There is a debate raging in the pages of Canada’s major old school media outlets, the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CBC, etc., all Toronto based bastions of the written word. The rest of the world is preoccupied with other matters: melting ice caps, bombings in England, and the idea that the Russian government may be controlling the executive branch of the United States government. Still every day one or two articles are published in those publications about the “cultural appropriation” debate.

The whole thing was sparked off when the editor of Write Magazine, a quarterly publication for members of the Writers Union of Canada, wrote an unfortunate note to go with their spring edition, which featured indigenous writing. The now former editor, a novelist by the name of Hal Niedzviecki, wrote a 450 word piece asking non-indigenous writers to take the same kind of imaginative risks that the indigenous writers published in that edition had taken.

But, Mr. Niedzviecki got a bit too clever. He wanted to extol Canadian fiction writers of all backgrounds to take on diverse characters and situations, to quit writing what they know and explore other cultures, other ideas, other realities.  So he called the article “Winning the Appropriation Prize”  and in the first line of the article he said “I don’t believe in cultural appropriation”.

He thought that taking on the phrase “cultural appropriation” would garner more attention for his article. And it did. He was chastised for cultural insensitivity and soon resigned from the magazine. Other writers took up his defence, and the whole thing has turned into a back and forth battle about dominant and minority voices, who can speak for whom, and on and on and on.

Two things interest me about this whole debate. First, I know what it is like to try and make a point in a back handed, satirical way when plain speaking would be the smarter option. Fortunately a lot of editorials that I have written over the years have ended up being tossed out because they were somehow undercooked. I don’t mind offending people if I have to, if there is an important point to be made, but offending people without a purpose in mind is not a good career plan, and can also descend into cruelty if handled in too callous a manner.

The second, more important issue that has been raised out of this, is the way it has touched on a hole in the heart of this country, the question of how to face the past and then forge a future for indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians to live in together.

The celebration of the 150th anniversary this year lays bare the fact that one of the defining characteristics of Canada was the wilful destruction of the economy, environment, linguistic and social structures of indigenous peoples. This was done in a systematic manner, through the genocidal policies of all the powerful elements in society, from government to the mining industry to the churches and beyond.

As we fumble towards the future, it is abundantly clear that there will be no instant solution to any of the complex issues on and off reserve. There are issues of displacement, identity, poverty, and many others that will not be solved by decree. The survivors of this genocide, who very often face their own internal conflicts because they are descended from both sides of the chasm between indigenous and settler realities, need to be given space to create a new reality, and we all need to sit still, listen and learn. This will take time, effort and patience on all of our parts.

Even in the limited work I have done over the years covering local Algonquin politics and the Algonquin land claim it has become apparent to me that some of issues cannot be easily or quickly solved, and some political differences within the Algonquin community cannot be simply patched. The sad spectacle of the expulsion of at least 200 people from the land claim, and what that said about how a process that was supposed to secure peoples identity as Algonquin people could do the opposite, was a stark example of that. What is impressive, however, is how the local community has survived this bureaucratic indignity.

A writer recently reflected on this complicated reality and its effect on indigenous writing.

“Indigenous writing is the most vital and compelling force in writing and publishing in Canada today. And this is because, in large part, indigenous writers, buffeted by history and circumstance, so often must write down what they don’t know. What at first seems like a disadvantage also pushes many indigenous writers into the spotlight. They are on the vanguard, taking risks, bravely forging ahead into the unknown, seeking just the right formula to reclaim the other as their own.”
Hal Niedzviecki wrote that, in the second to last paragraph of the article that got him fired.

Perhaps he should have led with it.

A group of about 30 walkers, along with two support vans, will be passing through Addington Highlands and Central Frontenac this weekend on their way to Ottawa where they will be going to Parliament to demonstrate in favour of the adoption of Bill C262, a Private members bill that was drafted by MP Romeo Saganash, which is aimed at ensuring “that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declarationon the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (UNDRIP).

The walk itself, which is co-sponsored by the Mennonite Church of Canada and Christian Peacemaker Teams: Indigenous Peoples Solidarity was inspired by the report of the Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, in particular number 48 in the Calls to Action that accompanied the report.

Number 48 calls upon churches to formally “adopt and comply with the principles, norms, and standards of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a framework for reconciliation.” It also calls on churches and church groups to engage in “ongoing public dialogue and actions to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

Chuck Wright of the Christian Peacemakers is one of the organisers of the trip. He said that by walking 600 kilometres over 21 days and stopping most nights in a host church along the way and holding a learning circle, participants in the trip are “attempting in their own way to honour Call to Action number 48”.

