The future of Canada is shared prosperity, by National Chief Perry Bellegarde
Canada is a vast country where the quality of life enjoyed by its peoples has been derived, for the most part, from our wealth of natural resources. The timber of the forests. The largest bodies of fresh water in the world. And, of course, the oil and minerals buried within the earth. First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples were always intended to share in the wealth of these lands. As peoples with our own laws, our own lands, our own languages, peoples and identifiable forms of government, we have always had the right to assert our inherent jurisdiction and our role as stewards of this land. The right to decide for ourselves what is right for our peoples. And the right to share in the revenues from resources that have generated billions and billions of dollars for the Canadian economy.
While we have rights, we also have responsibilities that were passed down to us by our ancestors. The responsibilities of stewardship lie with our young people. Their passion, their strength and their focus is like no other. This generation of young people has access to the world. They are leaders in their communities, outspoken advocates on national stages and have made their voices heard around the world. They are empowering others to utilize cutting-edge technology with traditional Indigenous knowledge, to make change. They care deeply about the world left to them by their ancestors and now they are renewing that commitment to build a healthier world for their children and the seven generations beyond.
As the world grapples with the realities brought about by melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels and extreme weather events, it is critical that Indigenous peoples, who live closest to the land and know it best, assume our role as leaders in environmental knowledge. We must partner with the world’s leaders and share our traditional knowledge, the wisdom of our elders, and the energy and ingenuity of our youth to mitigate the climate change crisis. This is a challenge like none other. And it must be met with determination, innovation and viable solutions.
We must begin by embracing the merits of adopting the principles of environmental stewardship and protectionism. And then we must create formal revenue-sharing agreements that reflect these principles. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People stipulates that First Nations peoples have the right to demand free, prior and informed consent from governments and industry when resource developments are proposed or undertaken. As First Nations peoples, we recognize that it is our duty to ensure that Mother Earth is delivered safely into the hands of future generations. Striking that balance lies at the heart of the greatest challenge of our time.
Our young people have a major role to play in changing the course of our shared future. Our young people walk in both worlds. They have a growing sense of pride in our traditional ways of life, our ceremonies and the gift of our languages, the first languages spoken on these lands. And they are embracing the power of a good education that will inspire them to make change in their own lives, within their own communities and for the good of all people who call this planet home.
As many celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, I look forward to the day when Indigenous rights are realized in Canada and the socioeconomic gap is closed. We can’t undo the injustices of the past 150 years, but we can embrace Reconciliation, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and sharing in the wealth of these lands as envisioned by our ancestors and carried into the future by our young people. And by working together we will enjoy a just and prosperous future for all.