FNs: don't vote for Canada!

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NDPP

Voting is not harm reduction: An Indigenous Perspective

https://www.indigenousaction.org/voting-is-not-harm-reduction-an-indigen...

"...Voting as practiced under US 'democracy' is the process with which people are coerced to choose narrowly prescribed rules and rulers. The anarchist collective Crimethinc observes, 'Voting consolidates the powers of a whole society in the hands of a few politicians.'

When the process is conducted under colonial authority, there is no option but political death for Indigenous Peoples. In other words, voting can never be a survival strategy under colonial rule. It's a strategy of defeat and victimhood that protracts the suffering and historical harm induced by ongoing settler colonialism.

And while the harm reduction sentiment may be sincere, even hard won marginal reforms granted through popular support can be just as easily reversed by the stroke of a politician's pen.

If voting is the democratic participation in our own oppression, voting as harm reduction is a politics that keeps us at the mercy of our oppressors..."

JKR

kropotkin1951 wrote:

I think that treating my indigenous friends as noble "beings" that are beyond reproach for their political views would make them roll on the floor with laughter. But then I am related to some of them by marriage. I see your viewpoint as deeply racist since it implies that I need to change my political discourse about sovereignty depending on who I am speaking to. I personally try to treat all my indigenous family members and friends and business acquaintances the same as I treat my black family members and friends which is the same as how I treat the rest of the people I meet and am friends and family with. I think respect is speaking ones mind to another as an equal not mincing one words. It is like someone trying to tell me I can't criticize Israel because that would be antisemitic. I disagree with both ideas.

I also have family and friends who are Indigenous. I would never tell the ones that vote that they are being collaborators and traitors. One of the Indigenous persons I know ran for election to the House of Commons. I think that's to be respected and not disparaged.

kropotkin1951

I would never tell anyone that however I would certainly debate the fact that they should not vote. The person that was telling people to not vote is an indigenous lawyer who is telling others what he thinks. I think that political discourse is meant to be controversial and that making it less controversial hides the real issues like indigenous sovereignty. The silent acceptance of our racist constitution and the elections that are held under it is not respect it is merely good old Canadian willful blindness.

NDPP

Re: 'Voting is necessary for everybody...'

https://twitter.com/Terrilltf/status/1432710525817917454

"Just wait I'm not gone yet. One last thing before I go. Never tone-police First Nations people exercising their sovereignty. This is advocating for our assimilation and genocide. Those that do this are truly despicable colonists."

MegB

lagatta4 wrote:

I uuterly understand Indigenous refusal to take part in colonial governing structures.  At the same time, I don't think either Roméo Saganash or Leah Gazan are any kind of sellouts or pawns.

Quite right. The decision whether to work politically from within or outside a political system is a personal one. It is my observation that there is no more political homogeneity among Indigenous peoples than there is anywhere else.

JKR

NDPP wrote:

Never tone-police First Nations people exercising their sovereignty.

NDPP, so are you going to stop tone policing First Nations people?

Ken Burch

JKR wrote:

NDPP wrote:

Never tone-police First Nations people exercising their sovereignty.

NDPP, so are you going to stop tone policing First Nations people?

We probably ALL need to stop trying to tone-police NDPP, as well.  It doesn't look as anything anyone says will change what that poster does.

NDPP

There are numerous threads where babblers can and do let us know all about party politics, including indigenous support. The traditional sovereigntist voice, a substantial and signficant one, is not heard from. It should be and in a small way it will be here.

JKR

NDPP wrote:

There are numerous threads where babblers can and do let us know all about party politics, including indigenous support. The traditional sovereigntist voice, a substantial and signficant one, is not heard from. It should be and in a small way it will be here.

I think it is great that you're posting traditional sovereigntist voices here. I also think that it would be much better if your posts didn't appear to be criticizing Indigenous people from a settler's perspective. I think criticizing Indigenous people under the guise of representing other indigenous people is not okay.

