By Xavier Kataquapit
In a world that is so upside down these days we really need to count on our leadership and Elders to stand up for us, for Mother Earth and to make sure that there is a world in place for future generations.
When I first started out writing and faced with interviewing government representatives like Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament, local, regional, provincial and national chiefs, council members, mayors, bureaucrats and business corporate executives, I was intimidated. I recall my partner and mentor Mike, an experienced journalist, enlightening me that all these people were just ordinary folk like everyone else.
As he commented “they all go to the toilet just like every human being.” I thought this was so funny, but also it really did remind me that I had no reason to feel intimidated by anyone just because they held a position in government or had some form of power. That little trick gave me confidence.
Over the past three decades I have interviewed and become acquainted with many people in leadership. We tend to forget that all these people deal with the same challenges we all have to meet. Some endured difficult experiences growing up, some have had relationship problems, some have struggled with addictions, and some have had to deal with illness. For the most part, my interactions with all of these leaders and professionals have been beneficial and enjoyable and I have learned much from their feedback and stories.
These days we see some very disturbing trends all over the world, in the United States and right here in Canada, with far right movements winning power or threatening to take power. Some of the leaders involved resemble the fascists of the period during the Second World War. More than ever, we have to make sure we are electing and putting in power leaders at every level that believe in democracy and a just and fair form of government.
It is up to us to support our leaders to make sure that good decisions are made in pushing back on war, doing what we need to do to fight climate change, provide health care and social service care for people and, in particular, our Elders and children.
Make no mistake about it, our leaders are constantly under fire through lobbying from wealthy corporate interests and those who are more interested in making money rather than protecting Mother Earth and the people and creatures who live on our planet. We all need to make money. We deserve the right to make a good living to care for ourselves and families, but we have to balance that with making sure that at the end of the day we will have a future with fresh air, clean water to drink, enough good food to eat and a planet that is peaceful and enriching.
Too often we are ready to criticize our First Nation chiefs and leadership when we should be supporting them and reminding them what we need to make the world a better place. I grew up in a time when resource developers were not interested in working with First Nations. Governments were more concerned in colonizing us and terrorizing our people through residential schools and all kinds of limitations. Our lives as nomadic hunters and gatherers changed abruptly when we were forced to live in restrictive reserve locations and made to feel less than human as compared to our colonizers.
Today there have been many changes and, by law, resource developers and governments have to deal with First Nations in consultation and making agreements that provide benefits to Indigenous people with all kinds of development. These are better times and many of my people have enjoyed training and employment opportunities that have improved our lives.
However, at the same time we see powerful interests moving ahead with policies of divide and conquer with First Nations to reap the benefits of developments geared to making a lot of money but with little concern for Mother Earth, First Nation lands and our traditions and culture. It is up to our First Nation leaders to stand strong and stay together to make sure we have the strength and integrity to make sure good decisions are made.
Too often these days we see First Nations being influenced by government and resource developers with all types of pressure. In some cases, they infiltrate tribal councils, organizations and First Nation leadership to get their way. In times of immense lobbying ,we need to make sure our First Nations chiefs and leadership are not intimidated or pressured into making decisions that are not in our best interest.
We are an enormous force to be reckoned with and that is proven simply by the fact that we have survived all of the most terrible forces of colonization. No need to feel intimidated. Money can’t buy us. We have Mother Earth on our side.