Flames of discontent burn on
By Noah C. Augustine
Somewhere, right now, perhaps on an Indian reservation, or on some disputed property involving logging, fishing or mineral rights, or perhaps even in your own backyard, an “Indian uprising” is being planned. Does this alarm you? Come now, this should come as no surprise. Such uprisings have been happening across Canada, on an increasingly regular basis, since you or your parents can remember. The question is: Why?
For every disputed land claim, Aboriginal or treaty right, or refused access to natural resources in Canada, Aboriginal peoples have had little choice but to inconvenience you – the public. At least, this is what both federal and provincial governments would have you believe: Taxpayers Beware. The Indian Problem is costing you time and money.
In truth, Aboriginal protests and related political movements are simply the results of decades of government inaction and mismanagement of Aboriginal affairs across Canada. It was only when Aboriginal peoples came to the realization that governments were not willing to address their outstanding claims that the focus of discontent shifted from government bureaucracies to the Canadian court system. Alas, doors were finally opened.
As a so-called Native Activist or Spokesperson (terms used by media to identify native person’s other than Chiefs addressing the issue), I was one of the planners of the “Indian uprisings” in New Brunswick. I witnessed first-hand the birth and death of one of these particular movements. You see, the majority of these movements have short life spans; Aboriginal movements are sporadic, short bursts of energetic enthusiasm, which, like small grass fires, are snuffed out quickly before they spread. As a fire starter, I quickly realized who was in charge of the fire station – government. This may come as no surprise, but perhaps in the interest of your own knowledge of Aboriginal/government relations, you may be interested in how our fires are snuffed before they spread, and why they will keep starting over and over, in every part of Canada, at the great cost of inconvenience to you - the Canadian taxpayer.
First, it must be understood that fanning the burning flame of the Aboriginal spirit are the great winds of injustice, displacement, pride, culture and the inherent rights of Aboriginal peoples. The history of Canadian governments alone concerning the management of Aboriginal affairs is enough to ensure that the flame will never be permanently extinguished. Much like all Canadians, all Aboriginal peoples want is a better life for themselves and their families. The doors to opportunity were closed to Aboriginal peoples for years. When you do this to people with legitimate rights, it should come as no surprise that eventually, they will try to force those doors open. Essentially, this is the case here in Canada. When governments refused to open the door to Aboriginal peoples, they were forced to knock on the doors of the Canadian justice system, consequently resulting in the situation we have today.
In light of Supreme Court decisions recognizing Aboriginal and treaty rights, governments maintain the role of gatekeeper of oppression. It is perceived as a duty of government to limit as much as possible benefits to Aboriginal people. In the case of New Brunswick, after the recognition of a Queen’s bench decision to allow access for Aboriginal peoples to Crown lands, the liberal government of the day chose to encourage New Brunswick mills to turn away native-cut wood, employed a media strategy (with taxpayer dollars) which focused on the harm Aboriginal peoples were doing to the forests, and appealed to the highest court in NB to set aside the decision made on the Queen’s bench. A technicality in the legal process was unveiled, the decision was overturned, and government continues to refute the rights of Aboriginal peoples.
The great battle over access to natural resources still looms over Canada today, in all provinces. Aboriginal peoples do not have the resources of federal and provincial governments, mainly taxpayer dollars. It is usually the grassroots peoples on the reservations who ignite the fires of protest by cutting a single tree or by setting a single lobster trap, all for the purpose of being charged. They do not have the resources to launch extensive media campaigns to communicate their wants and desires. Instead, they are labeled “civil disobedient”, an image manufactured by government for the eye of Canadian society.
Eventually, we come to believe what everyone else tells us is true. As for the Aboriginal civil disobedients, they will continue to set fires across Canada until one day soon, Canadians might see the forest through the trees.
Noah Augustine