NDPP

'First Nations & the Federal Election: An Exercise in Self-Termination'

https://twitter.com/JoeyBeni0313881/status/1433423273241481218

"This is essential reading if any of our sisters and brothers feel conflicted in participating in a colonizers system of governance. Doing is good on their terms only when they got our numbers down by GENOCIDE and the trauma inflicted on generations of our ancestors."

 

BREAKING: Walking Eagle News

https://twitter.com/TheEagleist/status/1432020344190164999

"Our-colonizer-is-better-than-your-colonizer contest in full swing."

NDPP

"I can't wait for this election to be over so whichever party wins can just keep fucking us over."

https://twitter.com/anishinaboy/status/1433893192341000196

JKR

Record number of Indigenous candidates running in federal election; THE CANADIAN PRESS; SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

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A record number of Indigenous candidates are running in the federal election this year with what they say is a goal of advancing meaningful change in Canada’s relationship with First Nations, Inuit and Metis.

The Canadian Press analyzed party websites, as well as reached out to each party, to determine how many Indigenous candidates are hoping to get elected in Canada’s 338 ridings on Sept. 20.

The analysis determined there are at least 77 candidates this year compared with 62 in 2019. However, there may be some who haven’t identified themselves as Indigenous.

Leah Gazan, NDP incumbent for Winnipeg Centre, is running in the 2021 federal election.

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NDPP

The Federal Election Will Not Advance the Interests of the First Nations Peoples

https://buff.ly/3BzPcyF

"...Indigenous communities are still struggling to get fresh water, basic services, jobs or justice. They are left in the lurch come election time, with another round of empty promises to do something.

Canada and its political parties are clueless about the original peoples, the First Nations who occupied the land for millennia. Canada under any party likes to parade a cadre of Indigenous candidates hoping to get the elusive 'Indian' vote. '

Canada and its electorate are voting for their vision and their placement as settlers in Canada.

This is why many First Nation people do not vote..."

JKR

Inuit leader says federal election offers stark choices on reconciliation: ITK President compares campaign to the one just before the Kelowna Accord was undone; CBC News; September 5, 2021

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The president of the national body representing Inuit in Canada says continued  progress with reconciliation hangs in the balance in this federal election. 

"We are at a similar point in time, where we are just coming off of a federal budget that dedicated more funding to First Nations, Inuit and Métis than any other federal budget before," Obed said.

"We could see all of this progress stopped immediately."

"I would urge people to do all they can to elect members of Parliament who will sincerely push forward on this path of reconciliation and the respect for First Nations, Inuit and Métis."

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kropotkin1951

JKR wrote:

Inuit leader says federal election offers stark choices on reconciliation: ITK President compares campaign to the one just before the Kelowna Accord was undone; CBC News; September 5, 2021

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The president of the national body representing Inuit in Canada says continued  progress with reconciliation hangs in the balance in this federal election. 

"We are at a similar point in time, where we are just coming off of a federal budget that dedicated more funding to First Nations, Inuit and Métis than any other federal budget before," Obed said.

"We could see all of this progress stopped immediately."

"I would urge people to do all they can to elect members of Parliament who will sincerely push forward on this path of reconciliation and the respect for First Nations, Inuit and Métis."

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Not much depth to that interview except to say vote for the Liberal's or FN's will not get what is in the last budget. He has supported the Liberal indigenous agenda in his leadership role. Many sovereignists are very concerned that the language of the new Liberal framework is not really UNDRIP but a Canadian "compromise"  that has the "Indians" getting less than the international standard rights to oppose the stealing of their remaining land and resources. From reading other interviews with this Inuit leader I get the impression he is a go to source for getting Liberal spin on indigenous issues.

I am sure that his viewpoint is driven by his desire to help his people and his willingness to support the government in its big initiatives gains him open doors in the halls of Ottawa and that helps his people.

