Indigenous Torontonians want self-determination

This summer, as the pandemic heightened our understanding of racial injustice, “equity” became a buzzword. Equity recognizes our unequal starting places, caused by systemic discrimination and oppression. It acknowledges that each of us needs varying levels of support to overcome those barriers.

Equity is central to understanding the impact of COVID-19. Released on Thursday, Toronto Foundation’s “Toronto Fallout Report” uses an equity lens to examine who has been most affected by COVID-19 and its ripple effects. But this lens is not enough to capture the experiences of Indigenous Torontonians, who have been the most disproportionately affected.

An equity approach assumes we are seeking the same rights and have the same challenges as other minority groups. But reclamation of land, identity, language and culture requires uniquely Indigenous solutions. By design, our traditional societies have “equity” embedded in their DNA. Instead, we want recognition that respects distinction. We want to restore the principles of treaties like the Kaswentha, or “Two Row Wampum,” that defined early colonial relationships and guaranteed our autonomy.

In short, we want self-determination. What does Indigenous selfdetermination mean in Toronto?

We often equate self-determination with sovereignty, but there are differences. We rightly associate sovereignty with First Nations bands with a land-base and legal relationship with the Crown, but with more flocking to cities — Toronto has upward of 70,000 Indigenous residents — Indigenous support service agencies have become instrumental to our ability to selfdetermine.

For the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council and our 18 member agencies, what self-determination means above all is having long-term sustainable funding, with full decision-making power over spending. Historic economic oppression has prevented us from building our infrastructure at the same pace as non-Indigenous communities. Full authority over our resources would empower us to invest in infrastructure.

Capital purchases have been crucial to our ability to support our community during this pandemic. Many of our member agencies bought vehicles to deliver life-saving supplies to vulnerable residents. But we are also painfully aware of the gaps. We spent a significant amount on hotel rooms for community members who didn’t have housing. Indigenous women have been hit hardest, as there is no non-profit housing specific to their needs in Toronto. Selfdetermination would enable us to build this infrastructure, so that in the next crisis, Indigenous Torontonians are not forgotten.

Ultimately, our ability to self-determine is in the city’s best interest. Our understanding of “equity” can play a powerful role as Toronto rebuilds from the pandemic. Because we may not need equity, but Toronto does.