PROGRESS OR MORE OF THE SAME

In Ontario today Premier McGuinty used National Aboriginal Day to announce the creation of a new stand-alone Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. ‘Stand Alone’ meaning not part of the cabinet. A new depute minister will be appointed. So they’ve upped the profile of Aboriginal Affairs from a secretariat to a non-cabinet ministry.

Similar to Harper’s new legislation for resolving claims. New structure, new process.... new stall tactic and avoidance strategy. These kinds of announcements come at times of heightened frustration. They are designed to appease the mass population with empty actions disguised as useful gestures. Meanwhile decades and centuries pass by with disputes left unresolved as generations wait.

Today’s announcement in Ontario was a response to growing strains in Ontario and a key recommendation of the Ipperwash Inquiry; a public inquiry into the 1995 police shooting death of aboriginal protester Dudley George at Ipperwash Provincial Park.

The park remains occupied and closed to the public, more than 12 years since the police sniper fired the deadly shot at the unarmed George.

"The day after the inquiry's report was released last month, Sam George, the brother of Dudley George, called on the province to return the Ipperwash land to the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation as a way of restoring peace.

McGuinty said at the time that it was too soon to decide whether the province could commit to returning the land.”

What have they been doing the last 12 years? The inquiry was about the shooting. It was not a land claim inquiry. Why are governments allowed to avoid addressing outstanding disputes and claims?

That is the frustration that I hear about all the time from all across Canada. From province to province, community to community the same question. Why are the provincial and federal governments elected by the people of Canada allowed to ignore the interests and rights of the First People’s of Canada?

I think it is largely because the people of Canada don’t own the issue. Still too many people in Canada see ‘aboriginal affairs’ as something to do with the ‘sins of their fathers’ and nothing to do with them. That was then, this is now. That’s about the natives, got nothing to do with me. They don’t consider themselves to be racist and they don’t condone what happened to native peoples in the past but there is nothing they can do about it now.

By and large non-aboriginal Canadians don’t accept that the sins of their fathers and grandfathers continue to happen today. They don’t see the connection between how existing government policies continue to oppress, marginalize and deny basic rights to aboriginal people. They don’t think it’s true. They want everyone to get on with being Canadians together. Recognizing cultural diversity, enjoying a rich multi-cultural identity; those are terms Canadians can get behind. They are cute, folksy, colourful and engaging. They are warm and cuddly images of Canada.

It’s a whole other discussion to know what it means to recognize the unique, inherent rights of First Peoples. It requires the honouring of rights that go beyond celebrating the cultures ceremony, pageantry, music, dance and art. It requires reconciliation and compensation for broken agreements and neglected responsibilities. It requires future fairness and accountability. It requires facing the truth and responding with the strong human character of a great nation to finally and completely resolve past, current and on-going crimes and disputes.

In my view we can not truly and honestly celebrate as a nation until we can stand together as a nation.... French, English, native, non-native. As one citizenry. Treated fairly as equal citizens of Canada.... Our home and native land.

All my Relations....