Let’s take stock of Canada’s War on First Nations!
As part of his 1969 White Paper political legacy PM Chretien left behind an imposed policy/legislative framework of self-gov’t policy+land/fiscal laws creating Nat’l Institutions 2 off-load Feds responsibilities! 1/13
PM Chrétien also left behind his land claims extinguishment policies (Comprehensive & Specific Claims) from 1973, but amended afterwards.
PM Chrétien also led the watering down of UNDRIP w/in the UN.
PM Harper implemented the Chrétien gov’t’s land claims policies. 2/13
PM Harper also implemented Chrétien gov’t’s land/fiscal nat’l institutions-designed to assimilate First Nation Bands/Reserves into Canada’s property & tax systems during his decade.
Harper gov’t also voted against UNDRIP at UN in 2007 then said it was aspirational in 2010. 3/13
In 2015 PM Trudeau said his gov’t would implement UNDRIP as part of his pan-Indigenous “Reconciliation” approach & created a Cabinet Committee on “Reconciliation” while implementing the Chrétien White Paper Framework of nat’l land/fiscal institutions to support “self-gov’t”! 4/13
PM Trudeau also replaced Dept. of Indian Affairs w/ 2 new “Indigenous” Ministries (ISC & CIRNAC) to implement a 2-track approach to the Chrétien framework of nat’l assimilation institutions to facilitate Canada’s version of self-gov’t (municipal/corporate) status. 5/13
Trudeau gov’t also bought AFN via 2 MOU’s 1) New Fiscal Relationship (10-yr. capacity-building grants+self-gov’t own source revenue fiscal policy); 2) Joint Priorities via a Bilateral Process where Feds control nat’l/regional issues+passing a suite of laws. 6/13
AFN supported the Trudeau gov’t’s UNDRIPA (Bill C-15) mandating a federal Nat’l Action-Plan, following this fed official presented GG, Mary Simon, the Feds plan to end Indian Act, Reserves & Status w/ self-gov’t/modern treaties. 7/13
After consultation with Indigenous Peoples, the Trudeau gov’t issued a Nat’l Action-Plan to implement the plan to end the Indian Act through self-gov’t/modern treaties, already presented to the GG, Mary Simon. 8/13
PM Carney has changed Feds Indigenous priorities to “Economic Reconciliation”, by dissolving Trudeau’s Cabinet Committee on Reconciliation w/ a new Cabinet Committee system, including giving all members of Indigenous Liberal Caucus jobs to implement his Canada Strong Plan! 9/13
Carney gov’t has rammed 1 Canadian Economy (Bill C-5) into law+appointed rubber-stamp major projects Indigenous Advisory group of oil/gas types+appealed BC Cowichan case that recognized Aboriginal Title while declaring property rights will b protected from Aboriginal Title. 10/13
PM Carney has committed to holding a First Nations-First Ministers Meeting this fall & coopted AFN is holding a virtual meeting to prepare by focusing on 4 areas: Econ. Development, Community Safety/Policing, Post-Secondary Education, Health. 11/13
AFN is focused on programs not rights to lands, territories & resources-or intern’l right of self-determination-including UNDRIP FPIC standard!
AFN agenda items r already included in Feds plan 2 end Indian Act via program transfers+sectoral self-gov’t like land codes, etc. 12/13
The First Nations-First Ministers Meeting Agenda is already pre-determined by the Carney gov’t & its coordinated federal/provincial/territorial plan to end the Indian Act system w/ municipal self-gov’t! 13/13
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These were the secret, Federally Funded Termination Tables (Land Claims/Self-Gov't) under Conservative PM Harper, which continued under PM Trudeau-now Carney-falsely as "Recognition Tables", federal officials mandates are still the same Termination Policies! 1/6
These were the secret, Federally Funded Termination Tables (Land Claims/Self-Gov't) under Conservative PM Harper, which continued under PM Trudeau-now Carney-falsely as "Recognition Tables", federal officials mandates are still the same Termination Policies! 2/6
These were the secret, Federally Funded Termination Tables (Land Claims/Self-Gov't) under Conservative PM Harper, which continued under PM Trudeau-now Carney-falsely as "Recognition Tables", federal officials mandates are still the same Termination Policies! 3/6
I observed AFN AGA online & after 40+ years of being involved in one way or another in Nat'l Indian (First Nations) Politics, I have to say it was a grim indication of how much AFN Indian Act/Modern Treaty/Self-Gov't Chiefs have embraced Recolonization NOT Decolonization! 1/8
In 2023, I observed AFN Exec. Committee-including Cindy Woodhouse-engineer removal of AFN NC Archibald, because Trudeau gov't-& Executive-didn't want an AFN audit or to re-negotiate Trudeau-Bellegarde Bilateral Agreement on "Joint Priorities" in a Re-Colonization process. 2/8
Under the Trudeau gov't a SWAT (Special Words And Tactics) strategy was successfully used to rebrand Liberal's 1969 White Paper Termination Plan into a "Reconciliation" process using AFN (& other NIO's) as a major tool in feds top down approach to "Indigenous" legislation. 3/8
"the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management enables participating communities to withdraw their lands from the land management provisions of the Indian Act, and to implement First Nation governance and laws" 1/5
"with respect to their land, resources and environment. Following a commitment in Budget 2023 of $35.3 million over 3 years to support the development of a First Nation-led land registry system" 2/5
"CIRNAC has been working closely with the Lands Advisory Board and the First Nations Land Management Resource Centre to develop the First Nation Land Governance Registry." 3/5
I was one of the founding Executive Members (Vice-President of Policy) of the Liberal Aboriginal Commission, created in 1990 in Calgary at a Liberal Leadership Convention where Jean Chretien was elected Liberal Leader. 1/8
As VP Policy I was involved in helping draft 1993 Liberal Aboriginal Platform in Redbook & longer platform Chretien released on campaign trail. Including promise that:
"A Liberal gov't will act on premise inherent right of self-gov't is an existing Aboriginal & treaty right" 2/8
Unfortunately, after 1993 federal elxn, PM Chretien broke that promise when his gov't imposed his 1995 "Inherent Right to Self-Gov't" Policy, which only recognized "Inherent Right" in an abstract sense & had pre-conditions 2 negotiations to convert Indian Bands/Reserves into 3/8
It's too bad mainstream media don't investigate Canada's federal & provincial "consultation processes", even most First Nation Peoples don't know how it works in Canadian law.
Many First Nation community Peoples think by asserting First Nations laws that's enough. 1/12
It's wasn't enough for the hereditary Wet'suwet'en after a BC judge ignored their laws and issued an injunction followed by police enforcement action! 2/12
Many FN-Court/Police land-use conflicts-Oka Ipperwash Barriere Lake Tiny House Warriors Gustafson Lake etc. started w/ challenging FN's off-reserve activities-like harvesting animals/plants or use/occupancy like camping or building cabins on "Crown land" meaning stolen land 3/12
As I’ve been warning Grassroots First Nations Peoples the writing is on the wall!
Canada’s National Plan is to replace the Indian Act Bands/Reserves with Municipal Self-Government Agreements and Self-Government Legislation. 1/6
Ontario Regional Chief Benedict, as Grand Chief of Akwesasne, was leading the Akwesasne Self-Government process. 2/6
There r 5 Robinson Huron Bands that have already chosen 2 become Indigenous Municipal Gov't's through Anishinabek Nation Governance Agreement Legislation & more Bands like Whitefish River First Nation Peoples are scheduled to vote on entering self-gov't Agreement legislation. 3/6