Canada | Opinion

Steven Newcomb: Overcoming colonial history in Canada and US





"As we approach the 200th year since the great Shawnee leader Tecumseh was killed in battle, by American forces on the River Thames in North America, on October 5, 1813, a tremendous wave of activism by the Original Nations and Peoples of Turtle Island has suddenly swept across the geographical region now commonly as Canada.

The powerful activism we are seeing exhibited is a continent-wide campaign known as “Idle No More.” It is most significantly highlighted by the courageous hunger strike by Chief Theresa Spence of Attiwapiskat. As of the time of this writing, she is on her 22nd day of fasting, and getting much weaker now.

Chief Spence’s hunger strike is part of her demand to meet personally with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and with “His Excellency the Right Honorable David Johnson, the United Kingdom’s Governor General of Canada.” She wants to meet with these two men, as government representatives, to discuss pressing issues for her people and for other Original Nations and Peoples of the continent, such as treaty and inherent rights."

Get the Story:
Steven Newcomb: The Colonial Doctrine of Discovery and Idle No More (Indian Country Today 1/4)

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