AFN – Another FN mess
I wanted to share that I decided to appear on #TalkingTruth to discuss my documentary Systemic Injustice which is available on #StashTV on #YouTube. The documentary is topical since it discussed the Culture of #SystemicInjustice and Indigenous Racism in Canada that mascots perpetuate. This culture of racism is typified daily in Canadian news stories. From the denial of search programs for #MMIWG in the Brady Landfill in the City of Winnipeg or the occupation of Wet’suwet’en land to facilitate a pipeline expansion.
Canadians have been trained to see Indigenous people as less than human. Within Canadian culture, Good Canadians continue to execute policies that ensure the oppression of Indigenous people. Universities are Growing Good Canadians as they continue to teach outdated theories of Indigenous inferiority. It was clear that the University of Windsor was not a place where I could thrive academically as an Indigenous person. I was told it was acceptable to call my culture and heritage primitive and savage in an institution of “higher” learning in 2022. It is time we change how we treat Indigenous in Canada. When people see what Good Canadians are doing, it will be a source of embarrassment.
Roseanne Archibald was ousted this month by a select few AFN chiefs, just before a national meeting. It is frustrating watching the pettiness of the AFN leadership battle play out. AFN is not a true representative of First Nations people in Canada. The Canadian government created a puppet administration to control conquered people lumped together by colonial racism. It is as legitimate as the German-controlled Vichy France government in WWII.
The problems with the AFN are many. The leader is elected by an electoral college representing the 632 or so official first nations. One vote per nation is provided. To be elected leader votes representing only 28% of people are needed to gain over two-thirds of the votes. Layered on top of that is the existence of proxy votes, members assigned to represent smaller bands in the assembly. The problem with proxies is that many do not have an understanding of who are the proxies and whether those proxies allow votes to be concentrated into a few hands in the assembly. They could make the AFN much easier to manipulate by the government and provide a further avenue to delegitimize an organization of colonial control.
