Posted by My dear friend and mentor, Deb shared the following piece she wrote with me. I asked her if I could share it here and she agreed. Deb is an amazing warrior woman, who is willing to help guide others and share her knowledge when appropriate or needed. Debra resides in the Peace Region of BC and is originally from Idaho.
“Government policies such as Indian Act, Residential Schools, and the 60’s Scoop was legalized genocide and acclamation of property. They were the vilest examples of legalizing genocide and dressing it up as “those poor backwards Natives, we got to help them fit into society.” Every single Act and piece of legislation was designed to break our culture and to liberate land and resources to “feed their need of greed.” I have no further to look than current affairs to see that this continues.
An example of this is: The Tripartite Healthcare Agreement of B.C. They are not giving healthcare back to aboriginal people; they are washing their hands of the debt and the fiduciary obligation. First let’s address the fact that we never asked for it back. They suggested it. This is just one more step in a long history of colonialism. The federal government wants revenue, not debt. It has never honored its promises and don’t think for one minute this is going to change, if not driven to it by public opinion. When 2017 rolls around and we cannot meet the expectations set out by the government, they can shake their collective head and spin it. They can feel justified and say, “See we gave you what you wanted and you couldn’t do it.” They will offer to take it back over, but first we will have to cede our Treaty rights, land entitlement rights and Status. We already know that they want to do away with Status and the Indian Act. It’s still about money and their version of power.
A comprehensive look at funding cuts that started the mid-2000s clearly leads this writer to link it with the” proverbial corral” the federal government is building. We are being lead to slaughter by the words of the butchers of our ancestors. And we go willingly because we so desperately want to believe.
The mere watching of the Apology by Stephen Harper incited me to such anger that I pulled out the Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-IV-TR) and there he was 301.7 Antisocial Personality Disorder (2000:291).
So what does this leave me wanting? I want to beat the Ass-hats at their own game or at least die trying. And I can, because I’m a strong First Nation’s woman that has survived Residential School and a colonialist society in 2 countries. I have 1000s ancestors watching my back. Culture and tradition all the way, Baby.
References:
http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/year/2012/together-in-wellness.pdf
http://openparliament.ca/debates/2012/11/30/cathy-mcleod-2/only/
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs192/1102372299827/archive/1111874960070.html
Diagnostic Criteria-DSM-IV-TR Published by the American Psychiatric Association-2000 (p: 291)
Reclaim the Warrior 
I’m really sad to see that things are really bad on the other side of the world from us too. Indigenous Australians have such a hard time (worst in the developed world!) and it seems that their woes and struggles are shared by you guys.
I hope things are changing.
I guess we always look at Canada from here as a nice, friendly, cold, socialist paradise but it sounds like it has a long way to go.
Thank you for reblogging the post, and the politics of power and oppression is such a common theme for all Indigenous peoples. There’s a shift though, I can feel it, and things have to change for all of us, for our future generations.
Thanks for stopping by, I like your blog!
Thank you for reblogging the post, and the politics of power and oppression is such a common theme for all Indigenous peoples. There’s a shift though, I can feel it, and things have to change for all of us, for our future generations.
Thanks for stopping by, I like your blog!
thanks! I really think that blogs like yours have a lot of power to slowly change the way people think and expose them to different ways of thinking. My blog is my rant space, glad that you like it!!
I think you’re right about the shift that’s taking place, certainly young people are more likely to be understanding of the horrors that have taken place than their parents. Unfortunately in Australia the government legitimises and supports racist policies that reduce self-determination under the guise of “forcing them to take responsibility” while not taking any responsibility themselves.
i hope that Canada is more forward thinking than that, and definitely hope you guys have good luck and that the seismic shift in attitudes keeps going!!
Reblogged this on Jaguar Python and commented:
And in Canada, an Indigenous lady shares words that are eerily familiar to us in Australia.