Native leaders oppose call to shut down economy
OTTAWA — B.C. First Nations leaders distanced themselves Thursday from a formal threat by a group of aboriginal leaders to grind Canada’s economy to a halt.
A resolution from leaders claiming to represent the Confederacy of Nations, a regional entity that is part of the Assembly of First Nations, passed a resolution in Ottawa on Wednesday threatening the Harper government over education legislation.
They want the government to scrap a bill aimed at giving First Nations greater control over education, which includes $1.9 billion in new funding. Instead, they want to replace it with direct cash transfers and full jurisdiction to run primary and secondary education with no federal role.
“Should Canada not withdraw and cease all imposed legislation on First Nations without our free, prior and informed consent, we will strategically and calculatedly begin the economic shutdown of Canada’s economy from coast- to- coast,” said the resolution passed by a group of leaders from more militant bands in Ontario, Quebec, the Prairies, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
But B.C. regional AFN leader Jody Wilson-Raybould challenged the legitimacy of the resolution, noting that the AFN executive didn’t agree to sanction a formal meeting of the confederacy, which last met in 2004 and is based on regional representation.
She also suggested that the resolution to sabotage the economy was based on political jockeying.
Wilson-Raybould and another prominent B.C. leader, Doug Kelly of the Sto:lo Tribal Council, have both noted that some of the hardline positions on the federal education act are being pushed by people positioning themselves to replace Shawn Atleo, who recently resigned as AFN chief due to the bitter divisions over education.
“Sadly that agenda of doing what’s best for our kids is being overtaken by politics, and that’s the really sad thing about what’s going on now,” Wilson-Raybould said.