So here I thought moving back to Canada from Washington, DC, I would get a little break from politics. That isn't happening and it's thanks to an amazing citizens' movement that is taking the country by storm.
The movement is called Idle No More, and it is right now centered on an amazingly strong-willed First Nations woman named Chief Theresa Spence who is now more than two weeks into a hunger strike. Spence will continue her hunger strike until Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, meets with her to discuss her concerns over recent changes to laws concerning aboriginal rights and environmental protection.
Around Spence are tens of thousands of everyday people across the country who are standing up on this Christmas Eve, supporting her efforts to oppose what is unarguably a very hard-right ideological turn for the government of Canada.
The government offered for Spence to meet with the minister of aboriginal affairs, which Spence rightly refused as she has every right as a First Nations leader to meet with the prime minister. And after all, if the government is willing to offer a meeting to Spence with a senior cabinet minister, there is little reason that the prime minister cannot meet with her instead.
For Idle No More and Theresa Spence, the new right-wing agenda being passed into law by Harper is seen as a systematic destruction of indigenous rights. There is a lot of changes in the works, for example Harper's government wants to loosen the process for aboriginals to surrender their land or what little is left anyways. This is an obvious threat to First Nation's traditional ways of life, and likely a huge benefit to resource companies looking to exploit that land.
This is a troubling proposal given the power and money that resource companies in Canada have, and their history of a willingness to destroy the Great White North for short term profit. One only needs to look at the vast sludgy, toxic lakes that are now a permanent fixture in the country's tar sands projects.
For me, one of the most surprising and blatant attacks in Harper's new agenda is $8-million in new funding to Revenue Canada to audit citizens groups and non-government organizations, with a special eye on environmental groups who oppose the development of Canada's tar sands.
Audits can kill small NGOs or at the least scare them into silence. This is an attempt to silence Canadian civil society and the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting Canada's natural environment for future generations.
As you can see, things are not well in my homeland. While the government that represents me is shameful, I'm at the same time very proud to be Canadian today as I see so many people selflessly standing up and speaking out. But nobody more than Spence, a woman and a First Nations leader, who is showing the world right now what it is to truly care about the country you call home.
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"The Treaties are nation to nation agreements between First Nations and the British Crown who are sovereign nations." Where is the part about being Canadian?
You will see it amends a large number of existing acts, one of which is the Indian Act. By scrolling through that section very quickly, it looks like some changes have been made to surrendering land negotiated through treaty which I would guess is problematic for many. As the elected Chiefs have been saying, this was done without consultation and negotiation.
The Navigable Waters Protection Act is also being amended, and many lakes and rivers are now excluded from protection. This will also have an impact on First Nations people as it relates to their traditional fishing rights negotiated under treaty.
I realize this many not answer all of your questions, but hopefully it's enough in that if you want to look at the act, and then search the acts that are being changed, this might help. It's massive. And by cutting off debate, holding parliamentary committee meetings in camera, it's almost impossible for there to be a thorough discussion of what is included here.
If that's ok with you, then you're not the kind of Canadian I've ever met.
Business plan?!? What a bunch of nonsense?! It's called a responsibility to your citizens. Period!
2. Navigable Waters Act's not an issue. Indian Act is.
3. The best answer I've heard so far to the question of "what treaty rights is this government violating?" was "Ill get back to you on that. "
4.@pmharper didn't meet with #idlenomore when it was called #occupy, either.
5. Government of Canada has said Theresa Spence can meet with Minister Duncan anytime.
6. Indians get preferential hiring, preferential jail sentences, pay fewer taxes, many get free tuition - this is racism?
7. Over 96% of incarcerated Canadians are male but I don't see you calling the system sexist
8. Indians murdered, enslaved, raped, and ate white colonists whenever they could, in Canada and USA.
9. #Attawapiskatfacts In 2010, the Settlement received almost $34 million from government sources. Population of 2000 people.
Thank you.
You are correct. What I see as the biggest issue the natives leaders have with the latest Omni bus bill is that the will now have to be open with how the our tax money was spent.
The latest Omni bus bill is a crime but not in the way it is being twisted now.
will fan you and thanks.
Really? No more right than any other elected civic leader in Canada.