A powerful symbol, but will there be action to back it up?

[morgan_dhu]

So The Canadian government has finally, formally, fully and respectfully acknowledged the deep and damaging consequences of the decades-long policy of family separation and forced integration of aboriginal peoples, the cornerstone of which was the Indian Residential School system, and apologised to Canada's Aboriginal peoples on behalf of both the government and the people of Canada.

It was a powerful moment. All business of the day in Parlianment was set aside, so that only the speech of the Prime minister, the responses of the leaders of the opposition parties, and finally the voices of selected representatives of the major organisations of Aboriginal peoples would be heard in the House this day.

It was an emotional moment. Many of the politicians appeared to be profoundly affected. Many Canadians, Aboriginal and otherwise, have been quoted in the media since, saying that they were touched, that they choked up, that they cried, that they felt some kind of visceral response to the public naming and owning of one of our greatest national shames.

It was a deeply symbolic moment.

But I can't help but wonder what's coming next. We have acknowledged the stolen children, but we're still trying to avoid returning the stolen lands, still fighting land claims. We set up a racist system of reserves and did our best to force Aboriginal peoples who would not assimilate the way we wanted them to, to become a marginalised people living under a paternalistic governance that eroded self-confidence and self-reliance. We allowed conditions on those reserves to fall well below the minimum health and safety standards of any other part of this country, to the point where many aboriginal communities live in substandard and often unhealthy housing, have no safe drinking water, have no local industries where people can work and no recreational facilities where young people can play and learn. And on it goes. The list of injuries committed against the native peoples of this land we call "ours" is a lengthy one.

We have apologised. For some of what we've done, anyway.

When do we start making meaningful, long-lasting amends?

Comments

[hawkeye7.livejournal.com]

First time in donkey's ages that news from Canada made the headlines here. I couldn't help wondering if it was influenced in any way by the recent apology here.

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

Possibly.

Although it's just as likely that they needed to do something, after having made a royal mess of the Aboriginal issues file so far, beginning with killing the Kelowna Accord (which was a pretty good package of realistic policies with a real budget to improve conditions for Aboriginal peoples that the previous government had painfully worked out with all provinces, territories and a very broad group of representatives of Aboriginal groups) immediately following the election.

They did some very stupid things, like fire experienced land claim negotiators in the middle of working out specific settlements and replace them with totally inexperienced friends and supporters.

They've also been ignoring horrendous living conditions, health problems, suicide rates, on First Nations reserves.

Not that they're all that much worse than most of the previous governments, but things had been starting to change, and then once the Conservatives came in, all the real progress was lost.

So we have a symbolic gesture instead.

Next, we get a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Which could be a good thing, especially if non-Aboriginal peoples get involved and understand that there is truth to be spoken and heard, and reconciliation to be sought, on all sides.

But it's not enough, by any means.

[hawkeye7.livejournal.com]

That this state of affairs existed was never secret in Canada. The locals were very frank about it on my every visit, and it sure doesn't take much effort to see it for yourself while you are there.

Nonetheless, my figure show that the life expectancy and infant mortality of Canadian First Nations people, while lagging behind the rest of Canada, are better than Native Americans in the US (and much better than Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders here in Australia).

The big difference with Canada's apology is that the Canadian government is backing it up with money. Whether that makes difference will depend on how wisely it is spent.

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

Nonetheless, my figure show that the life expectancy and infant mortality of Canadian First Nations people, while lagging behind the rest of Canada, are better than Native Americans in the US (and much better than Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders here in Australia).

Really? That's a surprise to me. I had always assumed that the situation was better for Aboriginal peoples in the U.S., because one doesn't hear much about protests, land claims cases, or other issues relating to their position and situation. For at least the past 18 years, since the Kanesatake Mohawk action at Oka (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oka_Crisis), the media have been covering Aboriginal issues very closely, and I'd have thought that there would be the same kind of actions and media coverage in the U.S. if matters were as bad there as they are here.

Of course, we almost never hear anything about Australia, although I knew that the history of Australian Aboriginal peoples after colonisation had a lot of similarities with what happened in North America. (Most of what I know, I learned from reading I did after the media focus on Cathy Freeman at the Sydney games, and from seeing Rabbit-Proof Fence.)

What, if anything, seems to be changing following the Australian apology?

[hawkeye7.livejournal.com]

Since, unlike Canada, there was no money coming as part of the apology, it has more been part of a change in attitude, moving away from the sentiments of the former government.

However, the military intervention in the Northern Territory (Emergency Response to protect Aboriginal children in the NT), launched during the election campaign by the former government, is still going on. This is without doubt the largest and most heavy handed effort ever. There'll be a progress report soon, and we'll see what, if anything, has been achieved.

[jordan179.livejournal.com]

When do we start making meaningful, long-lasting amends?

What would constitute such "amends?" And do you think that your growing immigrant population, who feel absolutely no sense of guilt toward people their ancestors did nothing to harm, will go along with this policy?

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

One would hope that new Canadians are just as conscious of the meaning of justice as other Canadians, particularly since many of the members of immigrant communities have had and continue to have their own demands for justice.

After all, our immigrant Chinese population waited a long time for apology and restitution for racist immigration policies including a special poll tax to be paid by immigrants from China. I don't think many Aboriginal Canadians would begrudge the Chinese their deserved amends.

Recent immigrants may not have been here when the residential schools were operating in ways that harmed Aboriginal Canadians, but they are now living in a country that still doesn't provide adequate living conditions for the very people it gives little choice to but to live in those conditions.

I think that the idea most people have of social justice is that it should apply to everyone. Many immigrants, especially those from developing nations, have their own grievances with racist policies and attitudes in Canada. Working together with other racialised and marginalised groups to obtain justice for all is in their best interests.

It's my experience that people who attempt to divide those seeking justice against each other may also be intending to conquer - or in this case, to maintain a system of multiple oppressions.