Is Edmonton's reconcilation with First Nations overboard? (mineral rights, credit)
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I am all for reconciliation with First Nations peoples but how far are we going with it?
I knew about the residential schools a very long time ago. How far back do we have to go to make governments apologize for their counterparts' role in horrible acts in a time as far back as 150 years up until the last residential school was closed in 1960. Canada did not even have a human rights charter then, did we?
It is municipal election time and I found out that all our old ward names have been officially changed to indigenous names and the names were decided by Alberta's First Nations representatives tribes. This is done in the spirit of reconciliation.
But someone tell me why, when we name our sports teams with indigenous names ,it is offensive to them.
Our football team had to change its name from Edmonton Eskimos to Edmonton Elks. We also see NHL, baseball teams making these same kind of changes these days. But why is it okay to use First Nations' names in our city districts. ?? So I don't get it.
This all came to mind the past week and it made me go ......hhhhhhmmmmm..
And we see statues of former European forefathers from the 1600s-1800s destroyed and protested against.
It's our European Canadian history being destroyed. It looks like First Nations are getting back at our forefathers for attempting to destroy their culture. 2 wrongs don't make a right in my book.
Edmonton announces new Indigenous Ward names (to name a few).
Nakota Isga (Ward 1) This name honors the Alexis Nakota Sioux people who settled in the area in 1880. ...
Winston Churchill said something to the effect that if you start evaluating the past based on the standards of the present, you lose the future. Pierre Trudeau, a Constitutional, labour, and "Rights" lawyer (and for those who don't know!!! a long running Prime Minister, said: "Once you start apologizing for the past, it's never going to stop".
HOWEVER, the "First Nations" issues belong to Canada (and not the "other" issues which belong to the country south of us, imported by the Ivory Tower, and "elites" that spend most of their time.........in New York). So we have to get moving forward. We just received some "Modulars" of high quality for our local Shuswap Nation. About fifty years overdue. During the credit crunch and various downturns we COULD have gotten ATCO to continue building their (world wide distribution) units and drop then in by "Chopper" to all kinds of remote places.
Not ALL Reserves get mining, gas, and oil money nor do those same Reserves distribute it equitably. I was on a Reserve when I was five years of age, where the 12 volt was the only lighting, and the perma-frost cabins were half in the ground. if it was minus 45 where we were, it was minus 55 to 60 on Eagle Lake, Ontario. Now wonder polio and early mortality was such an issue, IF IT WAS EVEN NOTICED.
My daughter is Northern Cree. Reserves have major issues within their jurisdiction that I hope they'll redress: hereditary Chiefs, inherited lineage, funds controlled by a few "elites" (sound familiar?) drug and other blatant illegal activity, and MURDER, and a siege mentality that keeps investigations down to nothing. It's a long game: by empowering their own choices we'll hopefully see progress......in maybe my daughters' lifetime.
Last edited by thedwightguy; 10-30-2021 at 10:41 AM..
Reason: spelling in Canadian
OP, the residential schools system (which was in place in a number of colonial nations, as you may know)was utterly devastating to tribal peoples. It was designed to be, though it was actually well-intentioned in the colonial mentality of the times. It was believed, that forced assimilation, stripping entire nationalities of their language and culture, was "assisting" them to "adjust" to "modern" life. The idea that they had the right to self-determination had not yet been conceived by the dominant powers.
Native nations are still hobbled today in many ways by this destructive legacy. And it's still not over; this latest blow, the discovery that school administrators (in most cases, Christian clerics supposedly devoted to spiritual ideals) entrusted with the "care" of First Nations children, killed many of them and hid the murders, is yet another trauma. This needs to be brought to light, so that the relatives, descendants, and communities can mourn. No more sweeping atrocities under the carpet. These revelations and public acknowledgements are a healthy development.
An Edmonton sports team changed its name from Eskimos to Elks. See, that's the problem with naming teams after Indigenous tribes; a more typical practice is to name them after animals. Humans aren't animals. It's disparaging. Have you ever heard of a sports team named "the Fighting Irish", or, say, "the Toronto Jews"? No? Why do you think that is?
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 11-01-2021 at 08:43 AM..
OP, the residential schools system (which was in place in a number of colonial nations, as you may know)was utterly devastating to tribal peoples. It was designed to be, though it was actually well-intentioned in the colonial mentality of the times. It was believed, that forced assimilation, stripping entire nationalities of their language and culture, was "assisting" them to "adjust" to "modern" life. The idea that they had the right to self-determination had not yet been conceived by the dominant powers.
Native nations are still hobbled today in many ways by this destructive legacy. And it's still not over; this latest blow, the discovery that school administrators (in most cases, Christian clerics supposedly devoted to spiritual ideals) entrusted with the "care" of First Nations children, killed many of them and hid the murders, is yet another trauma. This needs to be brought to light, so that the relatives, descendants, and communities can mourn. No more sweeping atrocities under the carpet. These revelations and public acknowledgements are a healthy development.
An Edmonton sports team changed its name from Eskimos to Elks. See, that's the problem with naming teams after Indigenous tribes; a more typical practice is to name them after animals. Humans aren't animals. It's disparaging. Have you ever heard of a sports team named "the Fighting Irish", or, say, "the Toronto Jews"? No? Why do you think that is?
There are “Fighting Irish” teams in the United States.
Considering recent events it's the last we can do.
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