Walking and Talking Together - We're not there yet

During the past week, I viewed the live stream version of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Gathering in Vancouver, B.C.  This is the second-last national gathering in the TRC's five-year mandate, to listen to and record the statements of residential school survivors and others who wish to contribute to the true history of Canada.

Once again I listened with sinking heart and terrible sadness as First Peoples brothers and sisters told of their experiences in being taken away from their families and the familiarity of their First Nations communities to spend years in institutional schools, returning to their homes bereft of their languages and culture, unable to communicate effectively with their families on reserves and unaccepted by employers and neighbours in mainline society.   As a life-long member of the Anglican Church that operated many of these schools, I am once more filled with a sense of horror and guilt, eroding the feelings of hope I try to nurture within myself that one day, First Peoples brothers and sisters will find the strength to lift themselves beyond the trauma to reclaim, for all of us, the uniquely beautiful people they are created to be.

So I am somewhat relieved to report that I saw a number of burgeoning signs of hope in this latest TRC Gathering - some of them quite remarkable to my mind and heart.

* Archbishop Michael Miller, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, offering an apology on behalf of himself and his people http://tinyurl.com/oqupurm.

* The Vancouver Giants hockey team, wearing the jerseys of the Alkali Lake Braves at their regular game during the time of the TRC Gathering to honour the contribution of First Peoples to the game of hockey   http://tinyurl.com/lmf5fph

* The number of influential people who continue to accept the role of honourary witness, pledging to do all in their power to make sure that Canadians know about the Indian residential schools legacy and the work of the TRC, including, at this Gathering, Stephen Lewis, Vancouver City Councillor Andrea Reimer, Hon. Chuck Strahl, and others whom I can't remember at this moment - but all impressive..

 * Hundreds of students from schools across B.C. who came to take part in educational endeavours around  Indian residential schools, and to meet and listen to survivors, and to share in the Gathering in a good way.

* Robert Waisman, a survivor of the Buchenwald concentration camp, who shared with IRS survivors the horrors experienced during World War II, and to encourage them to be strong as they seek to overcome the trauma of residential school experiences.  

* The thousands of people who walked on Sunday in support of Reconciliation Canada http://reconciliationcanada.ca/,  listened to Dr. Bernice King, http://tinyurl.com/khgpp4d,  and bore witness to the concerted efforts of Chief Bobby Joseph to encourage both the First Peoples and the people of British Columbia to seek ways to build a new relationship of truth, healing and reconciliation.  And see http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/Opinion+Another+step+road+reconciliation/8939584/story.html.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, September 22 here in Peterborough, the Purple Onion Festival http://thepurpleonion.org/ was in full swing in downtown Millennium Park, so I skipped church and joined a couple of hundred people who were gathering to celebrate the "local food revolution" and "food security", hosted by Transition Town Peterborough http://transitiontownpeterborough.ca/.

A group called For Our Grandchildren http://forourgrandchildren.ca/?p=4134 also shared concern about climate change, as discussed at http://350.org/en/about/science.  And there were a number of high school students with posters and placards, indicating interest and knowledge about this subject.

But the concert part was a lot of fun, with lively music and singing and dancing and speeches interacting with  the people, and I quite enjoyed myself, although eventually the cold got to me, and I had to leave before I turned to ice.

As I looked around, I realized that there probably was not one First Peoples person present in the crowd, which somehow reminded me of how much time I spend with First Peoples in this area.  From the Idle No More events last winter to the number of articles I read every day about First Peoples communities across the country who are constantly fighting to preserve clean water, and prevent the ever-present damage to Mother Earth caused by settler/immigrant governments pushing resource development; to the number of gatherings I am continually attending where the First Peoples are talking about the very same things that I was hearing in the songs and speeches in that park yesterday.

Are we two solitudes in this area, each concerned with the same issue, but not able to listen to each other?  If so, is it possible to begin a process to change that?

Last winter, the local Council of Canadians chapter made an effort, bringing together Idle No More folk with other groups concerned with the environment and ecology.  There are some learning curves to navigate - we settler/immigrant types are not very good at listening, but  I sense some goodwill to try to make this happen.

The next test will be on Tuesday, October 15th, when author Maude Barlow comes to Peterborough's Market Hall Theatre, to introduce her latest book: "Blue Future". http://www.canadianprogressiveworld.com/2013/09/10/blue-future-protecting-water-people-planet-forever/.

Hosted by Council of Canadians and several of the same local organizations that took part in the Purple Onion Festival , along with Idle No More Peterborough, and the Sacred Water Circle; this gathering will have First Peoples' participation with Anishinaabekwewag Water Walkers Shirley Williams, Liz Osawamick, Dorothy Taylor, Georgie Horton-Baptiste and the Nitaawe Language Class sharing  Ojibwe words and songs of welcome.

And so we move forward, one slow, small step at a time.  But perhaps, at least, we are moving.

(end)

An Effort to Explore RCAP - A 20-Year Commitment

This book: PEOPLE TO PEOPLE, NATION TO NATION – HIGHLIGHTS from the REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES, (Volume V of the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples; Canada Communication Group; Ottawa 1996 http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100014597/1100100014637) has been in my possession for close to 17 years. 

