This is an excellent summary of where the indigenous movement is today - nowhere. My understanding is that 1% of Canada’s population currently lives on reserves. We are turning the country on its head to keep dying, dependent human warehouses semi-functional. Our transfer payments bribe the young indigenous people who are capable of living in the city to stay in a hopeless place, and pass that life on to their children
An excellent comment. Here’s the crux though, which I imagine people realized even at the time of the White Paper. Some older (and even middle-aged) folks are not going to be able to successfully leave the reserve, and many are unwilling to even consider it. That leaves them fearful that they’ll be abandoned by their youth – an understandably frightening prospect. Their hope seems to be that if they can encourage more of the young people to stay on the reserve (or to come back to it after their education and/or a short time in the city), then the reserve will become a more vibrant and viable place. No doubt this is occurring to some degree on SOME reserves, but the resultant economies are usually not production-based (i.e. revenue-producing); they’re based in administration and wealth management activities that don’t lead to self-reliance. Nevertheless, the dream (fantasy?) of self-reliance and self-determination is so enticing to the chiefs that it becomes like a veil over the eyes.
The AMC want to “build on the foundation” of the MIB’s Wahbung, but as Michael says, What foundation? It’s a foundation of nice-sounding words. Keep it vague, and they don’t have to deal with hard realities or inconvenient details, like how’s this really going to work, or IS this really going to work, and how will it be financed?
I agree with you. I live in a rural municipality. The local politicians and residents try to develop employment possibilities for our youth, but we realize that only some will find the jobs and careers they want. It all works out. That’s how Canada has prospered. We have gone from a country that was 80% rural and 20% urban to the exact opposite. This natural process has not occurred in the same way for indigenous people. Although some of the people leaving reserves for the city do okay - some do very well - most don’t. Reserves prepared them only for dependence and failure. Artificially subsidizing the human warehouses reserves have become, and inflating reserve revenues through “duty to consult” and other racial preferences only makes this worse. The politicians and leading families on reserves do very well, but most dont
Thank you Michael for another insightful, informative and enlightening article. I have never heard of Wahbung before, but it explains quite a lot about the current state of affairs. In a culture so plagued with social pathologies it is understandable that as a group, pride in uniqueness and individuality is important to self esteem and unattainable and unsustainable dreams subjugate reality. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the only path to well being is assimilation and a rejection of apartheid. Balkanization of Canada is not an option and is only considered by those with a frail grasp of reality.
"Pride asks, who is right, humility asks, what is right"
You usually attribute your quotes, Kemosabe, but in this case you made me look.
Depending on who you read, the quote is attributed to either Ezra T. Benson, a Mormon, or Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and theologian. It's usually cited as, "Pride is concerned with who is right; humility is concerned with what is right." As a former editor (still having trouble retiring from that gig), I'm forever concerned with what is right, so I guess that makes me humble : )
You are right, Joan. I must have been tired when I wrote that. I think the source was either Rose Anne Archibald or Kevin Annett !!! Can't be sure though.
A clear and concise overview and analysis, Michael. You nailed it with your sentence, “Wahbung glorified aboriginal sovereignty in the abstract while glossing over the actual: . . .”
And this: “[F]or the AMC now, the return to traditional culture has become a political mainstay. The AMC has painted themselves into an ideological corner. If the loss of culture is the problem, restoring culture is the solution. Consequently, the AMC now finds itself promoting the identity the MIB shunned: a colorful, folkloric remnant.” Bingo! Ribbon skirts and eagle feather headdresses will be the magic carpet that carries them into a prosperous future – so long as the chiefs continue to touch down at “GO” and collect $200 on every trip around the board.
On a second read-through, I’m realizing that if I start citing all my favourite sentences from your article, my comment will end up being as long as the article itself : )
“Playing the victim role: Manipulator portrays him- or herself as a victim of circumstance or of someone else's behavior in order to gain pity, sympathy or evoke compassion and thereby get something from another. Caring and conscientious people cannot stand to see anyone suffering and the manipulator often finds it easy to play on sympathy to get cooperation.”