The walkers will be staying in Flinton at Through the Roof Ministry on Saturday Night (May 6) as guests of the congregation. On Sunday morning a father and daughter who are participating in the walk will be speaking to the congregation during Sunday services. They will be guests of the Shabot Obaadjiwan on Sunday Night, May 7, near White Lake, and then travelling to the Maberly hallthe next day. The day after that (May 9) they travel to Perth where they will participate in an event at St. Paul’s United Church at 7pm. That event will feature speakers including MP Saganash — who for more than 30 years has played a key role in the development and drafting of UNDRIP — and Leah Gazan, a member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation who teaches at the faculty of education at the University of Winnipeg.

In addition to the scheduled events, Wright said that people are more than welcome to join the walkers on the road as they cross through the region to walk and talk about why they are walking and the role they see church communities playing in the future relationship between settler and indigenous communities.

Their website describes the initiative in this way: We have named this walk a pilgrimage to signal: our dependence upon the Creator; our desire to hold the spiritual and the political together, and; our attempt to connect this fragile initiative to the rich history of sacred walks seeking reparative change (e.g., the Native American Longest Walk, Chavez’ Pilgrimage to Sacramento, the Civil Rights March on Selma, Gandhi’s Salt March, and so on).

“We also welcome everyone who is interested to join us on May 13 at 2pm for the Walk the Talk rally at Parliament Hill, our rally in support of implementation of Bill C262.

A standing room only crowd welcomed a display of indigenous artifacts found in the Township to the Tay Valley Council chambers on Harper Road last Saturday.

Reeve Keith Kerr opened the proceedings followed by a ceremonial smudging of the artifacts by Shabot Obaadjiwan ambassador Larry McDermott and songs from the Lanark Drum circle led by Francine Desjardins.

“Tobacco is the medicine of reciprocity,” McDermott said. “It connects us with our ancestors in the spirit world.

“Sweetgrass represents the hair of Mother Earth with generosity and peace.

“Sage is a cleansing medicine.

“Cedar is balance, male/female and it unites opposites.”

He said the smudging was done in a clockwise direction and “tobacco connects us to the ancestors of these artifacts and all of our ancestors.”

Maberly’s Brenda Kennett, a principal with Past Recovery Archeological Services, curated the display and spoke on their use and possible origins.

“This is just a small sample from the Perth Museum and often we don’t have good information as to where they came from,” she said. “They could be 3,000 to 9,000 years old but they are evidence of 10,000 years of human settlement in Southern Ontario and along the western end of the Champlain Sea during the Archaic Period.

But, the fact that the artifacts were found in this area suggests that there was a trading network.

Kennett referred to a pipe that “is not from this area” and a copper fishing gaff.

“The closest source of native copper is from the southern end of Lake Superior,” she said. “But there is mica in this area and that was probably traded for the copper.

“It represents a network for trade and the exchange of ideas.”

She said about 2,000 years ago, pottery started appearing, during the Woodland Period.

“Pottery collections here are frustrating because they lack context,” she said. “For example, was it a single artifact left on a journey, part of a regular location used at a particular time of the years or part of a year-round settlement?”

The artifacts will be on display in the lobby of the municipal offices throughout the year. For more information about the process of reconciliation, contact the Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation who helped organize the event on Facebook.

Tay Valley Township is hosting the ceremonial opening of an exhibit of Indigenous artifacts found in the township, with presentations on the history and archaeology of the artifacts.

The ceremony is set for Saturday, March 25 at the township office, 217 Harper Road,  just up the road from Glen Tay Public School off Hwy. 7.

Maberly’s Brenda Kennett, principal archaeologist with Past Recovery Archaeological Services, curated the exhibit, using materials from the Perth Museum, which are on loan to the township for the duration of the exhibit.

Kennett became involved in the project after sitting on the working group for the 200th anniversary of the Perth and Tay Valley last year. Some of those efforts have been extended to this project, which is one of Tay Valley’s Canada 150 projects.Much of the display material was collected in early 19th century.  

“A lot of it was found along the Rideau lakes, and some along the Tay River and Bobs Lake areas, but We do also have projectile points that are of a style that we call Paleo-Indian could be 8,000 years old, going back to early occupation,” she said.
After the last ice age, a body of water called the  Champlain sea covered much of Eastern Ontario. It formed around 13,000 years ago and last until about 10,000 years ago. There is evidence of the Omàmiwininì (Algonquin) settlement in this region from that time forward.

