Blog Post
A H Harry Oussoren • Nov 26, 2020
A Letter to the Government of Canada
Dear Readers:
The Indigenous Solidarity Team of the North Bay and Area United Church of Canada Mission Cluster received calls on behalf of several Indigenous organizations for solidarity actions across Canada this week - November 23 to 29. The Unist'ot'en Solidarity Brigade on behalf of Gidemt'en Checkpoint, Tiny House Warriors, 1492 Land Back Lane, Kanien'keha:ka Land Back Camp, Mi'kmaq 1752 Frontline, and Protect the Inlet - all Indigenous organizations urged other individuals and groups to call for justice as they defend land, water, and livelihoods in the face of corporate power and/or failure of government to safeguard their legitimate rights. A short, but moving video is a call to advocacy:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=459247128375833For ideas about solidarity actions check the Supporter Toolkit: http://unistoten.camp/supportertoolkit2020/
The letter below is my version of the model letter drafted by the Solidarity Team of the Mission Cluster addressed to Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and to Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services. The letter may be a model for you to write to these ministers and your MP and leaders of opposition parties.
This letter is Pilgrim Praxis blog post #4 of a series on Indigenous land rights, restitution, and reconciliation between Canada's settler populations and the Indigenous peoples.
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A Letter to Ministers of the Government of Canada
Hon. Carolyn Bennett, MP
Hon. Marc Miller
Greetings!
I am writing to you as a citizen and as a retired ordained minister of The United Church of Canada, very concerned about the relationship between Canada's Indigenous peoples and the Canadian settler society. I know that you both have been working on behalf of Indigenous people throughout your parliamentary careers, and I am grateful for that.
However, at this moment, TransMountain and Coastal GasLink pipelines continue construction in Western Canada. A housing development threatens land belonging to the Haudenosaunee people in Southern Ontario's Caledonia area (again!), and lobster struggles simmer in Nova Scotia repeating, it seems, the Burnt Church past. These conflicts are marked by injunctions and arrests that clear the way for companies or even individuals to act to the detriment of territory that is not theirs to control. The settler version of law enforcement is skewed in favour of settler interests, with ongoing intentional (it appears) disregard of Indigenous rights and interests as guaranteed by the Charter and by court precedents.
Our government needs to do better than this. Our political leaders, and especially those in cabinet, need to say "no!" to constant lobbying by powerful oil and gas interests. Those companies need to be held accountable for the damage they do to the Earth and for the rights they infringe - with the apparent consent of governments.
Land claims need to be settled, and rights and title to be respected. Restitution needs to be paid for wealth extracted from First Nations' traditional territories by the Crown and corporate and private interests. The government needs to understand that reconciliation does not entail Indigenous peoples absorbing the values of the dominant culture or extinguishing their land rights. Above all, the sovereignty of First Nations needs to be respected — at this moment especially — in light of the pipelines, housing development and fishery mentioned above.
As an ally to Indigenous calls for justice, I along with many other Canadians, and as a member of a national church that earlier colluded with government to run the Indian residential schools, I know we can do better. When you stand for justice for Indigenous people, in cabinet, in the House, on the streets or around a campfire, I and many other Canadians stand behind you. I hope this knowledge gives you strength, a very loud voice, along with wise and strategic policies and actions leading to real restitution and reconciliation.
Sent to:
The Hon. Dr. Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontarion K1A 0A6
carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca
Hon. Marc Miller
Minister of Indigenous Services
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
marc.miller@parl.gc.ca
Pilgrim Praxis
The genocide in apartheid and settler colonial Palestine urgently calls for urgent discernment and action. Could the ongoing rounds of blood letting and destruction finally end to begin a journey toward truth, and justice-based peace? I hope so for the sake of all who dwell in this (un)Holy Land.