Prime Minister Stephen Harper, WATTA MAROON
~ Gerald McIvor
On Sept 25, 2009 at a G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Prime Minister Harper refuted hundreds of years of genocide on Canada’s Indigenous peoples with the following idiotic statement; “We also have no history of colonialism. So we have all of the things that many people admire about the great powers but none of the things that threaten or bother them.” How can this man hold the highest office in Canada’s government with such an inaccurate view of Canadian history?
The colonial Prime Minister critically needs to take some history lessons so the chances of him embarrassing Canada again on the international stage may be lessened. I recall him standing in the House of Commons on June 11, 2008 issuing a formal apology for the crimes against humanity the colonial system of Canada perpetrated on my people through the Residential Schools systems. Some of his words are as follows: ” The residential school system, he said, was "based on the assumption aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal. Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, 'to kill the Indian in the child.' Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, [and] has caused great harm."
The prime minister cited a litany of abuses: "Very young children were often forcibly removed from their homes, often taken far from their communities. Many were inadequately fed, clothed and housed. All were deprived of the care and nurturing of their parents, grandparents and communities."
Further, he noted, "languages and cultural practices were prohibited in these schools. Tragically, some of these children died… and others never returned home." It is important to note that while Harper was delivering this apology, the resident weasel of Parliament Hill M.P. Pierre Poilievre was on a radio talk show slamming First Nations for unaccountability. Canada spoke with a forked tongue here. Meanwhile back at the fort, Harper acknowledged that "some former students have spoken positively about their experiences." However, he emphasized that their testimonies "are far overshadowed by tragic accounts of the emotional, physical and sexual abuse and neglect of helpless children."
Then, one must take into account the Indian Act which made us wards of the state effectively neutralizing us from being functioning nations and worth less than livestock. The colonial system imposed the Natural Resources Transfer Act, 1930, which gave de facto ownership of all natural resources to the provinces.
The three phase colonial process has been used globally and even though Canada has historically been a voice for human rights, Canada has never walked the talk. They have chastised other nations for the treatment of indigenous peoples and yet have done worse and continue doing so.
The three phases are a) befriend and gain trust, b) enter into agreements with, c) neutralize by taking away the means of survival and make dependent on you. This is what has happened throughout the world to steal lands and resources from indigenous populations.
While I listened to the apology, I realized that even though Harper was stating this would never happen again, the genocidal policies of all federal government departments and legislations were happening and being enforced by the perpetually going bureaucracies while he spoke. Canada again spoke with a forked tongue.
I thought of the germ warfare perpetrated on my people with the smallpox infected blankets and how the human beings who died from this crime against humanity will never get justice. I remember the disabled First Nations people (who were wards of the state) who were subjected to inhuman medical experiments by being used as guinea pigs so Canada could perfect their medicines for the colonists. When one reflects on the brutal Canadian history, one can never say that a history of colonialism does not exist here. Makes me ask; what planet is the Prime Minister from? What country was he referring to? He should take a crash course in Canadian history and much to his shock; he will realize that his coveted Oil Sands projects truly belong to the First Nations of Alberta. His ignorant and bold faced lie gives the clear message to Canadians that this man does not deserve to be Prime Minister as he is obviously anti-minority, anti-gay and anti-women. He has proven to me beyond a reasonable doubt that he is all that I say with his moronic denial of colonialism, the funding cuts to gay events and the removal of the equality provisions from the Status of Women mandate. In closing, I realize that this formal apology was solely intended to absolve the political conscience of government only and Stephen Harper’s denial of colonialism has shown very clearly that he was not sincere and it is business as usual in the assimilation process. This apology was all talk and no action. Canadian Colonial Prime Minister Stephen Harper…WATTA MAROON !!!!!
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