“Their [Omàmiwinini] history is evidenced by artifacts found in several areas of Tay Valley Township and local watersheds. Tools for fishing, hunting and woodworking; cooking pots for campsites – these found objects and fragments all contribute to the story of the gathering places and activities of indigenous societies over thousands of years,” said a press release from Tay Valley Township.

The artifacts that form the display will be celebrated with song, drumming, prayers and history presented by Francine Desjardins, Larry McDermott, and Brenda Kennett.

After the formal ceremony, all are invited to view the artifacts and share refreshments and stories.

Larry McDermott, from the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, will present a talk called  “10,000 years of the Algonquin Drum Beat Upon the Land,”  about both oral and western history of the Algonquin presence in this area. Brenda Kennett will talk about “The Omàmiwininì and their Ancestors: Archaeological Glimpses into the Settlement of Tay Valley Township.”

The book “At Home in Tay Valley”, a history of indigenous peoples and European settlers, will be available for purchase. Proceeds from book sales go to a scholarship for a student graduating from Perth and District Collegiate Institute or St John Catholic High School and beginning post-secondary education.

For further information, contact the Planning Department at Tay Valley Township, 613-267-5353 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Lanark County Neighbours for Truth and Reconciliation helped to organize the event in coordination with the township.

Patricia Stirbys and Peter Croal made a presentation in support of the concept of a National Healing Forest last Thursday night (January 12) at the Table in Perth.

The idea came to Croal while he was on the Walk for Truth and Reconciliation in May of 2015, and he asked Stirbys to partner with him to develop it. The initial concept was to see a National Healing Forest established with 6,000 trees to recognise the 6,000 First Nation, Inuit, and Metis children who were lost while attending residential schools, and 1,200 trees to represent the 1,200 plus murdered and missing aboriginal women and girls in Canada.

They approached Charlene Bearhead, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) Education Lead with the idea, and from there it took off. Instead of a single site the National Healing Forest is now envisioned as a network of sites all across the country and individuals and groups are invited to take on the project in any way they see fit.

Plans are being developed for a plaque to be available for purchase to mark the locations that are part of the national forest, and a website with a map marking all the locations that are open to the public is being contemplated as well.

It was this idea of community participation that brought Stirbys and Croal to Perth.
After they set the scene with a powerpoint presentation on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the pain that it laid bare, they talked in general terms about the Healing Forest project.

Then the meeting was opened up.

“What we want to know from you people is what do you want to do with this project. It is no longer our project, it is everyone’s project now. We release it,” said Patricia Stirby.
“It is a project for all Canadians. It would be a quite a thing if there were a necklace of forests across the country,” said Croal.

The 40 or so people at the Table wasted no time taking ownership of the idea. Many said they had a special piece of land, an acre, a clump of trees, a small meadow, that they would like to designate as part of the project.

“The idea of healing extends beyond the aboriginal community, the settler community needs to heal as well. And we also need to heal the land after all that has been done,” said Mireille Lapointe, a teacher at St. John Catholic High School who lives near Westport and is a member of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation community.

There was also talk of approaching the Perth town Council, MPP Hillier, or MP Reid to seek funding or the use of public land for the project.

“I like to see this primarily as a community project, as a project that we all take responsibility for, and not something that we turn over to the government to take on, not something that ends up being a photo-op or a series of photo-ops,” said Stirby.

The meeting in Perth was the first public meeting about the project, but there is already a forest in place, in Edmonton on the banks of the North Saskatchewan river. A group called RISE (Recognition in Solidarity Edmonton) placed paper hearts in 1,000 trees along the river, each with a message of reconciliation. While the paper hearts will not last, RISE is thinking about a more permanent commemoration.

Stirbys and Croal are headed to Saskatchewan this week to work with a group of high school students on a visual image that they hope to use as the common element in the plaques that will be made available to participants in the National Healing Forest Project.

As for the National Healing Forest, it is being housed on a virtual basis by the NCTR website. To access information, go to NCTR.ca, click on the Education tab and look for National Healing Forest in the middle right hand portion of the page.

Land Claim AIP ratified at a ceremony in Ottawa

Now the real negotiations begin, says Kirby Whiteduck of Pikwakanagan

by Jeff Green

At a ceremony in Ottawa on Tuesday morning, October 18, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario, and the Algonquins of Ontario signed an Agreement in Principle (AIP) regarding the Algonquin Land Claim.