During th at time, I'm sorry to say, I have heard many First Peoples leaders and others refer to the RCAP Report, but it has only now occurred to me that we who call ourselves Canadian citizens also have a responsibility to refer to the Report and to demand action, as Treaty People.

Thus, I have boldly taken the liberty of recapping this Report into a very simple form that I can begin to get my head around, towards beginning to call for the implementation of the RCAP Report.  

This led to discovery of a Globe and Mail article by Anishinabek News editor Maurice Switzer:  "Reserve judgment: If you want to understand the harsh realities that led to the Kashechewan crisis, MAURICE SWITZER says, look at the works that are being ignored", Nov. 5/06.  He writes:  

"Vol. 5, Renewal: A Twenty-Year Commitment, demonstrates the RCAP report's real strength.  It is more than a recitation of past grievances: It offers a concrete action plan to implement many of its 440 recommendations. ...   Seven years later," he continues, "I rarely encounter university students who have ever heard of the RCAP report, let alone the Statement of Reconciliation that was part of Ottawa's official response.  It was titled Gathering Strength.  Most Indians call it Gathering Dust."

Fast forward from 2006 to 2013.

Now we have experienced passage of the omnibus legislation Bill C-45 by the current Stephen Harper government, which means that you and I are beginning to understand the frustration stated so firmly in the RCAP Report that "there must be an acknowledgement that great wrongs have been done to Aboriginal people".  For we see wrongs are being done to The Rest of Us as well, by this omnibus bill, especially as it pertains to "environmental protection and planned environmental degradation that is coming", according to Prof. Pamela Palmater.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okLmloA70z  This is the fourth part of four YouTube videos that speak directly to us as Canadian citizens.  

There is a way in which we are now all in the same boat when we look at what the Stephen Harper  government is doing to the country we call Canada.

So I invite you to have a look at this manifesto that follows, and to think about whether it would be worth the time and effort of at least some of us to come together to see where the RCAP Report could help all of us to find a new way of relating in peace, respect, friendship and harmony.

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PEOPLE TO PEOPLE, NATION TO NATION – HIGHLIGHTS from

the REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ABORIGINAL PEOPLES

WHAT?

Volume V, Chap. 5, page 125.

WHEN?

Published in 1996.  Begun in 1991.

WHERE?

Across the country.

WHO?

Co-Chairs:  Rene Dussault, j.c.a. and Georges Erasmus

Commissioners: Paul L.A.H. Chartrand, J. Peter Meekison, Viola Robinson, Mary Sillett, Bertha Wilson.

WHY?

“…to help restore justice to the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada, and to propose practical solutions to stubborn problems …”

HOW TO BEGIN:

- Government of Canada must commit to renewing the relationship … guided by the principles of recognition, respect, sharing and responsibility.

- We need a new Royal Proclamation, issued by the Queen and presented to the Canadian people in a special assembly called for the purpose.

Legislation:

- An Aboriginal Nations Recognition and Government Act;

- An Aboriginal Treaties Implementation Act;

- An Aboriginal Lands and Treaties Tribunal Act;

- An Aboriginal Parliament Act;

- An Aboriginal Relations Department Act and an Indian and Inuit Services Department Act

“The proclamation and companion legislation can be initiated by the federal government acting on its own.  But it would be better for the future of the relationship and for the negotiations that lie ahead if the governments of Canada, the provinces, the territories and the Aboriginal nations were to work together from the very beginning.”  (Page 132)

GATHERING STRENGTH AND BUILDING CAPACITY:

“To this point we have discussed structural measures …But structures don’t make change; people do.” …This requires early action in four areas:”

·         Healing of individuals, families, communities and nations (p. 135)

·         Economic development (p. 135)

·         Accelerating development of human resources (p. 136)

·         Institution building (p. 136)

THE HIGH COST OF THE STATUS QUO: (p. 137)

RENEWAL AS A GOOD INVESTMENT:

“Canada stands to gain by acting on our proposals.  Aboriginal people will gain by achieving greater productivity and higher incomes.  Other Canadians will gain through reduced government spending and increased government revenues.  Political, economic and social renewal can help Canada balance its books.”  (p. 140)

AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING:

“The tasks we have laid out for renewing the relationship …are huge – but they pale in comparison to the task of changing Canadian hearts and minds so that the majority understand the aspirations of Aboriginal people and accept their historical rights…

We urge Canadians to become involved in a broad and creative campaign of public education.  Our report can be a starting point – a basis for study groups, lectures, meetings and exchanges, organized by churches and unions, schools and hospitals, local businesses and national corporations, about what they can do to understand and accommodate Aboriginal people and their concerns.

“Remaining passive and silent is not neutrality – it is support for the status quo.” (p. 144)

CHARTING PROGRESS:

“We propose that the federal government set up an Aboriginal Peoples Review Commission to assess the actions of governments in accomplishing the tasks on the agenda for change.

“The importance of an Aboriginal Peoples Review Commission will lie in its independence and its ability to focus the attention of legislators and governments on the continuing process of renewal.  It should be independent of governments and report direct to Parliament.” (p. 145)

[Emphases are mine – jk]

Prepared by:

Jean Koning

Peterborough, ON

September 2, 2013

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Thanks for listening.