Thread by @stphnmaher

Canadians are so influenced by the story America tells about itself that we don't know our own history, which is linked from the beginning with their history. We are on the margins of an empire, so this is normal. 1/x

The story Americans tell themselves about the revolution has to do with tea, the taxation without representation and so on. It is not wrong, exactly, but it leaves out the part about the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which I think is more important. 2/x

King George III issued the proclamation after what the Americans call the French and Indian War, which the Europeans call the Seven Years' War and which the Quebecers call la guerre de la Conquête. 3/x

The British were tired of spending money fighting in the woods of North America, so George's proclamation drew a line along the Appalachian Mountains, and forbade further settlement beyond that point. It recognized the sovereignty of the Indigenous nations on the other side. 4/x

"And We do hereby strictly forbid, on Pain of our Displeasure, all our loving Subjects from making any Purchases or Settlements whatever, or taking Possession of any of the Lands above reserved. without our especial leave and Licence for that Purpose first obtained." 5/x

This seems reasonable to me, to us now. Who thinks you should go killing people and stealing their land? A lot people at the time thought they had a right to dispossess Indigenous people, based on Terra Nullius, the idea that uncultivated land was open game. 6/x

It is a false, racist doctrine, but even now it is promulgated by people like Conrad Black. The Indigenous people were cultivating the land in many places, and managing it in other places, for instance with fire, to increase bison range. 7/x

Anyway, the inhabitants of the 13 colonies did not like the proclamation line, because some of them, like George Washington, owned land on the other side of the land, and they wanted to kill more Indigenous people and take their land. 8/x

The next century of North American history is the story of the Americans doing that. After the revolution they killed tens of thousands of Indigenous people. It is one of the worst genocides in human history. It started, really, in 1492. 9/x

We did not do the same north of the border. The economic model was different. The British traded with Indigenous people through the Hudson's Bay company. Cree historian Blair Stonechild: “The company takes the view that it treated Indians fairly, using the rationale that it did not attempt to exterminate them, as was done in the U.S. It is the difference between being in the fire and being in the frying pan.” 10/x

I will not try to defend all the colonizing actions of the British/Canadians who established Canada, but we should be aware that contrasted their approach with the American approach as more humane. It was. 11/x

We did not have massacres as in the U.S. The American authorities wanted to kill all the bison to starve Indigenous people. In documents at the time, Canadian officials express fear for the impact of that on Indigenous people. 12/x

The Canadians could not have behaved the same way even if they wanted to. The people of the plains were numerous and powerful. So the Canadians sought to establish a record of fair dealing, partly to keep the peace. 13/x

The first thing the Northwest Mounted Police did after Sir John A set it up was shut down Fort Whoop-Up and other whisky forts that Americans had set up, which were destroying the Blackfoot and other people. 14/x

The great Blackfoot Chief Isapo-muxika (Crowfoot), said at the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877: "If the Police had not come to the country, where would we be all now? Bad men and whisky were killing us so fast that very few, indeed, of us would have been left to-day." 15/x

Canada gave sanctuary to great Sioux leader Sitting Bull after he killed General George Armstrong Custer. He eventually went back to the U.S., where they killed him. 16/x

It normally seems impolite to talk about the difference of the history between our countries, except vaguely. Nobody likes a smug Canadian, and we have lots of our own sins, so we shouldn't do a lot of bragging, but ... 17/x

... we should not be so polite that we lose sight of who we are. If we define ourselves in contrast to our neighbours, as people complain, it is because we created ourselves in contrast to our neighbours. 18/x

The American story is one of conquest and adventure, including adventures in Vietnam and Iraq, in which we did not participate, and many conquests and adventures in Latin America. It is consistent with their reaction to the proclamation of 1763. 19/x

The proclamation of 1763, and its tacit acknowledgment of Indigenous sovereignty, is part of our constitutional framework. We have too often ignored and violated our treaty obligations, but we should not have done so and we are on a better path now. 20/x

For that reason, among many others, the idea of annexation is impossible and repugnant. How could we honour our treaty obligations? Do you think Donald Trump would do so? He has a long track record of anti-Indigenous words and actions. 21/x

If the premier of Alberta were to hold a referendum to join the U.S., would it bind the First Nations of Alberta, who have a treaty relationship with Ottawa? Is this how we have to think now? 22/x

I argue in the Star that we need to smarten up and be a lot more strategic if we want to keep our sovereignty. 23/x thestar.com/opinion/contri…

Fun fact: Isapo-Muxika, known as Crowfoot, who I quoted above, once killed a grizzly bear with a spear. 24/23

Finally, I hope I have not offended any American readers with this thread. We normally don't talk much about this kind of thing for fear of seeming smug, hostile and anti-American. But it is necessary now because of the disgusting and abhorrent threats issued by Trump. 25/23