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The Politics of Aboriginality: Repairing the Relationship

The Politics of Aboriginality: Repairing the Relationship. “”. Bonus assignment. Worth 2 marks – submit one page summary of three key points in video . One week deadline .

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The Politics of Aboriginality: Repairing the Relationship

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  1. The Politics of Aboriginality:Repairing the Relationship “”

  2. Bonus assignment • Worth 2 marks – submit one page summary of three key points in video. One week deadline. • NFB video “The People of the Kattawapiskat River by Alanis Obomsawin. Free streaming ends on January 18. google: nfb.ca or • http://thetyee.ca/video/2013/01/11

  3. Competing Narratives • THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE CHALLENGING • Success - Osoyoos • Dysfunctions - Attawapiskat • Challenges - Caledonia

  4. Core Insights # 1 • Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples = Indigenous Peoples • 350 million everywhere • Original inhabitants • Colonization = deep persistent inequities • “Get out” of existing relations (vs get in for immi

  5. LEGACY OF COLONIALISM • Colonialism and its Aftermath • What is colonialism • Fundamentally exploitive and controlling relationship • By which indigenous society is transformed and dominated • According to priorities, interests, and superiorities of the colonizer • Effects • Indigenous peoples forcibly incorporated + loss of land, identity, and political voice + marginalized or encapsulated status • Impact Structures/legacy of colonialism persists

  6. THE POLITICS OF INDIGENEITY/ABORIGINALITY

  7. Core Insight no 2Canada’s Difference Model (p.176)

  8. Core Insight No 3: Diversity in Inequality • Internal Diversity - Legal and Constitutional Status - historical, cultural and social differences - reserves, rural, urban - youth - women

  9. Constitutional and Legal Status

  10. Patterns of Aboriginal Inequality

  11. Urban Aboriginal (Identity) Population, Selected Cities, 2006.

  12. Thinking about urban Aboriginal peoples • 1950s-1980s “caught between two worlds • Moving to escape poor social conditions on-reserve • Caught up in poor conditions in the city (Indians on Skid Row) • 1980s-1990s • Less emphasis on cultural conflict • A disadvantaged group, along with others • More practical concern with outcomes, policies/programmes • Circular movement • 2000s • Increased recognition of urban spaces as Aboriginal spaces • Hybrid identities and biculturalism (not cultural conflict) • “Happiness” factor

  13. Intersecting cycle of poverty and powerlessness Poor living conditions Poverty/powerlessness health, violence etc Poor parenting, school failures

  14. Grassy Narrows/Attawapiskat • What are causes of socio-economic-cultural problems? - an “Indian” problem? - a Canada problem - a Canada/”Indian” problem • What are solutions - assimilation, autonomy, accommodation

  15. Poison stronger than love WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR READING • Different levels of meaning in the title • What is the nature of the problems on the Grassy Narrows Reserve • What are the causes? • What policy framework best explains situation? • What are solutions depending on how the problem is defined: assimilation, autonomy, accommodation?

  16. Core Insight NO 4 Contesting the problem definition/Proposing Solutions ASSIMILATIONIST (Functionalism) • (so called) “INDIAN” PROBLEM • Problem = Blame the victim /people with needs • Solution = Modernize (‘more like us’) ACCOMMODATIONIST (Symbolic Interactionism) • CANADA-”INDIAN” PROBLEM • Problem = Blame the relationship/situation • Solution = Relations Repair + Improve situation mutual adjustment/citizens +) AUTONOMISTS (Conflict Theory) • CANADA PROBLEM • Problem = Blame the system/colonization • Solution = Indigenize (‘less like you’) + Separation

  17. Competing Models (p225)

  18. Core Insight No 5Aboriginal Policy: Friend or Foe? • Historical relations • As instrument of progress or regress? • At worst, disempower and destroy • No more ‘Indians’ • Assimilation/self sufficiency • At best – smoothing the pillow of a dying race (progress) • Canada = logic: white supremacist society

  19. Comparing Aboriginal peoples Policy

  20. Indian Act 1876 • Exercise in micro management • Reserves =multiple meanings

  21. Accommodation (1760s-1830s) Royal Proclamation (1763)

  22. C-31 Inheritance Rules 6.2 Status Status Man 6.1 Status woman 6.2 Status Non-Status Man Status Woman (Married before 1985) Non-Status Spouse Non-Status Spouse 6.1 Status 6.2 Status 6.1 Status 6.1 Status (if b. Pre 1985) 6.2 Status (if b. After 1985) Non-Status • Continues to be gender-discriminatory • The “cousins problem”

  23. Summing Up Overview: You got it … You took it…. Aboriginal Policy = contested site/competing agendas = Assimilation x Accommodation x Autonomy • Drivers of Aboriginal Policy • Constitution Act, Indian Act, Court Rulings • Treaty Obligations • Imposition of Certainty • Canada’s international reputation/ UN Scrutiny • Political Ideology • FEAR • Aboriginal Militancy • Not another Ipperwash/Oka

  24. Towards a Reconciliation/ Relations Repair

  25. Pre and Post-Confederation Treaties National Resources Canada www.nrcan.gc.ca

  26. Modern Treaties (as of 2010) Indian and Northern Affairs Canada www.ainc-inac.gc.ca

  27. Aboriginal Title and Treaty Rights • Towards a treaty based relationship Proclamation Act • Three types of treaty claims • Specific Treaty Claims • Comprehensive (modern) Treaty Claims • Compensation Claims (Six Nations) • Aboriginal title

  28. Aboriginal Title • Customary right rooted in common and international law • If prove continuous occupation and use prior to European contact, aboriginal peoples are “en-title-ed” to land and resources • Freedom of use, except... • Crown usurpation of title but only if • National Interests • Consultations, (consent) and compensation • Realistic Compromise?

  29. Models of Self Determining Autonomy or Models of Self Government

  30. Core Insight No 6: Unblocking the Impasse“REPAIRING THE RELATIONSHIP” • From a Colonial relationship /social contract • A neo-colonial relationship at present (same game, same rules, different conventions, different players ) • Towards a post colonial social contract (different game, different rules, different players) • Principles of Constructive Engagement - partnership - power sharing - participation - property return

  31. Towards Relations- Repair Model • Principles of constructive engagement/see also RCAP (p 201-202) • De facto sovereignty • Relations repair • Peoples with (aboriginal) rights • Political communities • Power sharing/partnership • Living together jurisdictionally • Aboriginal models of self determining autonomy • Belonging/citizenship thru nations • Difference matters • Reconciliation and property return

  32. REDEFINING THE SOCIAL CONTRACT: EVOLVING PARADIGMS IN the RELATIONAL STATUS of ABORIGINAL PEOPLES (p 220)

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