Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Is it a permission slip? Is it an obligatory tip of the hat? A minor detour? Has it changed anything?


Alan Forseth, Kamloops ~~ April 13th, 2019

I want to take a moment here and now to thank Green Party MLA Adam Olsen for offering, and providing, a fresh way to look at things.  I know what I first added him to the contributors to the blogsite, and number of my conservative friends thought I was off my rocker.  Truth to tell, I though maybe I was as well  😊

That said, and as I occasionally point out, the sub-heading of the blog header states ... “A discussion on political, economic and social issues in British Columbia, and Canada”

Green Party MLA Adam Olsen
Saanich North and Islands
Mr. Olsen helps to be a part in ensuring that happens; which was why an opinion piece he penned two days ago (April 11th) caught my attention.  In the post he observed:

There is a growing movement of acknowledging the territory of Indigenous people. It has become a familiar opening to meetings and events run by government.

It is an important evolution in Canadian society. But we must continue to challenge the status quo and demand better. It is critical that we know why we do these things and the impact they have.

To be 100% honest, I have more and more, in recent times, be annoyed at hearing a few different variations of, “We wish to acknowledge we are here on the territory of the __ insert name of the First Nation __ people”

It has gotten to the point where in my head I say to myself .... here we go again.

That’s why I appreciate Adams quantifying things by saying ...  It is critical that we know why we do these things and the impact they have.

So, am I annoyed that we are acknowledging where we are?  The answer to that is an emphatic “NO”!

What I am now able to understand, after reading Adam’s words, is that the words really have no meaning if we choose to say the same thing over and over ... no attempt to make it personal to the occasion ... and that it’s simply a box we check off as being done before we move on to whatever the event is.

And bingo ... the MLA for Saanich North and the Islands hit the nail on the head for me:

“Acknowledging Indigenous people and territory is an important step forward in our society. But what does it mean? Is it a permission slip? Is it an obligatory tip of the hat, a minor detour just before we get back to the colonial business as usual? Has it changed anything?”

He then continued, “Well, it's an admission that our province and our country stand on a questionable foundation and that we are on a path to recovery. But what is the effect of mindlessly reciting a script? Does that undermine and erode the meaning of the words?”

If it is just mindlessly reciting a script, then yes indeed (at least in my opinion) it does undermine and erode the meaning of the words.

Adam states that he is a ... a community leader with a foot in two worlds ... and that ... people often ask my advice on territorial acknowledgements.

“I encourage them to speak from the heart, to reflect on the beautiful place and the powerful cultures that have endured the most challenging circumstances”, he tells them.

“I ask them to give themselves permission to stumble and make mistakes, to honour our past, and embrace positive, compassionate relationships with Indigenous people and communities.”

We should honour our past ... no matter what our ethnicity ... and we should also have a true and meaningful acknowledgement of the indigenous people wherever we live in the province of BC.

As Olsen states, “It is critical that we know why we do these things and the impact they have”.

So rather than a simple ... we acknowledge this event is happening on the territory of the _______ people ... let’s know why we are saying it, and let it be sincere and meaningful.

In concluding I would like to encourage you to read the full blog post from Adam Olsen which is entitled, “Acknowledging territory, words and actions”.

Labels:

Comments

  1. DaveApril 13, 2019 at 1:25 PM

    Well said, Alan. Doing the right thing can sometimes be a difficult path to discern. But it starts with the heart and reason follows. Glad to see Adam on board. Good ideas come from all perspectives.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC’s Forestry Decline Is a Policy Failure, Not a Market Reality -- Forestry Critic Calls for Accountability and Urgent Policy Reset

Conservative Party of BC Forestry Critic, and Kamloops - North Thompson MLA,  Ward Stamer As the Truck Loggers Association convention begins today, BC Conservative Forestry Critic Ward Stamer says British Columbia’s forestry crisis is the result of government mismanagement, not market forces, and that an urgent policy reset is needed to restore certainty, sustainability, and accountability. “For generations, forestry supported families and communities across BC,” said Stamer.  “Today, mills are closing, contractors are parking equipment, and families are being forced to leave home, not because the resource is gone, but because policy has failed.” Government data shows timber shipment values dropped by more than half a billion dollars in the past year, with harvest levels falling by roughly 50 per cent in just four years. At the same time, prolonged permitting timelines, unreliable fibre access, outdated forest inventories, and rising costs have made long-term planning impossib...
Post a Comment
Read more

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more