Friday, January 11, 2013

More INM commentary

In a comment a few minutes ago The Regina Mom wrote:
Just have to express my disappointment with you folks at The Galloping Beaver over this one. Let us focus on coming together and better ways of working together instead of magnifying our differences, especially now. And I find it interesting that I'm not hearing any of this divisiveness here in SK.Let us focus on coming together and better ways of working together instead of magnifying our differences, especially now."
Yes, I very much agree. But there are many voices in the movement, as there are outside it, who would pursue policies of division and difference. Their populism is attractive to some and these voices will become more attractive if talks between the PMSH and the Vice-regal deteriorate. I don't at all mind calling these groups out for the danger that I believe they are.

I worry about the wheels that are in motion right now. The PM has no intention of of talking to Indigenous leaders in good faith. His actions demonstrate that he sees Indigenous people as obstacles to his vision of Canada. Why else would he impose Bill C-45?

Furthermore, the PMs record shows that he will use the institution of state against itself to neuter his opponents. Prorogue, secrecy, you name it, he's done it. 

I also worry that disruption of economic life will prompt loud public voices to call for a brutal government response. I worry about the deeper divisions this could provoke in our already divided country. The Harper government did not flinch when its allied security forces shutdown a city core and arbitrarily caged and abused over a thousand people in Toronto so it could have a meeting. Why would it flinch in crushing INM protests, should they become more direct?

There's a very real question of what happens if nothing productive comes from the current meetings, if Chief Spence dies. Larger economically disruptive actions like blocking ports and transportation networks will provoke a response by the government, but there's not a lot of consideration what the response might look like, and then of course what happens after that. You can bet that Harper is gaming this out. He holds the hard power here, which consists of monopolies on legislation, force, and the if/how of negotiations. If he's sitting down with the Chiefs, he's already decided on the outcome and if he looks like he's giving ground, its probably a trap, perhaps intended to satify enough people that the protests diminish enough not to restart when people realise nothing actually changed.

I am very concerned that if things grow worse, the unifying voices of non-violence and dialogue within INM will find themselves drowned out by those calling for harder measures. I believe these dangers need to be labelled.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for responding to my comment. I think you need to watch TVO's Jan 7 edition of The Agenda, hosted by Steve Paikin, in which he talks with four First Nations activists, Pam, Hayden, Russell and Cynthia and throws Tom Flanagan into the mix. Tom and Paiken look like idiots as well they should for their colonial mindedness. It's almost an hour long discussion on the issues.

Of particular interest is Pam Palmater's attention on this non-issue of divisiveness. I think it comes toward the end of the program.

Gloria said...

Our Canadian Democracy is vanishing. Our Civil Rights and Liberties have been taken from us. Our Freedom of Speech under attack. Our Human Rights are being eroded.

Harper is handing Canada to Communist China. China is given the resources and resource jobs. Harper's omnibull bill, gives China the right to sue any Canadian getting in China's way. China sued in BC, to take the mining jobs. If BC F.N. fight the Enbridge pipeline, China has permission to sue.

Harper's omnibull bill also gives him permission, to threaten every waterway, fish and F.N. hunting grounds. Harper can pollute any province's nooks and cranny's, he chooses to do so.

Provinces with a lick of sense, will get the hell out of Harper's Canada. If they don't, they will be swallowed up by Red China.

In one city. A Chinese man is buying up cheap duplexes and repossessed homes. They are stuffed to the rafters with, hot plates and bare furnishings. They are for hordes of Chinese coming over to learn English. China owns many company's in Canada. He ships em in, he ships em out, and gets ready for the next batch coming over.

Harper loves China's peoples human rights, they don't have any. The F.N. people will have no rights, neither will we. China's minimum wage in one of their cities is, $236 per month. Harper has given all company's permission, to hire cheap Chinese labor. They won't get away with $236 per month, at least I don't think so. However, China refuses to pay Canadian wages. Other company's don't want to either.

Boris said...

Thanks for commenting, TRM, and I really appreciate your candidness! I'll watch the video.

I don't really know how divisiveness will evolve as the serious action may only just be starting.

Edstock said...

Funny how Mr. 1812 doesn't get it. If this festering mess visits Buckingham Palace because the GG is a Stevie creature, it will make an excellent Steve Martin flick.

Anonymous said...

I have attitude, I admit it! ;)

But I also have a deep commitment to learning all I can about our First Peoples so that we can, together, set aright all the wrongs we have committed in the name of Canada.

I've written several emails to people who are not on Facebook and do not read blogs, about the issue. I really must transfer those to blogposts. But I seem to be having a block about it. Not sure wtf that's about!

Anonymous said...

Merci beaucoup mr Beav.. & you too ms regina mom of committed attitude.. n all those connected commenters, readers n advocates patriotic... sweet...

I thinks you both n all gots the same excellent idea
and are equally outraged to see the faux farce and corporate ideology of some vague blend - alliance of Manning Flanagan Harper Novak

n all the lessor but extremely dangerous dwarts.. Oliver, Kent, Baird, Clemente, Ashfield, Mackay, Kenney, Fantino, Flaherty, Duncan .. all flailing for Th Lord Almighty Oil, git er to China .. n we LOVE Israel too ! We want F-35's ! Pipelines
a head first madly dangerous to ... assault on the fabric and soul of that elusive, mysterious and marvelous reality .. Canada