Conservative government plans backdoor restructuring of First Nations governance

From the days of Jean Chretien's White Paper in 1969, federal governments have dreamed of completing the process of colonization and assimilation by making Aboriginal rights disappear through a strategy of deceit: denying Aboriginal rights in the name of "giving" Canada's Indigenous peoples the "same" rights as other Canadians.

Here's a memo to cabinet: start by acknowledging and respecting Indigenous rights. Sign on to and respect the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. End the policy of extinguishment of Aboriginal title. Respect Indigenous Peoples' rights to self-determination and their right to determine their own systems of government. End the exploitation of Indigenous lands without free, prior, and informed consent. And make the "apology" for residential schools real by making restitution and implementing far-ranging programs to restore Indigenous languages, cultures, and ceremonies.