The AIP is “a key step toward a modern-day treaty to resolve a long-standing land claim that covers an area of 36,000 square kilometres in Eastern Ontario,” according to a release from Flavia Mussio of the Ontario Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.

“The non-binding AIP paves the way for continued negotiations toward a final agreement that will define the ongoing rights of the Algonquins of Ontario to lands and natural resources within the settlement area”, Mussio added.

Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs for the Government of Canada, heralded the agreement as “a momentous milestone and a significant step forward on renewing Canada’s relationship with the Algonquins of Ontario.”

Robert Potts, chief negotiator and legal counsel to the Algonquins of Ontario, said the agreement “marks a critical step forward in a journey that began almost 250 years ago when the first Algonquin Petition was submitted to the Crown in 1772.”

The AIP had been stalled since the spring, even though a ratification vote among the 7,500 Algonquin electors within the territories had yielded a strong yes vote.

However, some members of the Pikwakanagan First Nation at Golden Lake were given a chance to vote in a separate process. Most of them voted against the AIP.

The Pikwakanagan Council pulled out of the land claim process at that time and throughout the months of June and July the council met with the local community and heard a number of concerns about language in the agreement. Of particular concern was the language around self-government at Pikwakanagan.

Pikwakanagan Chief of Council Kirby Whiteduck told the News today that his council sent letters to Ontario and Canada seeking clarification of specific items and received letters in return, from each of the ministers, which were shared with the community and discussed at an open meeting in July.

“For example, some of our members were concerned that if we sign a self-government agreement, we will lose our reserve, which is not what the agreement says, but people needed more assurance. There were legitimate concerns about a lack of clarity in some of the language in the AIP that needed to be addressed, and the letters did that,” said Whiteduck.

The council asked, at the meeting in July and through a mail out, for Pikwakanagan members to let them know if they should continue with the process or end it.

“Not a lot of people responded but 95% of those who did respond, said yes, continue,” Whiteduck said.

The Pikwakanagan Council passed a motion last week indicating they were ready to sign the AIP and move on to final negotiations.

“The Chief and Council will be participating in the signing of the Draft Agreement-in-Principle in the Parliament buildings along with the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and the Algonquins of Ontario. This will take us into negotiations, towards a final agreement,” said a release that was posted on the Pikwanagan website late last week.

However while negotiators and politicians from the federal and provincial governments and the Algonquins of Ontario are celebrating the signing of the AIP, Kirby Whiteduck is not celebrating.

“We said to them today we are now past the AIP stage in the process. It is good to be done with the AIP, but now we are into the more important and definitive negotiations. As far as we are concerned, every thing is open to change. There are important things in the AIP, but there is a lot more to negotiate. If there was nothing to negotiate, we would all just sign the AIP and be done with it.”

Whiteduck, who has been involved in the process for over 30 years, longer by decades that any of the government negotiators, is committed to negotiating a self-government agreement for Pikwakanagan as part of the land claim.

He argues that a self-government agreement is a necessity for Pikwakanagan, in part because it will allow the local council to determine membership in the community, which would no longer be tied to the Indian Act.

“Under the Indian Act, there are two general categories for status, 6-1 and 6-2. Those with 6-2 status, and that includes many Pikwakanagan members, only pass that status on if they have children with another 6-2 status parent. Otherwise their children do not have status, and this means our community shrinks. Under self-government, we can determine status ourselves,” he said.

Further he considers a self-government agreement within a land claim treaty as more powerful than self -government under a simple Act of Parliament.

“A treaty brings more security,” he said.

That is not to say that the Pikwakanagan Council is willing to sign a treaty before they are happy about all of its provisions.

“We are ready to negotiate all of the issues,” he said, “and as I said we are not bound by the AIP.”

Whiteduck also indicated that there are issues between Pikwakanagan and the off-reserve communities that need to be sorted out as well, saying that Pikwakanagan and the nine off-reserve communities (which include the Shabot Obaadjiwan) are undergoing a mediation process to try to come to an agreement over beneficiary criteria under a final treaty.

Ron Dearing, the land claim negotiator for the federal government, said today in a conference call that the Algonquin land claim negotiations are unique in that the public has been privy to more detail than in any other negotiation that Canada has negotiated, and there will be further opportunities to consult with the public over the next two or three years as final negotiations take place. He said the negotiations could be finalised in about four years.

Robert Potts resisted being pinned down to a time frame and said that even if negotiations are completed within four years, legislation in Ontario and Canada will be required to enact a treaty.

“And that takes more time,” he said.