Last week in a virtual Q & A session, Indigenous author Bob Joseph was asked 乌鸦传媒淗ow will people know that they乌鸦传媒檝e achieved reconciliation?乌鸦传媒�

Joseph answered, 乌鸦传媒淲hen people are at peace with the past.乌鸦传媒�

The first step is moving away from the Indian Act, according to Joseph, who advocates for First Nations heading towards self-governance, self-reliance and self-determination.

The bestselling author of 乌鸦传媒�21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act乌鸦传媒� has been enabling discourse about the act, since his 2015 blog post about the legislation went viral. In Canada, many people are still oblivious to the Indian Act, says Joseph.

Since it was first passed in 1876, the Indian Act has undergone numerous amendments but it still stands as law, governing matters pertaining to Indian status, bands and reserves, among other things.

The legislation 乌鸦传媒� originally created to 乌鸦传媒榓ssimilate乌鸦传媒� Indigenous people into mainstream Canadian life and values 乌鸦传媒� is a paradox in which both the rights of Indigenous people and their bondage co-exist.

And while some Indigenous groups have called for its dismissal due to what have been called its regressive and paternalistic excesses, others have resisted its abolition.

Joseph is a member of the Gwawa乌鸦传媒檈nuxw Nation, Gayaxala (Thunderbird) clan, who grew up in Campbell River. He believes the Indian Act must go, simply because it was unsuccessful (and now outdated) in its original purpose of assimilating Indigenous people into the political and economic mainstream.

乌鸦传媒淚f anything, it (the Indian Act) has kept Indigenous people separate under different laws and under different lands,乌鸦传媒� he said.

In a virtual seminar last week hosted by the Vancouver Island Regional Library, Joseph interacted with more than 500 viewers. He provided insights into the legislation乌鸦传媒檚 history before discussing modern day solutions that could replace the Indian Act.

Through 21 points Joseph not only highlighted the obsolete nature of the legislation but also why it is relevant to understanding reconciliation going forward 乌鸦传媒� especially at a time when Canada is undertaking a commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Before some of its amendments, the Indian Act denied Indigenous status to women, introduced residential schools, created reserves, renamed individuals with European names, restricted First Nations from leaving reserves without permission from Indian Agents, expropriated portions of reserves for roads, railways, etc, imposed the 乌鸦传媒榖and council乌鸦传媒� system and created other personal and cultural tragedies on First Nations.

Despite that, it was legally significant for Indigenous peoples. For example, in 1969 when Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau乌鸦传媒檚 white paper policies proposed to abolish it, Aboriginal leaders across Canada opposed the move. Since the Indian Act affirms the historical and constitutional relationship Aboriginal peoples have with Canada, they wanted it to legally maintain the Indian status and the rights that it afforded them.

This paradox, Joseph pointed out, has created a relationship wherein Indigenous people are dependent on the federal government. Even today, these concerns remain when discussions about breaking away from the Indian Act comes up.

乌鸦传媒淚 hear people tell me 乌鸦传媒榳e need to make sure we protect our status乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮�媒� He reminds them that thought is 乌鸦传媒渋n fact an objective of the Indian Act乌鸦传媒� which keeps them tied to it. The Indian act will never help them grow their nation and their people 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒渋t乌鸦传媒檚 not designed to do that.乌鸦传媒� That is why First Nations must find a better way, break the cycle of dependency and give way to self determination, self reliance, and self governance.

乌鸦传媒淎 place to look for solutions already exists,乌鸦传媒� he says, pointing to modern day treaties in B.C. like the Nisga乌鸦传媒檃 Treaty and the Westbank First Nation Self-government Agreement from the early 2000乌鸦传媒檚.

乌鸦传媒淭he Nisga乌鸦传媒檃 Treaty got rid of the Indian Act, they were able to get control and jurisdiction over lands and resources and the ability to make decisions about those lands and resources.乌鸦传媒�

But he also said that these treaties are not necessarily a one-size-fits-all framework that will work for all Nations. Each group must arrive at a model that works best for them through negotiations.

This is where knowledge of history comes in handy 乌鸦传媒� for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people 乌鸦传媒� as a powerful medium to achieve true reconciliation.

As people become aware about the history of Indigenous people in Canada through the ages, there is a wider scope of conversation that can be had in families, educational institutions, places of worship etc.

He urges people to learn about history and then make a personal pledge to reconciliation 乌鸦传媒� which is going to take 乌鸦传媒減olitical will, knowledge and understanding and empathy.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淩econciliation has to be a grassroots movement and not by politicians,乌鸦传媒� he says.

Because when it comes to something as important as reconciliation, politics 乌鸦传媒渉olds back乌鸦传媒� the process of moving away from the Indian Act as 乌鸦传媒減oliticians are all over the place,乌鸦传媒� with government agendas changing every four years.

乌鸦传媒淚 would rather hang my hat on individuals in Canada to do reconciliation. That seems to have a lot more longevity.乌鸦传媒�

When political agendas come into the picture, conversations pivot to the 乌鸦传媒渃ost of change,乌鸦传媒� that First Nations are asking for.

To drive home the point, Joseph gives an example from the early 乌鸦传媒�90s when he had a conversation with a group of people who were worried after a front-page article in the Vancouver Sun stating Indian land claims could cost taxpayers $10 billion.

乌鸦传媒淚 told them this was a great article. It talks to you about the cost of change, but it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 talk to you about the cost of not changing it,乌鸦传媒� he said and added, cost of years-long legal battles, loss of direct investments and jobs etc, ultimately end up costing governments more than the estimated cost of change.

乌鸦传媒淪o I try to tell taxpayers, look, if it乌鸦传媒檚 money you乌鸦传媒檙e worried about, if that乌鸦传媒檚 what makes your world go round. I can tell you honestly, it will be cheaper to resolve land claims quicker than it is to let them fester.乌鸦传媒�

Such issues resurface at different intervals of history, he warns, referring to the ongoing Wet乌鸦传媒檚uwet乌鸦传媒檃n pipeline conflict in B.C. and it乌鸦传媒檚 all because there乌鸦传媒檚 no relationship with Indigenous people.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e not listening to their concerns.乌鸦传媒�

Which is why in retrospect, Joseph says it would be cheaper to move away from the Indian Act and have mutually beneficial relationships.

乌鸦传媒淚t will be better for the country.乌鸦传媒�

binny.paul@blackpress.ca
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