Monday, December 24, 2012

Glen Coulthard: "#idlenomore in historical context"

Very serious game
With respect to the emergent #IdleNoMore movement, although many of the conditions that compelled the state to undertake the most expensive public inquiry in Canadian history are still in place, a couple of important ones are not. The first condition that appears to be absent is the perceived threat of political violence that was present in the years leading to the resistance at Kanesatake. #IdleNoMore is an explicitly non-violent movement, which accounts for its relatively wide spectrum of both Native and non-Native support at the moment. However, if the life of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence continues to be recklessly put in jeopardy by a Prime Minister who negligently refuses to capitulate to her reasonable demands, it is my prediction that the spectre of political violence will re-emerge in Indigenous peoples’ collective conversations about what to do next. The responsibility for this rests solely on the state. The second condition that differentiates #IdleNoMore from the decade of Indigenous activism that lead to RCAP is the absence (so far) of widespread economic disruption unleashed by Indigenous direct action. If history has shown us anything, it is this: if you want those in power to respond swiftly to Indigenous peoples’ political efforts, start by placing Native bodies (with a few logs and tires thrown in for good measure) between settlers and their money, which in colonial contexts is generated by the ongoing theft and exploitation of our land and resource base. If this is true, then the long term efficacy of the #IdleNoMore movement would appear to hinge on its protest actions being distributed more evenly between the malls and front lawns of legislatures on the one hand, and the logging roads, thoroughfares, and railways that are central to the accumulation of colonial capital on the other. For better and for worse, it was our peoples’ challenge to these two pillars of colonial sovereignty that led to the recommendations of RCAP: the Canadian state’s claim to hold a legitimate monopoly on use of violence and the conditions required for the ongoing accumulation of capital.  In stating this, however, I don’t mean to offer an unqualified endorsement of these two challenges, but rather a diagnosis of our present situation based on an ongoing critical conversation about how these differences and similarities ought to inform our current struggle.

The federal government of the early 1990s was run by adults who were wise enough to understand the seriousness of what happened at Oka and Kahnesetake. We are not so fortunate today.

4 comments:

Beijing York said...

I'm frightened that Harper will let Chief Theresa die. I can't see him capitulating unless he finds some way to make himself look like the winner.

I hope it doesn't come to that. Perhaps calls from world leaders including religious ones will make him back down.

Beijing York said...

Sorry for the double comment but I wanted to wish you and Ed (and Dave of course) a happy holiday season. Take care, relax and keep warm with those you love.

Gloria said...

Harper is a tyrant, who is giving Canada, our resources and our resource jobs to Communist China.

Harper even gave Red China the right to sue any Canadians who block Red China, in the takeover of Canada. China, by Harper's O.K. sued BC. The BC courts awarded China all of BC's Mining jobs.

The same will happen at the tar sands, as soon as Harper gives Nexen to Communist China.

I was in disbelief. Harper had the gall to say right on TV, he is a Christian. He said, he "prey's" every day.

Harper is every bit as hateful as, Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini. Harper's character and personalty, is identical to theirs. They were all Dictators, cruel, liars and they all cheated to win.

thwap said...

I think, sadly, that dancing and singing is going to be ineffectual.

The reason that the Canadian state abuses the First Nations is because the Canadian state is dominated by nasty people.

Nasty people are genuinely impervious to moral arguments. Economic disruption and the uncertainties of direct action will be a better use of Idle No More's resources.