Indigenous people are Canadians

Let me paint you a picture; the year was 1969 and a new innovative and ‘just’ policy was introduced by cabinet minister Jean Chretien.

By Canadian government standards, this groundbreaking policy was designed to redesign the Canadian/Indian (the preferred noun of the time when identifying First Nations people) relationship. It was called a white paper (no, I am not kidding).

The intent of the white paper was aligned with Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s concept of a ‘Just Society. It was unequivocally denounced by all groups of Indigenous people.

The white paper was so out of touch with the realities of First Nations people, that it is often attributed as being the catalyst for birth of the modern day Indigenous rights movement. Almost half a century later you would think society would learn from its past mistakes.

That is not the case for Conservative Sen. Lynn Beyak. Sen. Beyak has stirred up a fair amount of controversy over the summer because of her ill-informed comments regarding residential schools and her most recent post regarding what I could only describe as enfranchisement and her pro white paper stance.

To provide context, here is a quote: “Trade your status card for a Canadian citizenship, with a fair and negotiated payout to each Indigenous man, woman and child in Canada, to settle all the outstanding land claims and treaties, and move forward together just like the leaders already do in Ottawa.” (Beyak, 2017)

Senator, not only are your comments ignorant they are highly offensive. The comments demonstrate the senator’s lack of understanding of the history of the discriminatory policies implemented by the Canadian government and the impact those policies had.

I am Indigenous and I am Canadian. I have two Indigenous children, and as a father I do not want them to grow up in a Canada where their status and citizenship is questioned by a politician whose view of the nation and history is clouded by ignorance and bigotry.

I implore all of the local federal riding associations to express my concerns to their party leader and then to our prime minister.

Sean Vanderklis St. Catharines