December 4/12

I'm sorry, but I'm about to get indian on your asses.

Today, something extraordinary happened.  Today, the First Nations in this country served notice to the Federal government that it has gone a step too far.

As I speak tonight, parliament is voting on amendments to bill C-45, an omnibus, so-called "Budget Part 2" bill which, like all other similar omnibus bills of the Harper Government™, goes beyond what any reasonable person would consider to be budget items, and includes legislation that it shouldn't.  This time around, the big item being rammed through is an act to remove environmental protections for 2.5 million waterways in Canada.  When all is said and done, 82 lakes and waterways in this country will be protected, and wouldn't you know it, 90% of those left protected just happen to be in Conservative ridings, particularly those of the "Lake Country" variety.  Toadslime Tony Clement's riding alone gets 10 of those protected lakes.

The not-so-funny thing is that this is being rammed through without proper consultations with Aboriginals, which, in case you aren't familiar with the Canadian constitution/context, are a legal requirement under the constitution (Section 35).  All laws must be vetted to determine if they will significant;y impact on Aboriginal rights.  And seeing as how fishing, hunting, and trapping are considered traditional Aboriginal activities that are protected by treaty rights, you can guess how the First Nations might be a little ticked now that the waterways that provide them with their bounties are now vulnerable to environmental intrusions.

Furthermore, this obligation to consult has been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada in Mikisew v. Regina.  So really, I have no fucking clue why the government thought they'd be able to get this one by Canadians in general, and Aboriginals in particular.

Tonight, I watched as a group of Chiefs entered Parliament and demanded that Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver listen to them.  He had least had the courtesy to come out and listen as Chief Wallace Fox of Onion Lake First Nation served his ass with notice that this will not be allowed to come to pass, but in response, he gave a rather pathetic rendition of his Question Period cards by rote, and was called out for it as being disrespectful.  He returned to the Chambers, and some of the Chiefs, clearly frustrated, tried to enter the chambers, but were stopped by a security guard.

This whole episode brought back that awful feeling in my stomach that I used to get when I worked for INAC.  It was the feeling of hatred and self-loathing.  I am a woman of both First Nations and Metis descent, and it just disgusted me to my core to work at INAC and know how little care or respect this government has for Aboriginals.

Tonight, I feel fiercely proud of those Chiefs.  It doesn't take Aboriginal ancestry to feel it...any Canadian who opposes the government's agenda with regards to waterways should feel it too.  Tonight, a group of Canadians let us all know they were done with being ignored.

Pride...

...Wish you were here.