As stated in the title of this entry, I support the betterment and
proper treatment/funding for Indigenous youth. It has been continuous that
provincial and federal governments have not held up their side of the
settler/Indigenous relations - forcing us on to reserves, taking our youth
away, 'trying to kill the 'Indian' in the Child,' and seeking provincial
control over Indigenous peoples, especially First Nations. Thus, it is more then
overdue for shifts in the relationship and time for the proper and dutiful
consultation and working relationship needed with our communities to rectify
and fix these problems.
There is another problem with how we fix these problems? How can a new
and better/more dutiful form of consultation, relationship building, and
nation-to-nation context be developed and implemented if a Canadian government
does not properly do what it needs to in order to move towards such
consultation etc - this requires consultation on what consultation and thus
implementation would entail. Furthermore, to whom is the consultation on how
consultation is to be implemented and developed to be discussed with?
Indian Act Chief and Councils? Traditional Governance/Clan Mothers/Clan
Leaders where they still exist? The people - in-community and off-of community?
The Numbered Treaties, or the Modern Treaties? The areas not treatied or the
pre-confederation treaties? Or all of the treaty and non treatied areas which,
in many cases, have various differences within them? The Indigenous
organizations or the grassroots Indigenous Organizations? Or Both? The list
could go on.
As complicated as it all seems, the conversation needs to happen. But
what doesn’t need to happen? The NDP utilizing the plight of Indigenous youth
to score political points in the western political system that Canada
utilizes.'
I have strong issue with this, as it has been a consistent thing the NDP
has done for years - with many forgetting the party's recent history and past.
Charlie Angus, and others, have been excessively vocal (with him recently
belittling Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux on twitter because she had been a past
LPC-Candidate and thus her work is tainted because of this - because, it always
looks good when a white man belittles an FN Woman who is a survivor, who comes
from it all and worked damn hard to persevere through it - sarcasm intended).
But again - Charlie Angus and others loyal and supportive of the NDP
have no issue with putting forth a motion that, if defeated, will still make
them look like defenders of Indigenous peoples, especially FNs. They do this
despite knowing that their motion is impossible to enact. Why? Canada's
political structure has a hierarchy, it has checks and balances, it has systems
in place, it has a bureaucracy, there are also laws - all of which need to then
be reviewed, changed, supported and endorsed in the HOC etc - all in order to
make come into effect (despite the fact the Liberal Government is working
towards (aka: consulting) how best to make consultation better and more
reflective of both sides as equal partners on these lands).
Again - Angus and others are doing this and pushing it because if it is
defeated, especially since the Liberal government is working towards making the
changes needed on welfare but there are so many processes and protocols to
follow when making these changes on both the Canadian and Indigenous sides of
this issue, then they can use it to make it look like they are tryng to save us
Indigenous peoples and that it is only them who are listening to us ... which
is not true at all. They rely on the fact that many, including many on the
Indigenous side, do not fully know or understand the political and legal
processes that must be followed to make something occur or enacted.
Angus and others also rely on the fact that many do not know or recall
or know the NDP's own history and how they have assisted in making things worse
for Indigenous peoples, whether supporting colonial legislation in the past
when they were called the 'Progressives' or 'Labour;' enacting legislation and
law at the provincial level that sought further control and jurisdiction over
Indigenous peoples, such as in Saskatchewan when they were called the CCF, or
the steamrolling of FN communities and rights as the NDP when governing BC; or
the flooding of FN communities as well as the attack on Indigenous youth as the
NDP when governing Manitoba.
Thus, I wonder Mr. Angus:
•
Are you willing to
call out your provincial wings (as in the NDP their provincial parties and
federal party are tied together – if you are a member of one, you are a member
of the other and in fact the provincial wings have much impact on the federal
side and the federal side can impact the provincial parts greatly too),
especially the Manitoba NDP, for their colonial history, and even their recent
history, in what they have done to Indigenous rights, jurisdictions, autonomy,
and sovereignty?
•
Are you willing to call out your
own party for its impact on the Kelowna Accord failing, when you and your NDP
colleagues stood up and caused an election – effectively killing the accord
that would have had a great and positive impact on Indigenous youth and their
welfare?
•
Will you call out your own party
for its role in preventing the destruction of the MRP legislation in May 2009,
when you guys didn’t want to let the Liberals look good in getting to push the
motion first to kill it (killing the bill would have been far more beneficial
to FN youth)?
•
Will you also call out your own
party for promising to not go into deficit if having been elected in October
2015, but somehow still paying for the much needed upgrades and fiscal
disparities that exist for FNs, and thus probably failing at doing so, despite
not showing and explaining your plan?
•
Will you and your fellow NDP MPs
and the party structure acknowledge its own colonial past (as has been being
done within the Liberal party through the Indigenous Peoples Commission of the
LPC)?
I would have far more faith in your actions Mr. Angus – if there was an
acknowledgement of your own party’s colonial past – federally and provincially.
