Chief Poundmaker School's Grade 11 and 12 students and teachers, as well as Elder Vera Weenie-Kasokeo, attended an informative presentation held in Onion Lake First Nation at Eagleview High School Jan. 14.
Chief Wallace Fox, chief of Onion Lake, gave the students of Poundmaker and Onion Lake the opportunity to get first-hand information on the progress of Bill C-45.
From the beginning of the presentation Chief Fox captured the attention of his audience through the tradition of oral history; he took us on an intricate journey through the First Nations history. Chief Fox touched on many degrading events that have plagued First Nations history, like the permit system. His words painted pictures so vivid that it was like reliving all the devastating events in our past that brought us to where we are now.
Chief Fox talked about the signing of the treaties and what was promised to us through those treaties. He stated that, if Bill C-45 was to become a law, then it will affect the water, the lands and it will erode all the rights that were promised in the treaties. Since the bill will affect the land and the water, it does not only pertain to First Nations, but to the other multicultural citizens of Canada as well.
Chief Fox spoke of Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike and why she is going through with such a shocking decision. First Nations have always been strong, spiritual people and fought fiercely for what they believe in. Chief Theresa is a strong, dedicated First Nations woman who will do anything progressive for her people. She has made a simple request, that the prime minister and the Governor General meet with her and the chiefs of Canada so that they can make the government recognize there are still treaties within Canada. Spence had made it clear she is willing to die for our people and that presents Harper with an opportunity to save a life, and that that life is a First Nations life should be irrelevant. A life is a life and, in my opinion, it should be Harper's obligation to prevent any death of the citizens under his wing.
Chief Fox believes we, as a nation, need to stand united and fight this bill as a vast nation. When we come together in rallies, flash mobs and marches, we will force the prime minister to meet with the Governor General and the chiefs. Chief Fox wants us to show that, like in the past, we will stand up and prevail. Prime Minister Harper needs to look into the past and realize that we, as First Nations, have always stood beside, not behind and not in front, of the Crown and the Canadian government.
Chief Fox added Onion Lake has been working on developing laws based on the treaty constitution of our natural laws. He said Onion Lake is going to serve the Canadian government those laws and that they are going to implement those laws on their territory, and the Indian provincial laws will no longer apply. Oh, and, by the way, he mentioned those laws will be written in Cree so the Canadian government can find their own interpreter.
I would like to thank Denise Waskawitch, Phyllis Buffalo and Gerty Pahtayken of Onion Lake, on behalf of the students of Chief Poundmaker School, for providing a delicious meal.
Ekosi, Hiy Hiy.
