"One Man's Opinion" by Tehaliwaskénhas January, 1999 Winds of Native Change Blow Strongly Throughout Canada If the number of fair, fully informative stories about Native Peoples in this country was equal to those written about changes in the weather, Canadians might better be able to cope with the gusts of change coming from aboriginal communities. As we move forward, only a well informed and educated Canada will be able to adequately cope with the uncomfortable feelings --- the natural companions of necessary change. We cannot rely on non-aboriginal media to win this fight on our behalf. For people like national Chief Phil Fontaine these are frustrating times, ... the Reform party has tried to discredit First Nations people. "Reform have taken isolated situations and used these examples to try to convince Canadians we don’t have the ability to manage ourselves or money, that we can’t be trusted, and we’re a tax burden," he said. Some Canadians, including reformers simply want the "Indian problem" to go away. First of all, it's not a problem, and secondly it's not just about Indians. The challenges of change also are flowing from the Innu, Inuit and the Metis Peoples of Canada. All are asserting their rights about similar and unique circumstances. While the Nisga'a attract worldwide attention and much support and criticism for their efforts to gain British Columbia's first modern-day treaty---First Nations and other Aboriginal Peoples elsewhere are moving forward in other ways. The Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia and the Malahat of Vancouver Island want to protect their rights in the forests of their traditional territories. Taking on the goliaths of the non-aboriginal logging industry requires strength and legal decisions. After all, Canada's constitution speaks to us everyday, if we care to listen. The judgements of the country's highest court have recognized aboriginal people are here, are not going away and have unique rights that must be honoured. Ignoring these truths can only be hazardous to Canada's health as a nation. On the west coast, naysayers are gathering like flies in a barnyard, attracted by what they like the best. They don't like aboriginal Canadians, these pretenders who claim to champion equal rights. They deny history and its imbalance, acknowledging only a very narrow reality in spinning their anti-treaty tales of their Canada today. Lost are the rationales for healing the people and their communities---like bringing back culture, language, healthy parenting, custom governments, and to use their own terms - levelling the playing field. In Ontario, home of a modern-day tragedy-Dudley George's death, self government agreements now are popping up on the desks of more chiefs and councils, especially in the north. Will they face the distaste and wrath of the right wingers? Case in point, the recent land claim settlement by the Caldwell First Nation of southwestern Ontario. Canada settled the longstanding grievance, providing the nation with more than twenty million dollars to create a reserve-based community. Justice arrived after two centuries, but within days local non-aboriginal rural residents formed a protest group. They immediately spread boogeyman stories about the impacts of creating a reserve community in their backyard. These redneck fearmongers said land values are dropping because of the plans of the Indians.

This attitude is nothing new. We have seen it many times before and there are many more to come, all across Canada. Uninformed people spewing them-against-us words in the worst way. History and Natives know the path of progress is littered by reactionary racist rogues. That's okay, because aboriginal leaders have other ways too. Stating firmly and clearly, then asserting the rights the high courts have clearly said they always had and never lost. For example, the big bucks boys of the Voisey Bay, Newfoundland mining project learned that the locals could stand their ground and demand a piece of the action from the planned exploitation of their homelands' resources. Recently it produced a claims agreement for the Inuit. Mike Mitchell's Mohawks at Akwesasne won rights of international proportions. No more import taxes when they come from the United States.They now have a free trade strategy that scares the living daylights out of the right wing National Post newspaper that slammed the Mohawks. There's more than a flurry. Perhaps in the eyes of Canadians it's a blizzard of change. Recently Metis hunting rights were affirmed in northern Ontario. Also, Metis in Alberta are demanding land and cash-mainly a modern day treaty. The BC Supreme Court affirmed the Spallumcheen Band's right to its own law with the authority for its children and families. Something they have been doing their own way for twenty years, thank you very much. The Musqueam, after thirty years of low, unfair leases with non-natives living on their land, have boosted rents-granted astronomically for many. But the only chant you hear is the woe is me from the non-aboriginals. Irony is precious,albeit costly too. Even federal Liberal Ted McWhinney whose own government was party to the change in leases is opposed. Funny how guys like him were rooting for us to get ahead, but now that we are, the tune changes remarkably. In Kamloops Chief Manny Jules is marching on, implementing his community's new tax rules, a new labour law, and simply governing. Labour unions don't like him now, even some of his own people are upset. But who will lead the people if not our leaders? Their purpose is clear, and so is ours. As the mainstream media try to play catch-up, it becomes all the more apparent how important it is for us to take on the roles and responsibilities of educators, journalists, and yes, even commentators. Turtle Island Native Network - www.turtleisland.org Canada's Aboriginal news and information network is a forum for just such a challenge. - All My Relations - Tehaliwaskénhas - George Robert (Bob) Kennedy is on the red road of recovery. He is a grateful member of the Haudenosaunee, turtle clan Oneida Nation of the Thames. An award winning broadcast journalist and a member of the Native American Journalists Association. A regular contributor of commentary to Kahtou news. A member of the ACTRA Performers Guild. He also has worked as a communications advisor to first nation, provincial and federal governments; land claims negotiator; mediator; alcohol and drug counselor.A member of the Mediation Development Association.A member of the Addiction intervention Association. He is the publisher and editor of Turtle Island Native Network. View from the office of Turtle Island Native Network, located on T'Sou-ke Nation traditional lands.