The utility of debate to Idle No More is beyond dispute
Why shutting down debate about Idle No More's next steps in favour of some false "unity" might risk the death of the movement
What’s next for Idle No More? Why provincial governments should matter to the movement
The movement's paid scant attention to the part provinces have played in perpetuating the challenges faced by Indigenous communities. That must change.
Ghosts of Indigenous activism past, present, future: #IdleNoMore’s transformative potential
Earlier this week, from Goose Bay to Yellowknife, thousands of Nehiyaw, Dene, Metis peoples (joined by Canadians supportive of them) gathered in front of provincial legislatures, constituency and Aboriginal Affairs offices. They sang honour songs, danced jigs, and waved their flags and homemade protest signs out in the cold and the wind. This hash-tag movement...
Why it’s only right to retire relics like the Redskins
The recent debate about the Nepean Redskins is getting tired. Frankly, it’s a debate we’ve had over and over again, both in the U.S. and in Canada. Despite the very real fact that the term Redskin is nearly universally understood as offensive, White sports fans loyal to their high school, college or professional sports mascots...
Shameless scapegoating: A catty critique of how Canadian media cover Indigenous people
Yesterday marked the United Nations’ International Day of Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme for the Day: “Empowering Indigenous Voices.” As the UN noted, the aim was “to highlight the importance of challenging stereotypes, forging Indigenous peoples’ identities, communicating with the outside world, and influencing the social and political agenda.” And while we should take this...
A new Assembly of First Nations for the people? Second thoughts on a ‘One Indian, One Vote’ AFN
Last month’s election for the Assembly of First Nations’ National Chief has once again stirred calls for change. On election eve, for example, fellow MEDIA INDIGENA contributor Waubgeshig Rice published an op-ed on CBC.ca entitled, “How to make the AFN more relevant.” Then, in the midst of the election, author Richard Wagamese wrote an opinion...
The National Media and the AFN’s “Angry Indians”
It’s an auspicious week for the Assembly of First Nations. The AFN’s Annual General Assembly will either re-elect Shawn Atleo as National Chief or select one of seven challengers to lead the organization through the next three years. Today’s vote is the culmination of a relatively short and mostly unexciting campaign, yet it is one...
Christie Blatchford’s “Helpless” is hapless and historyless account of Caledonia conflict
About six months ago, the Globe and Mail‘s Christie Blatchford filed a series of courthouse dispatches from Hamilton, ON regarding the case of a Caledonia, ON family and their $7 million lawsuit against the Ontario government for failing to protect them from “the natives” (of Six Nations) as a result of the Caledonia land conflict....
The likely consequences of ‘Truth in Sentencing Act’ for Indigenous people
There are apx. 20,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit inmates housed within provincial jails at any given time in this country. And according to StatsCan, while Indigenous people represent 4% of the population, they make up 24% of the general prison population. Incredibly, Aboriginal women are 28 times more likely to go to jail than...
