The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) held a summit this past week on natural resources where more than 800 Indigengous leaders and business people (international/domestic) sat down to forge new relationships and to talk business (and sign contracts) about the extraction of natural resources from First Nations territories in partnership with First Nations. APTN News covered the story at this link: http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2011/06/30/afn-summit-aimed-at-capitalizing-on-the-new-fur-trade/.
National Chief Atleo referred to this new relationship as the "new fur trade". He said, "it was the fur trade that forged the first part of the economy". He spoke about the natural resources that were taken from First Nations territories during the fur trade and said that modern day energy and mining ventures are the economic doors for future prosperity of First Nations people.
The "new fur trade"??! Hmmm, I think that someone should educate "National Chief" Atleo about the disastrous effects of the old fur trade on our people and tell him that that "new fur trade" will maintain the status quo if the Indian Act remains in place.
"National Chief" Atleo, take a look around you and you will see what the fur trade did to us! It resulted in Apartheid: the racist Indian Act; the residential school system and sexual/physical abuse of our children; the Sixties Scoop (adopting our children into non-Indigenous homes); and the stealing of our land and the resources on and under those lands. The intergenerational impacts of the fur trade are alive and well today, i.e. high unemployment, violence against Indigenous women, addictions, poverty, inadequate housing, illness, and oppression by some of our own leaders, mainly, the overpaid federal government employee called the "National Chief" of the AFN.
Yes, partnerships in economic development will provide for future prosperity of First Nations but if the Indian Act governance structures remain in place and First Nations citizens are not allowed to participate in decision-making, that prosperity will not come to fruition. It will be "smoke and mirrors". Look at some of our rich First Nations. Has the profits from their industry improved the poor socio-economic conditions in their communities? No, it has not, and why not? Greed and the Indian Act regime is the answer to that question. The Indian Act allows greed to flourish by providing a colonial governance system, which gives the leadership control over their people and the profits from the resource extraction. We did not govern ourselves that way. Traditionally, the community directed the leadership and the leadership implemented that direction. Greed breeds crime and dysfunction.
"National Chief" Atleo is right when he calls modern day agreements between First Nations leaders and business companies regarding energy and mining development the "new fur trade". The "new fur trade" will continue or increase the severity of the same disastrous effects of the "old fur trade" if the Indian Act remains in place. The "new fur trade" will allow the federal and provincial governments of Canada to continue colonizing and oppressing First Nations and stealing our resources. The status quo will remain.
The "baby step" approach into assimilation that is being implemented by the oppressive "National Chief" is not improving (it never will) the socio-economic conditions in our communities. What we need is some action that will create major change. We need major change!
The Indian Act has to be repealed and the governance structure of the AFN needs major reform. We are not allowed to participate in decision-making or vote in the elections for the Executive Committee of the AFN. The "National Chief" is putting our sovereign rights to bed in exchange for senate/commission/tribunal appointments, big tax-free salaries, and dinners/pictures with the Prime Minister and foreign diplomats.
The Prime Minister parades the "National Chief" around government events as Canada's token Aboriginal and the "National Chief" reciprocates with passion. The "National Chief" dresses up in his traditional regalia and he dances and sings to the colonizers as a show of his "Indigeneity". The "National Chief" puts on a show and pretends that we have a "reconciled" relationship with the federal government of Canada. It is disgusting to watch these unethical and racist events unfold in 2011, especially on national television, when we all know that the federal government is still oppressing us through its racist policies designed by the incompetent and dysfunctional Department of Indian Affairs. The "National Chief" of the AFN has become the "New Colonizer" of the "new fur trade".
We will not fall apart if the Indian Act is repealed. The federal and provincial governments will still have fiduciary obligations to us pursuant to section 91(24) of the Constitution Act, 1867, section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, and most importantly, the Treaties. We do not need the Indian Act. It has to be repealed and NOT REPLACED. We have to reform our own governance structures. If we don't, the federal government will do it for us. Trust me, governance reform is coming whether we like it or not. We can either do it ourselves or let the federal government do it for us. Take your pick!
WHO IS WATCHING OUT FOR YOU AND OUR CHILDREN?
This blog is not meant to contain legal advice. Please seek legal advice as it pertains to your community.
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