Self-government remains unresolved

Re. “Real consultation must occur,” Opinion, Feb. 20

This op-ed by Ed Whitcomb clarifies that the federal government has made a mistake and has failed to fulfil its obligation of real consultation.

This article skirts the issue of self-government and the Indian Act. This is a basic and unresolved issue between the government and Indigenous peoples. Indigenous people lay claim to traditional forms of self-government such as hereditary chiefs that are highly variable across the country, seemingly changeable, and often are not democratic.

Even today, the Crown and the Canadian people should not accept these variable and undemocratic forms of self government. This, of course, is why the Indian Act, which has been used to abuse Indigenous peoples, remains the law of the land.

If Indigenous peoples want this Act to end, surely they have an obligation to advance an acceptable, uniform and democratic form of self-government. They need to decide who speaks for them in a democratic country. There is an opportunity here for real reconciliation. John D. Dyck, Edmonton