As much as First Nations find ourselves at odds with this current federal administration – we have to acknowledge they are brilliant strategists in their own underhanded kind of way. Their spindoctors are masterful in the way they wield rhetoric, blatant lies and in their ability to capitalize on the ignorance of First Nations realities. They are like political magicians who have held up promise after promise after promise and made them disappear into thin air.
Speaking of promises…. Let’s talk about the treaties. The treaties are the foundation of this country – not confederation and not the repatriation of the constitution. Indigenous people are the original people of this land and treaties were made that would ensure full engagement in decision-making processes. Those treaties don’t expire.
(For a better understanding of what went wrong in the treaty relationship, please read my blog about racist ideologies and colonial practices here https://aakdewin.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/racist-ideologies-and-colonial-polices-that-lead-to-the-residential-school-system/ )
Let’s continue with the magician metaphor. So the government has announced the FNEA and with it – provincial dollars to bring funding up to par with Canadian children. Sounds great right? It’s just smoke and mirrors. It is another move to breach fiduciary duty. By devolving funding from the federal government to the provinces, it releases the federal government from their treaty obligations. Oh, by the way, the provinces are in no way obligated to provide any funding to First Nations.
ALWAYS follow the money when critically analyzing legislation that affects First Nations.
Like magicians who’s tricks always involve distraction and slight of hand, I can’t help but think that the First Nations Education Act, was at least in part a red herring. We all rallied against the First Nations Educations Act – because first and foremost First Nations people care about our youth. So while we were distracted by the First Nations Education Act, what was the government really up to? What is their ace up their sleeve? Terminating the treaty relationship and assimilating First Nations. ALWAYS follow the money.
While all eyes are on the FNEA, what else is going on? Conflicts have always been, since contact about land. My guess, is that this federal administration is plotting a massive land grab.
Where am I getting this from?
The CPC resolved at their annual convention that they are seeking to privatize OUR lands.
(Scroll to page 26 of this http://www.scribd.com/doc/179616134/Policy-Resolutions-2013-Conservative-Convention )
So, we know that was their intention, to privatize OUR lands so industry can access OUR resources, but HOW are they going to do it? They seek to weaken our collective rights to our land. The senate rammed through Bill S-2 under the guise of a concern for First Nations women.
Learn about Bill S-2 here:
If the federal government were actually concerned about First Nations women, don’t you think that they would support a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women?
( Read my blog about why the Federal government will never support a truthful inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.
I believe to get the ball rolling on privatization, the government is going to create simultaneous housing crises on reserves. The federal government is bound by treaty and fiduciary duty to provide funding but has defaulted on those obligations by offloading those obligations to provinces. Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynn says that the provinces will fund First Nations housing “in the short term.”
Listen to what Ontario Premier Wynn says here:
http://aptn.ca/news/2014/02/04/housing-hot-topic-afn-meeting-toronto/
But what about the long term? Provincial governments have no obligation to help First Nations with funding for housing.
Of course, ideally First Nations would be able to pay for everything ourselves but our natural resources are currently being plundered by industry and our hands are tied economically by the Indian Act.
Aakdewin 