 

NDPP

"Canadian elections are irrelevant when you are Indigenous. We. Are. Not. Canadians. We are of our own sovereign nations. Do not buy into the false narratives that a vote will change our lives. May we continue to stand firm as who we are and where we came from."

https://twitter.com/AndreaLandry1/status/1433426690282188801

NDPP

Remove Election Polls on Six Nations, says Confederacy Council

https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/news/remove-election-polls-on-six-nati...

"...The chiefs and clan mothers of the Haudenosaunee are calling on Elections Canada to close its three polling stations on Six Nations of the Grand River ahead of the September 20 vote.

'This is a violation of not only treaty rights, but our human-rights to exist as a distinct people,' the Confederacy Council, the traditional leadership on Six Nations said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The council said it continues to discourage Onkwehonwe from participating in the election of leaders of other governments. The council said Six Nations has never relinquished its treaty rights, which should be respected. 'We view the involvement in Canada's elections in violation of treaty rights and responsibilities we each are under obligation to fulfill..."

#SovereigntyIsTheIssueCanadaIsTheProblem #landback #DontVoteForCanada

JKR

First Nations vote a potential 'kingmaker' in federal election outcomes for northern Ontario: Assembly of First Nations says a third of electors in Kenora riding are First Nations; Logan Turner - CBC News; Posted: September 15, 2021

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Leading up to the 2015 election, Cameron led the non-partisan Rock the Vote campaign from her home and sometimes her mom's van in Kenora, Ont., which encouraged people living on reserve in First Nations to vote. Along with a dedicated group of volunteers scattered across northwestern Ontario, they set up voter registration clinics to help get people to the polling stations.
The result in 2015 was staggering, with a record 61.5 per cent of on-reserve residents turning out to vote. There were even reports of polling stations in First Nations across northwestern Ontario running out of ballots because of the high turnout.

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NorthReport

Sweet!

NDPP

AFN: 'Peddling First Nation Colonization'

https://twitter.com/1mohawklawyer/status/1438566194567593988

"The federal election is just around the corner..."

JKR

NDPP wrote:

AFN: 'Peddling First Nation Colonization'

You're saying First Nations Chiefs don't support Indigenous sovereignty?

kropotkin1951

JKR wrote:

NDPP wrote:

AFN: 'Peddling First Nation Colonization'

You're saying First Nations Chiefs don't support Indigenous sovereignty?

There is no telling what any individual FN chief supports since they all represent different national interests. Many FN's chiefs are buying into the current relinquishment of title round because it has a new dress and nicer lipstick. Most are honestly trying to navigate a racist system to enhance the benefits that might flow to their people and some are as corrupt as SNC-Lavalin.

Indigenous people already have sovereignty under our Canadian case law except it is unenforceable against our settler governments. Indigenous people are keenly aware that property rights supersede their treaty rights and some are willing to trade the SCC granted rights they can't enforce for the settler property rights that are used to get injunctions to stop them from opposing theft of unceded land. It is not my place to decide whether rights over a little piece is better than unrecognized rights over what the SCC says they are entitled to.

There are no easy choices. However as a settler I support the Land Defenders because recognition of indigenous title and rights is the only path to reconciliation that I consider true.

JKR

I totally agree that recognizing Indigenous title and rights as soon as possible is a top priority. None of the political parties seem to have made it a priority including the NDP. And the Conservatives and PPC Party are opposed to recognizing Indigenous title and rights.

NDPP

FYI #NotVoting

https://twitter.com/RachelAnnSnow/status/1440032703697416192

"I will not give legitimacy to this illegal system that has tried to kill our people since 1867. We are sovereign nations not domestic dependent nations 'UNDER' canada. GEEZUS stupid is as stupid does. To quote Forrest Gump Lol."

NDPP

Walking Eagle News

https://twitter.com/TheEagleist/status/1440171859811569664

"BREAKING: Bold strategy of fighting First Nations kids, residential school survivors pays off for Liberals."

 

'If you could vote for one fictional canadian character today who would it be?'

https://twitter.com/BarbaraXLow/status/1440004872825450499

"Canada - the 'country'. Heh."

#LandBack

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