But because there is an unwillingness to even acknowledge the NDP’s only
colonial past and the fact that such a motion will not bring change over night,
it is hard for me to not see your actions as one for political points rather
then true decolonization.
And because of that, I want to express to you, the NDP, and all of
Canadian politics: My rights and well-being are not a pawn in a political
chess-game; the rights and well-being of our elders and seniors are not a pawn
in a political chess-game; our treaty rights are not a pawn in a political
chess-game; the well-being of my nephews, niece, and all Indigenous children
are not a pawn in a political chess game; decolonization, reconciliation,
consultation, and nation-to-nation relations are not a pawn in a political
chess-game. So stop using us as your pawns!
Deconstructing colonialism and settler-colonialism is not a game either
and you cannot decolonize 300+ years in 13 months, let alone a motion that is
more of a poison pill for political points rather then for true action and
support.
Thus I ask, and I'd love to hear some feasible answers on how the Canadian government can move more quickly on all of thus while also working their the tons of other responsibilities they have and the encorachment of provinces on Indigenous nations and our rights?
Thus I ask, and I'd love to hear some feasible answers on how the Canadian government can move more quickly on all of thus while also working their the tons of other responsibilities they have and the encorachment of provinces on Indigenous nations and our rights?
Please see the following past blogs that also have the sources I used:
1) http://canadianpoliticalopinions.blogspot.ca/2013/07/the-new-democratic-partys-hypocrisy-on.html;
For Further Information, see what Joshua Fraser wrote as well (including
his links highlighting many of the points I also made):
•
The provincial
Manitoba NDP under the leadership of Wab Kinew has passed a motion condemning
federal inaction/spending on First Nations children. http://tinyurl.com/zywvbak
I have respect for a lot of good work Wab has done for Indigenous people. But
it must be known that the NDP party that he was elected to, who just recently
got booted from office, was known for the amount of First Nations children put
into CFS (care).
•
Manitoba First Nations child
advocate says [NDP govt] province is muzzling her http://tinyurl.com/jnyjxdg
•
Manitoba has more than
10,000 kids in care and the vast majority are indigenous http://tinyurl.com/hjr96mn
•
NDP provincial politicians
such as Kinew and federal politicians such as Niki Ashton don’t want to
acknowledge their party’s history and record on Indigenous children in care
•
We also must keep in
mind the federal NDP campaigned on a zero-deficit/balanced budget agenda. http://tinyurl.com/hfakkho
Considering that commitment and the books the Liberals inherited, there would
be no money to fund many of their election promised, let alone fund new and
emergency priorities, particularly for Indigenous peoples and communities.
•
The NDP bring up important
Indigenous issues, they are not always wrong, but they have to check their
smugness and look into their own action/in-action and commitments. I for one,
believe when Minister Bennett states that the federal government is committed
to fixing this issue, starting with the record budget allocation, Canada Child
Benefit and the recent commitments made by the federal government. http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1143619&tp=980
Government of Canada Focused on Making a Difference for First Nations
Children and Families:
•
Liberal Government
priority continues to be first and foremost the wellbeing of children. Our
government welcomes, accepts and is complying with the Canadian Human Rights
Tribunal rulings and orders regarding Child and Family Services on reserve and
Jordan’s Principle.
•
Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux
appointed as the Minister’s Special Representative (MSR) responsible for
leading a national engagement process and providing advice on the reform of the
on-reserve First Nations Child and Family Services program. Dr.
Wesley-Esquimaux’s work will reflect renewed Nation-to-Nation relationships
with First Nations communities, through engagement with a number of key
partners, including First Nations youth and leadership, national and regional
organizations, services providers and the provinces and Yukon Territory. This
is a concrete step in our commitment to engage with partners to develop options
for full-scale reform.
•
For Jordan’s Principle, we have
introduced a new approach, integrated with provinces and territories, with an
expanded scope to make sure no child falls through the cracks, and have
provided an additional $382 million over three years in new funding. As a
result of this new approach, we have confirmed coverage for almost 900 First
Nations children to receive services and supports through Canada’s expanded
definition of Jordan’s Principle. A great proportion of these children are
receiving support for respite care, and funding has also been provided for
supports such as specialized medical equipment and supplies; medical
transportation; specialized day programs; and addiction treatment programs. Our
government has also committed to enhancing service coordination and to working
with our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that First Nations
children have access to the same publicly funded health and social services
available to other children where they live.
•
Budget 2016 also made historic
investments in First Nations child welfare, with nearly $635 million over five
years in new funding. This includes $71 million this year for immediate relief
for additional prevention services to address the most pressing concerns.
•
When the Truth and Reconciliation
Commissioners wrote the Calls to Action they wisely began with child welfare.
In the same manner, our government is committed to reforming child and family
services and ensuring we are putting the needs of Indigenous children first.
Through working in genuine partnership we will truly be able to change the
status quo.”
