Shelve the governance package

Page 4

Editorial

The events of the Assembly of First Nations' two-day special confederacy have convinced us to jump off the editorial fence and make our position known on the federal government's First Nations governance initiative.

Shelve it.

First Nations' people should get that much consideration and here's why.

What was amply demonstrated by the AFN in Ottawa in February is that the organization is toothless, powerless and poorly constructed and is unable or unwilling to effectively represent the grassroots people's interests in regard to this initiative.

When fewer than 40 chiefs out of 633 find it important enough to join in a battle that is seen to be a fight for the very survival of the First Nations' unique position in modern Canadian society, you know there's something seriously wrong with the organizations' underpinnings. It's a wonder the AFN has lasted this long.

The AFN leadership has the power to follow orders from the grassroots chiefs-not the grassroots people. The chiefs have actively fought to exclude the people from participating in the selection of the AFN's leadership.

Following the orders of 633 bosses is not real power. The national chief gets played like a ping pong ball by the competing regional interests and spends all his time trying to be all things to all people. That's not leadership. It's an invitation to cronyism and corruption or total ineffectuality.

The chiefs claim they speak for their constituents. The minister claims the grassroots people tell him the chiefs don't speak for them and that he is pushing his agenda as their representative.

In reality, the only people First Nations have protecting them from this government agenda and their own leaders are a bunch of hard-working First Nation bureaucrats who run around putting out fires and fighting a battle they never had a hope of winning.

First Nations' people need a government, a multi-national government, that is effective and empowered. They don't have one and the federal government is taking advantage of that fact to push forward an agenda that will ultimately only benefit the federal government.

We believe the minister must show he truly cares about the grassroots people by calling a halt to this legislative agenda. He must give the First Nations people a chance to create a workable structure of government that has a chance to truly represent their interests.

Anything else is paternalism-modern-day colonialism.

There are days when we really believe Minister Robert Nault is sincere in his stated desire to help improve the quality of life for Native people. If it is true, then he will see the merit of what we are proposing. He will tell the Prime Minister, and all the others in the central agencies of the federal government, that the ravages of colonialism and government oppression have rendered the leadership of the Indigenous nations of this land too weak and disorganized to play the role they need to play if we are to get it right this time.

He will voluntarily withdraw the legislation until such time as there is no doubt who has the unquestioned authority to speak for Native people. And then he will listen to what they have to say.

He will not quibble about the cost of this process because Canada owes First Nations more than it can ever repay. But as a partner in the process, Canada has a right to demand accountability, as do the First Nations people.

For the sake of the people, this game of little boy politics, where all is spin and nothing is quite what it appears, must end.

Go back to the drawing board minister. And take the chiefs with you.