Dear rabble readers:
It’s a frantic time, I know! But because it’s really important to me, I’m going to take this moment out of my day to urge you to help keep our movements strong by supporting rabble.ca at the end of their summer fundraiser.
As a mom, lawyer, professor, author, activist, a Mi’kmaw citizen, and member of the Eel River Bar First Nation, I’m worried, angry, motivated, and of course, active. We face incredible obstacles towards achieving justice and reconciliation. And time is of the essence, with a climate crisis across all Indigenous territories.
There are many things we can do. For me, one way to make a concrete contribution is to make a concrete contribution to rabble.ca. It really does matter. If you can please, please support rabble.ca‘s independent progressive journalism right now at rabble.ca/donate then you can help them make their $65,000 summer fundraising goal. All of the proceeds will help rabble maintain a firm hand in standing up for media democracy and underrepresented voices in the September/October election months.
We need rabble.ca to tell the stories that need to be heard.
When it comes to media, in the early days of the Idle No More movement, and even before, rabble was a key resource for people to learn about, share, and discuss the movement. That’s still true to this day. From resistance to the Trans Mountain pipeline construction to the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women, rabble.ca is our great forum for debate and real information. I’m happy to report that rabble has been a strong supporter of my work for years, and has helped share the work of many other Indigenous activists. This includes my current column on rabble, as well as the on-going coverage of my Reconciliation Book Club (I hope you will join us there).
A good example of the rabble.ca difference in reporting is in the current Liberal government’s portrayal in mainstream media around its relationship with Indigenous communities. The truth that needs to be told is that Trudeau has betrayed First Nations, and therefore all Canadians.
The fact is that Trudeau told Indigenous people that he would recognize our legal right to veto any development on our territories. That means the right to say no to pipelines. This, as we know, hasn’t happened, with a complete overhaul of consultation process, and purchasing of a pipeline.
Fortunately, rabble.ca has not let up on speaking truth to power. And will not let up on a dedication to real, and fair reporting for indigenous communities. Whatever the outcome this coming election, rabble will be there to continue to push the issues and debates from the perspective of frontline communities, and help Canadians to hold federal leaders to account.
I’m asking you to please do what you can to support rabble.ca. rabble is a great forum for debate and real information, and if you can contribute, please do so now at rabble.ca/donate. If you can’t afford a donation, please encourage a friend or colleague who can. Word of mouth means a lot in grassroots struggles, and that is what this is.
What we need in Canada is an independent media system that is tuned to the activism that fights for a more just, wise, and equal world. That’s what rabble is. Please help us on our path at rabble.ca/donate.
Thanks,
Pam Palmater
Pam Palmater has been a practicing lawyer for 20 years and is currently an associate professor and the chair in Indigenous governance at Ryerson University.
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Nick Seebruch, editor