― George K. Simon Jr., In Sheep's Clothing: Understanding and Dealing With Manipulative People
This is an excellent summary of where the indigenous movement is today - nowhere. My understanding is that 1% of Canada’s population currently lives on reserves. We are turning the country on its head to keep dying, dependent human warehouses semi-functional. Our transfer payments bribe the young indigenous people who are capable of living in the city to stay in a hopeless place, and pass that life on to their children
An excellent comment. Here’s the crux though, which I imagine people realized even at the time of the White Paper. Some older (and even middle-aged) folks are not going to be able to successfully leave the reserve, and many are unwilling to even consider it. That leaves them fearful that they’ll be abandoned by their youth – an understandably frightening prospect. Their hope seems to be that if they can encourage more of the young people to stay on the reserve (or to come back to it after their education and/or a short time in the city), then the reserve will become a more vibrant and viable place. No doubt this is occurring to some degree on SOME reserves, but the resultant economies are usually not production-based (i.e. revenue-producing); they’re based in administration and wealth management activities that don’t lead to self-reliance. Nevertheless, the dream (fantasy?) of self-reliance and self-determination is so enticing to the chiefs that it becomes like a veil over the eyes.
The AMC want to “build on the foundation” of the MIB’s Wahbung, but as Michael says, What foundation? It’s a foundation of nice-sounding words. Keep it vague, and they don’t have to deal with hard realities or inconvenient details, like how’s this really going to work, or IS this really going to work, and how will it be financed?
I agree with you. I live in a rural municipality. The local politicians and residents try to develop employment possibilities for our youth, but we realize that only some will find the jobs and careers they want. It all works out. That’s how Canada has prospered. We have gone from a country that was 80% rural and 20% urban to the exact opposite. This natural process has not occurred in the same way for indigenous people. Although some of the people leaving reserves for the city do okay - some do very well - most don’t. Reserves prepared them only for dependence and failure. Artificially subsidizing the human warehouses reserves have become, and inflating reserve revenues through “duty to consult” and other racial preferences only makes this worse. The politicians and leading families on reserves do very well, but most dont
Thank you Michael for another insightful, informative and enlightening article. I have never heard of Wahbung before, but it explains quite a lot about the current state of affairs. In a culture so plagued with social pathologies it is understandable that as a group, pride in uniqueness and individuality is important to self esteem and unattainable and unsustainable dreams subjugate reality. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the only path to well being is assimilation and a rejection of apartheid. Balkanization of Canada is not an option and is only considered by those with a frail grasp of reality.
"Pride asks, who is right, humility asks, what is right"
You usually attribute your quotes, Kemosabe, but in this case you made me look.
Depending on who you read, the quote is attributed to either Ezra T. Benson, a Mormon, or Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and theologian. It's usually cited as, "Pride is concerned with who is right; humility is concerned with what is right." As a former editor (still having trouble retiring from that gig), I'm forever concerned with what is right, so I guess that makes me humble : )
You are right, Joan. I must have been tired when I wrote that. I think the source was either Rose Anne Archibald or Kevin Annett !!! Can't be sure though.
A clear and concise overview and analysis, Michael. You nailed it with your sentence, “Wahbung glorified aboriginal sovereignty in the abstract while glossing over the actual: . . .”
And this: “[F]or the AMC now, the return to traditional culture has become a political mainstay. The AMC has painted themselves into an ideological corner. If the loss of culture is the problem, restoring culture is the solution. Consequently, the AMC now finds itself promoting the identity the MIB shunned: a colorful, folkloric remnant.” Bingo! Ribbon skirts and eagle feather headdresses will be the magic carpet that carries them into a prosperous future – so long as the chiefs continue to touch down at “GO” and collect $200 on every trip around the board.
On a second read-through, I’m realizing that if I start citing all my favourite sentences from your article, my comment will end up being as long as the article itself : )
“Playing the victim role: Manipulator portrays him- or herself as a victim of circumstance or of someone else's behavior in order to gain pity, sympathy or evoke compassion and thereby get something from another. Caring and conscientious people cannot stand to see anyone suffering and the manipulator often finds it easy to play on sympathy to get cooperation.”
― George K. Simon Jr., In Sheep's Clothing: Understanding and Dealing With Manipulative People
That's vry kind, thank you.