One meeting with PM doesn’t change First Nations’ situation

Alberta Chiefs say the First Nations-Crown gathering in Ottawa at the end of January was, at the most, an opportunity for First Nations to collectively express their concerns.

At the least, it was a good public relations ploy for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

“It was just a photo opportunity,” said Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. He added that the message Harper delivered in Ottawa had the same highlights as the message he delivered in Europe the same week.

Even Harper’s change of agenda to allow him to spend the entire day with First Nations representatives instead of only the morning was met with skepticism.

“I’m not sure if he was told to stay as leader or if it was for media purposes. I don’t know,” said Driftpile First Nation Chief Rose Laboucan. “This way he could go to the (United Nations) making it look like he’s in good standing with First Nations issues in Canada.”

Laboucan participated in a panel with three other chiefs who had an opportunity to speak on issues such as education, health, treaty rights, and revenue resource sharing and then guided the discussion that followed.
Harper sat in on part of the session.

Treaty 7 Grand Chief Charles Weasel Head said it was important that chiefs had the opportunity to come together collectively and express the issues and that the issues are the same across the country.

“Just to keep reminding the Prime Minister that day-in and day-out there are outstanding challenges that we as leadership have,” said Weasel Head, who was singled out in Harper’s opening remarks. Last summer, Harper was named Honourary Chief for the Blood First Nation, of which Weasel Head is Chief.

Weasel Head said the Crown gathering allowed First Nations issues to not only be brought to the attention of Harper and his cabinet, but also to the attention of Canadians.

“There’s a perception out there from the general public that First Nations are not accountable, First Nations are not responsible for themselves,” said Weasel Head. “I think it was heard loud and clear, clearly a case that we don’t want handouts anymore.”

What is needed, he said, is the ability to share resource revenue and for the federal government to invest in education and economic development for First Nations.
Laboucan said that changes to 150 years of paternalism could not begin with a single meeting.

“There’s a lot of mistrust,” she said. “As someone who researched on de-colonization and colonization, that mindset is hard to change.”

Doing away with the Indian Act, which Laboucan considers a “paternalistic document,” is one change that is needed.

Understanding that First Nations want their treaty rights adhered to is another concept Harper and his government need to embrace.

“One of the key messages we have is that we will not position ourselves away from treaties. Treaties are treaties. We need them not only to be recognized, because they’re entrenched in the 1982 Constitution, but they need to be implemented in the way that we feel that they need to be,” said Weasel Head.

Weasel Head said the next step is to review the discussions and presentations and identify the key priorities.

“We also voiced our recommendations that this was not a one meeting, end-all type of meeting,” he said. “Let’s strategise, put something in place so we can at least begin to move forward, at least in good faith, whether it’s negotiations or whether it’s just working principles we need to establish.”

But Adam doesn’t share Weasel Head’s belief that the Harper government will listen.

“They’re going to push their agenda forward and, like it or not (we’re) going to have to live with it,” said Adam.

Photo caption: Prime Minister Stephen Harper had lunch with Chief Charles Weasel Head (middle) of the Blood Tribe and National Chief Shawn Atleo during the Crown-First Nations gathering in Ottawa.

Photo: PMO Photo by Deb Ransom