JUNE 21... NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY.... JUNE 29.... NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

Over the past week or so tough talk has been heard about setting up transportation blockades and disrupting roadways to raise the bar on other plans for organized civic rallies, friendship gatherings, education and awareness events across Canada on June 29. This is the day that the Assemble of First Nations declared to be a National Aboriginal Day of Action. While Chief Fontaine is urging non-natives to join natives for a day of peaceful protest others are declaring it to be a National Day of Protest. More radical, less patient Chiefs and community leaders then some of the well compensated politicians and bureaucrats within the Assemble and halls of government offices are vowing to use the day to get the attention of governments even if it means breaking laws. To push politicians back to the negotiating tables with a determination to address longstanding issues facing aboriginal people of Canada today. Tempers are flaring. Young people who feel they have nothing to loose are restless and angry. The calls for patience and calm are being overshadowed by restlessness and frustration.

Chief Terry Nelson of the Roseau River First Nations of Manitoba was quoted to say…”There are only two ways to get the attention of the white man. With a gun or by standing between him and his money. On June 29 we are going to get between him and his money and shut down the rails to make our point.” Chief Nelson represents the impatience that is growing among native people to resolve the more than 800 outstanding land claims that are paralyzing their communities in a state of extreme poverty and decay. That native people are still asking for resolution is an embarrassment to our country around the world. The impatience is escalating into feelings of anger and outrage. Trust and confidence in native leaders and provincial and national government politicians and bureaucrats alike is waning. Over a century of broken promises, decades of stalled negotiations, scores of shelved special reports, studies and recommendation have grassroots people on all sides skeptical about the political processes or the will of the leaders, consultants, negotiators and others who are paid by the day to resolve these burning issues.

While they collect their fees and honourariums and the governments ignore the pleas for peaceful resolutions nearly 100 First Nations communities still drink contaminated water. Some 30 communities at any give time are displaced from their homes and left in tent camps because its too expensive to take them home. Homes destroyed by development permitted by governments on traditional native lands. Children die in hospitals while provincial and federal authorities argue over who is responsible for their care. Aboriginal men and women are beaten in jail cells, driven out of town and abandoned to die in freezing temperatures. Peaceful protesters are ambushed, dragged from camps and beaten by our national police while their 'white' supports are told to go home. Over 200 First Nations communities have inadequate housing. 30% of Canada’s prison population is Aboriginal. Rates of suicide, addiction, violence, abuse and all major health problems are disproportionately higher among Aboriginal people. Education, employment and economic opportunities are still less accessible for Aboriginal people. Native curriculum in schools keeps native people frozen in time. Racism is still alive and active. Healing and reconciliation are still unreachable. Hope and promise for a better future are nearly non-existant among aboriginal youth; especially those living on reserves.

You don’t need to be aboriginal to care about these issues. You need only be Canadian or a citizen of the world. Indigenous people all over the world are still subjected to the injustices that deny them sovereignty, self-determination, lands and other resources to live equally in their homelands. In Russian this past week a group of youth were seen wearing Native American costumes to symbolize their resistance to the colonialist politics that they believe seeks to deny them their inherent rights. The plight of indigenous people as a consequence of colonization is known and understood around the world. Yet, it continues to be perpetuated by our elected governments. The policies of our imigrant ancestors, our nation's forefathers are perpetuated and duplicated in the nation's parliments today.

What should you do with this knowledge? What is our civic duty? This is not just a ‘native problem’. This is a Canadian problem. This is an international problem. This is a human problem. It is costing us our national reputation. It is costing us our economic prosperity. It is costing us our humanity. It is costing us lives.

Our governments, led by the Government of Canada has broken treaties and failed to honour agreements for over 100 years. Sadly this is a legacy that will not go away until those with the authority to resolve the issues do their jobs. The Government of Canada is our elected government. The elected members are responsible for honouring and negotiating deals with the people of Canada including aboriginal people. As citizens it is our responsibility to expect our governments and our government officials to do their jobs. If the ‘native problem’ doesn’t go away it is because the will of the populous hasn’t made it enough of an issue to force political will upon the governments.

Recently we have seen the issue of global warming and the environment rise to the top of the political agenda. Why? Because the populous put it there. Politicians listen to the voters. They are talking about the environment because we, the voters have forced them into it. So why don’t we do the same with the ‘native problem’? Why don’t we force the politicians to put it on the top of the agenda? Nothing will change until we do. Well actually that’s not true. More lives will be lost. More violence, more acts of civil disobedience, more hopelessness will be felt, more children will grow up in poverty, more youth will grow up feeling they have nothing to loose. More acts of militancy and racism will dominate our headlines.

What could we do? Lots of things. For starters write to your MP. Tell him/her that you want the ‘native issue’ to be resolved. You want land claims settled. You want services to be provided fairly and equally to all Canadians. You want the legacy to stop with our generation. A letter. One letter from you to your MP. Then tell all of your friends and family to do the same thing. And if you are up to doing even more than here is another idea. Attend an event on June 29 to participate in the National Day of Action. Attend an event on June 21, National Aboriginal Day. Show your pride in Canada's heritage and show your support for Aboriginal Canadians. You will be blessed by the exerience. You will be empowered by taking action. I can promise you that.

I’m considering going a few steps further myself. I’m preparing a flyer to distribute around my neighbourhood and to email to everyone else I can think to send it to. I’m making a sign to put on my front lawn…. “Settle Land Claims Now!!!”. I’ll admit that I am giving that one a few second thoughts. I do fear the reactions and have my families safety to consider. Time will tell if I show the courage to take that action or not. Either way I will do my bit by talking about the issues. By sharing my thoughts on my blog. By encouraging you and others to do their bit too.

June 21.... National Aboriginal Day.... celebrate aboriginal cultures. June 29…. National Day of Action…. unite to press for government accountability and action to resolve native issues. What are you going to do to show your pride and support for Canada and Aboriginal Canadians? Isn’t it time we moved on from the legacy of broken promises and systemic racism and abuse? Let's imagine something different for our children and our grandchildren. Let's give pride, fairness and equality a change. Let's give peace a chance. Let's act now.

Here are some videos that I have selected to enlighten you, to encourage you, to inspire you, to give you reason to ponder how you can honour our homeland's history, our reinforce our common belief that we live in the best country in the world, our common aspirations that we might achieve our intentions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCa2kwbeq5w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzXMFdvJ6Tk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8SowFKX3ek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KULkBrBWgk