Posted by dave (209.167.16.89) on May 27, 2001 at 20:50:04:
In Reply to: Re: Hurray for Sound bites!! posted by Sagkeeng on April 23, 2001 at 09:46:34:
Indeed where are the voices, where are the Indigenous voices that can put the aboriginal position in a context that the world should hear. Nowhere. Meek and complacent, Canadian aboriginal leadership remains a joke, window dressing, small time. Nice clothes, cell phone, downtown Ottawa office, hey who needs life on the reserve when you can have that? Downtown Winnipeg, Toronto, Calgary, 'Nishnabeg' are enjoying living like white people the world over. And not getting the job done! We need leaders who can go after and stay after the issues that are breaking our communities, like eroding health services, damaging land regimes, lack of communications, and inner turmoil and hatred, social issues that if not attended will limit the existence of our communities. And who listens? Who is listening?
: After much congratulations and back slapping it was plainly noted by those in attendance that MCC's presence at the Summit of the Americas amounted to a window dressing speech to co-chairs at a "Civil Society" discussion. Canadian First Nations and other Indigenous leaders of the Americas DID NOT meet with hemisperic leaders nor was there ever any intention to do so. So why go?
: Let's be realistic, the Indigenous leaders recited their four minute speeches to each other. This is no way shape or form will have any impact upon Indigenous policy in the Americas. The presence of the national chief at this coffee shop dicussion was an insult to First Nations. I surmise that when one's leadership is so lacklustre and stagnant that the chance to speak to two nobody co-chairs of a sub-committee's sub-committee in charge of sub-committees is seen as a coup. If the national chief had the benefit of pragmatic advice and intuitive reasoning he would have recognized that AFN's and by extension First Nations input was trifling and meaningless in this summit. Nope. We have just been set back 20 years. Thanks for nothing, Matthew. Oh well. Another per diem and another day of Ovide on the payroll. All for the same result as always. Nothing.
: Things have to change before there is irreversable damage caused to our people.