Editor:
As we approach Canada Day I think it is important to really listen to what First Nations Leaders like Canadian Member of Parliament Mumilaaq Qaaqaq and Cadmus Delorme, Chief of Cowess First Nation are saying to us.
MP Mumilaaq Qaaqaq tells us she is giving up fighting for equal rights for Inuit people because there is no place for her in the Parliament Buildings of her country. Shame on us...If an elected member of the Canadian Parliament tells us she is convinced that she doesn't belong there; we other Canadians, have a problem; not her... We need to hear her.
We also need to listen carefully to Chief Delorme of the Cowessess First Nation.
He speaks with integrity, authority, and strength.
He is particularly clear in repeating several time that the gravesite at Cowessess First Nation is not a mass grave site (he repeats it four times in his report of the findings.) He is intentionally correcting the previous mis-characterization of the similar grave site in Kamloops. He is careful to make sure that the previous stated mistake is corrected.
He is carefully specific and intentionally factual without exaggeration or embellishment; using words like “there may have been marks on these graves.” “now today"; "of the 751 hits there could be a 10 to 15% margin of error"; "we do know there is at least 600 graves"; "we cannot affirm that they are all children, there are also adults buried there"; "we are talking about unmarked graves, not a mass grave"...
He says "all we ask of you who are listening, (I sure hope we are listening - and not getting tired of watching the news), is that you stand by us as we heal, and as we get stronger, and that we must all put down our 'IGNORANCE AND ACCIDENTAL RACISM" (my highlighting of these words), of not addressing the 'TRUTH THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' (again my emphasis).
He goes on to say “We are not asking for your pity; we are asking for your understanding.”
Seems like a reasonable request to me.
“We need time to heal and this country must stand by us.”
He's right about that. If we choose not to stand by them now, not only do we have our own consciences to deal with but the respect of the rest of the world as well as how history records our Country's worth and beauty at this turning point in our history.
I don't believe this can be overstated…We have a mess to clean up and we better be serious about starting to do it.
In a couple of days we are going to celebrate Canada Day with all our hearts, but then let's resolve to be the Canada we are celebrating.
Wade Blaser
