I have a voice

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Re: Windspeaker column by Taiaiake Alfred entitled "Playing the white man's game."

Irresponsible and cynical are words to describe Taiaiake's opinion about voting in provincial, federal, municipal or band elections.

The act of voting is a practical reality. In reality, MLAs, MPs and city and band councils make huge decisions that directly affect the Aboriginal communities we live in. Let's just count how many parks we have now that should have been turned back to First Nations control? Advocating a non-participatory approach at this point is defeatist, it's saying that your voice doesn't count, or won't be counted. While this may very well be in your riding, maybe if every Aboriginal person did vote in some ridings, we wouldn't be listening to racist Reform rhetoric today as the House debates the Nisga'a treaty.

Maybe, maybe not. Unlike Taiaiake, I see a lot of power in the Aboriginal vote. In BC, it means leaders like Stewart Phillip and Ron Derrickson are heard on issues regarding sovereign Aboriginal rights. I might not agree with everything they say, but for all I disagree with, I would rather be dealing with their difference of opinion than with those voices reportedly representing me in BC's First Nations Summit.

That's my view and I vote because, in this day and age, it's one more opportunity, not one more loss.

Lizabeth Hall

Nuxalkxm

Vancouver