First Nations people are for ever being admonished to stop being victims and move on...this is the message from the Canadian Government the educational institutes and Joe Public, (mostly anonymously through the comments sections of the daily papers, either on line or in print) but still the same.
Naturally when I hear of abuses within the communities, abuses meted out to the already put upon and victimized members, by their own Indian Act approved (and this may very well be the problem) elected officials, well then I feel a burning rage.
Most reserves have the ever present (as in all communities, native and non-native alike)"haves and have nots" within their ranks, and these "have not" individuals are the victims of all sides. Over the years many have learned the easiest existence is to not make waves, and they may even one day build up enough good will that they too could crack the "buckskin" ceiling and run for council.
The other option is to leave the reserve and their extended family and try their luck outside the reserve, and possibly face even worse discrimination.
What's to be done about this sorry state of affairs? We who have already lost so much, through the residential school system, stand to lose so much more should this oppressive sort of band politics be allowed to continue. We are not able to reach back and retrieve our old, and from all accounts more "noble" ways, no matter the wishes of the romantics among us, these are gone, lost to time and prejudices of the dominate society, beaten out of the stolen children forever for the most part, and anything else put in place feels disingenuous, to say the least. You definitely get the feeling of ceremony being made up as we go along. Leaving newer members, with a feeling of having missed the secret meeting where all these supposedly time honored rituals were explained.
This serves to further divide the communities between the two factions of on and off reserve, and even down to the watered down (61)-(62) designations prescribed by the Indian Act, and the Canadian Government.
The news doesn't have to be all negative though. We can, and have, moved out of our collective doubt, and put away the inter-Nation prejudices and stood side by side and have had our voices heard, collectively. Uniting over the attempt at taxation, the various Nations became allies and overcame the Canadian Government's best efforts to keep us divided by Nation and address, and ultimately relegate our concerns to the back burner as usual. We saw exemplary leadership and real union of all the people. Not an easy thing to achieve, given past grievances, and the general disconnect of rural and urban populations.
Could this herald a new co-operation within the Nations? God I hope so! The only way forward as I see it is through our connectedness wether Haudenasaunee (Mohawk), Anishnabee (Chippewa), Cree,... all nations , and, on, as well as off reserve populations. Maybe after having seen what a united effort can do, maybe just maybe, our less than honorable leaders, will abandon the victimization of their people who have entrusted them with elected office, and put away the pseudo spiritualism, adopt an honest political strategy and get things on track to a brighter future for all. That is my hope and should be the hope for all Indigenous people. I have a feeling that our survival as First Nations may depend on it.
regards Debra
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