I want to share some thoughts about media bias, particularly regarding the CBC Indigenous article about the meeting that took place this past Saturday, between the Mohawks of Tyendinaga and Indigenous services minister Mark Miller.
The article focuses heavily on a call that took place during the meeting. A call from Chief Woos, Wet'suwet'en Hereditary Chief, to a member attending the meeting. To be clear, this call had no bearing on the meetings outcome and only served to reinforce for the minister that
despite there being a meeting scheduled with minister Bennette and the Wet'suwet'en HCs, no action would be taken until there were concrete agreements to have the RCMP leave Wet'suwet'en Territory. In my opinion, this opening statement suggests the call disrupted negotiations. 
Including a sensational quote from a community memeber, who wasn't selected as a representative at the table, serves only suggest that we're being "unreasonable".
While minister Miller acknowledged that these were deep rooted issues that went beyond a pipeline protest, and that some of those same systemic issues exist in our community, these actions are purely in solidarity w/ Wet'suwet'en and futher discussions
about issues in our community would be a completely separate matter. I feel that including mention of this in the article serves only imply that were trying to negotiate for more that originally agreed on.
The success or failure of the 'blockades' coming down is not the only measure of "progress". The ministers requests were not "unheeded" they were given as much consideration as the minister was able to provide to ours. He was not able to comply, therefor, nor were we.
The words "uprising" and "revolution" (not a direct quote mind you) are right up there with "treason" and "civil war" and along with unsolicited mention that we've shut down the 401 in the past will serve only to incite further hatred in an already ,unnecessarily, fearful public
To me, this final passage is the most egregious example of bias, unknowing or otherwise.
- A reminder that a court injunction is in play and police are watching
- A reminder that there's some shady looking Mohawks in masks at the center of it all (it's been -20c at times btw)
- A reminder that a court injunction is in play and police are watching
- A reminder that there's some shady looking Mohawks in masks at the center of it all (it's been -20c at times btw)
I want to take people at their word, that much of this kind of bias is unintentional, that people genuinely want to do their best for the communities they report on, but I find it hard to fathom at time the choices that some make.
