For far too many hours Thursday, an issue that should profoundly trouble this nation had devolved into a tawdry soap opera.
A meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and native leaders had lost its way, foundering on contradictory statements on whether and when the Governor-General would attend. Impossible demands and threats were being tossed around.
There was the ubiquitous question as to whether any of this was good enough for Chief Theresa Spence, how long Harper would attend, where the meeting should be held, whether it could take place at all and who would be so offended they would stay home.
It lasted well into the evening before a meeting could be confirmed, but many chiefs sympathetic to Spence and angry that Gov.-Gen. David Johnston will not attend the afternoon session will boycott.
That could further undermine Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo, but, in fact, the moment he strode into Ottawa’s National Press Theatre this man, dismissed by his detractors as a collaborating supplicant, a meek chum of the Harper government, a passionless administrator, effectively reminded the world why we need the Friday meeting.
This was an Atleo that I, at least, had never seen before.
He was a leader, who, like all the other aboriginal leaders gathered in Ottawa, was frantically sprinting to try to catch up to a grassroots protest movement, Idle No More, which had left him behind.
But he sounded like a man who was declaring the end of the Round Dance, a much feistier, more exasperated force to be dealt than previously encountered by the Harper government.
Part of this, of course, is aboriginal politics.
He had to channel the anger of Idle No More, while trying to keep the protests from becoming violent or so disruptive that public support would be lost.
And he had to deal with regional chiefs who feel he was ignored by Harper after a summit a year ago, followed by a series of Conservative measures that were deemed to be assaults on aboriginal interests, undertaken without native consultation.
On paper, Atleo’s calls that the “tipping point is now,” that “we have arrived at the fork in the road,” that we have reached “the moment of reckoning,” may sound like clichés.
But there was a passion and resolve in his voice when he spoke.
He conceded that the Canadian aboriginal population, half of which is under 25, is pushing up against its leaders — as he had publicly predicted — and he said the booming youth population need a share of resource revenues to lift them from the poverty which is killing them.
As tough as he talked, Atleo still had the demeanour of a man who could make progress with a government held in open contempt by other native leaders.
Earlier in the day, Manitoba chiefs had carted into an Ottawa hotel conference room the type of angry rhetoric on which all hope of progress would perish.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak said he had no requests of the prime minister.
“We are demanding the prime minister agree with us,” he said.
He said he had the warriors to bring the Canadian economy to its knees and called the highly unlikely rescinding of portions of Harper’s two signature omnibus bills a “goodwill gesture” before the two sides got down to tough negotiations.
Then, he offered a “diplomatic hand” to a prime minister he says he cannot trust, saying the door was open for a meeting on their ground, at an Ottawa hotel.
“This meeting is on our terms, not the conditions of the prime minister and his handlers,” said Nepinak, who, with his delegation, will boycott the Friday meeting.
It will last only a few hours, and Harper has signalled he will not be there for the entire afternoon session.
But the prime minister moved on holding the meeting, a big step for a man who frets about being held hostage to such events, then he moved on demands for a ceremonial meeting with Johnston.
Atleo has clearly heard the anger of his youthful population and is prepared to give them voice at the table.
A couple of days ago, the question of who spoke for First Nations was posed here.
Atleo will still have his detractors, but it appears clear he is speaking on behalf of the country’s aboriginal population.
Both he and Harper know a sham process Friday holds great peril for them.
Flash mobs could turn to violence; rail, border and highway blockades will not be as brief nor as polite.
Atleo says native resolve is absolute and ultimately, there must be transformational change in the relationship with the government.
Tipping point? Indeed.
There will be no excuse for inaction Friday.
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Tim Harper
A meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and native leaders had lost its way, foundering on contradictory statements on whether and when the Governor-General would attend. Impossible demands and threats were being tossed around.
There was the ubiquitous question as to whether any of this was good enough for Chief Theresa Spence, how long Harper would attend, where the meeting should be held, whether it could take place at all and who would be so offended they would stay home.
It lasted well into the evening before a meeting could be confirmed, but many chiefs sympathetic to Spence and angry that Gov.-Gen. David Johnston will not attend the afternoon session will boycott.
That could further undermine Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo, but, in fact, the moment he strode into Ottawa’s National Press Theatre this man, dismissed by his detractors as a collaborating supplicant, a meek chum of the Harper government, a passionless administrator, effectively reminded the world why we need the Friday meeting.
This was an Atleo that I, at least, had never seen before.
He was a leader, who, like all the other aboriginal leaders gathered in Ottawa, was frantically sprinting to try to catch up to a grassroots protest movement, Idle No More, which had left him behind.
But he sounded like a man who was declaring the end of the Round Dance, a much feistier, more exasperated force to be dealt than previously encountered by the Harper government.
Part of this, of course, is aboriginal politics.
He had to channel the anger of Idle No More, while trying to keep the protests from becoming violent or so disruptive that public support would be lost.
And he had to deal with regional chiefs who feel he was ignored by Harper after a summit a year ago, followed by a series of Conservative measures that were deemed to be assaults on aboriginal interests, undertaken without native consultation.
On paper, Atleo’s calls that the “tipping point is now,” that “we have arrived at the fork in the road,” that we have reached “the moment of reckoning,” may sound like clichés.
But there was a passion and resolve in his voice when he spoke.
He conceded that the Canadian aboriginal population, half of which is under 25, is pushing up against its leaders — as he had publicly predicted — and he said the booming youth population need a share of resource revenues to lift them from the poverty which is killing them.
As tough as he talked, Atleo still had the demeanour of a man who could make progress with a government held in open contempt by other native leaders.
Earlier in the day, Manitoba chiefs had carted into an Ottawa hotel conference room the type of angry rhetoric on which all hope of progress would perish.
Grand Chief Derek Nepinak said he had no requests of the prime minister.
“We are demanding the prime minister agree with us,” he said.
He said he had the warriors to bring the Canadian economy to its knees and called the highly unlikely rescinding of portions of Harper’s two signature omnibus bills a “goodwill gesture” before the two sides got down to tough negotiations.
Then, he offered a “diplomatic hand” to a prime minister he says he cannot trust, saying the door was open for a meeting on their ground, at an Ottawa hotel.
“This meeting is on our terms, not the conditions of the prime minister and his handlers,” said Nepinak, who, with his delegation, will boycott the Friday meeting.
It will last only a few hours, and Harper has signalled he will not be there for the entire afternoon session.
But the prime minister moved on holding the meeting, a big step for a man who frets about being held hostage to such events, then he moved on demands for a ceremonial meeting with Johnston.
Atleo has clearly heard the anger of his youthful population and is prepared to give them voice at the table.
A couple of days ago, the question of who spoke for First Nations was posed here.
Atleo will still have his detractors, but it appears clear he is speaking on behalf of the country’s aboriginal population.
Both he and Harper know a sham process Friday holds great peril for them.
Flash mobs could turn to violence; rail, border and highway blockades will not be as brief nor as polite.
Atleo says native resolve is absolute and ultimately, there must be transformational change in the relationship with the government.
Tipping point? Indeed.
There will be no excuse for inaction Friday.
Original Article
Source: the star
Author: Tim Harper
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