I apologize for not writing something on the blog for slightly more than a year. I have been thinking of writing numerous blog entries and for one reason or another, with some of those reasons being possibly legal ones, I’ve chosen not to write anything.
Something that I’m sure most Canadian press will not write about is the other of #IdleNoMore. The least “attractive” things that the media would either never cover or, if the press wanted to provide coverage, they’d get bogged down in the myriad of detail that is available. I’m referring to are those native peoples that have never been idle. Those that have attempted to bring accountability to local band offices and national native organizations with varying degrees of success or, failure.
It’s great to get media coverage of the native peoples of Canada standing against the Government of Canada with the coverage now becoming something of worldwide interest. Prime Minister Harper has become a scapegoat for everything that is wrong with the way the native peoples of Canada are treated. Prime Minister Harper certainly is not the whole problem for the native peoples of Canada. It’s not just the federal and provincial governments that are at issue. Before you think I’ve lost my mind, please read on.
How about media coverage for the native peoples of Canada standing against native band offices, governments, societies, councils and other bodies that are as bad or worse than the federal government when it comes to accountability and honesty with the people they are supposed to serve? There’s more to what’s going on for most native people than Bill C-45. This has been true for a very long time. Where do these native band offices, governments, societies, councils and other bodies get their example of leadership and government from? Most directly, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. That’s an issue that no one in their politically correct, right mind would touch for a long enough time to make a difference! Certainly no one within the Canadian media that would want to keep their jobs.
For example: June 20, 2011 is a day that a number of native governments will come to dread for a very long time to come. That was the day that people governed by one of the worst pieces of legislation in Canadian parliamentary history, The Indian Act of Canada, could utilize the protections provided by the Canadian Human Rights Act. Suddenly abusive behaviours and action against the native peoples of Canada living on reserves became illegal and inappropriate like it always has been for all other Canadians. I know of one band office in particular that should be quaking in their shoes. But are they? Maybe not yet but, soon.
There are a lot of issues and I don’t have the time or wherewithal to touch on them all. I also do no claim to know all the issues. The amazing thing is many of these issues have nothing to do to with the federal government directly! I’m not saying the federal government isn’t a problem. They are! Ever since 1867 when the Indian Act came into being. That’s 145 years really lousy treatment and colonization of the native peoples of Canada and counting. Something needs to be done about it.
#IdleNoMore is no doubt a good thing. But, Bill C-45 is not the only piece of federal legislation that affects the native peoples of Canada. As a child of native and non-native ancestry I can tell you: Change is needed.
Happy New Year! I’ll be writing again in 2013.
