Dear Editor
I would like to respond to the question posed in the Jan. 4 letters to the editor, "N. B'ford, which side are we on?" After reading Mr. Stewart's submission, I felt compelled to offer an answer, not only as a resident of North Battleford, but also as a Canadian citizen, as he attacks the integrity and morality of both populations directly.
Mr. Stewart would have us believe the centennial celebration in North Battleford is a living testament to an "ongoing genocide" happening right across the country. I will agree that the French and British settlers used their technological superiority to their advantage when dealing with First Nations peoples, but to say Canadians are currently actively promoting genocide against First Nations only proves Mr. Stewart's ignorance and personal bias. This ignorance is furthered revealed in his comparison of Canadian society with apartheid. I must remind Mr. Stewart that apartheid was sanctioned by law, and its survival was guaranteed by the exclusion of non-European groups from legislative and government processes. I am not aware of any laws that forbid First Nations from participation in national, provincial, or civic elections, yet voter turnout rates amongst First Nations peoples sit 17.4 per cent lower than non-First Nations. It is hypocritical to level complaints against the system while being too apathetic to exercise your right to vote and add your voice to the democratic discussion. As for Canadian society being devoid of relationships, friendships and empathy, that is simply one person's personal propaganda, a tirade with no factual basis, from a person going through life with blinders on, seeing only what he wants to see, and totally ignoring reality.
Mr. Stewart goes on to comment on the appearance of local RCMP officers during the recent Idle No More protests in North Battleford. He states that their appearance is reflective of the RCMP's true mandate, which is to intimidate, subjugate, and marginalize First Nations people. He bases this theory on the over-representation of First Nations in our legal and social welfare systems. Contrary to Mr. Stewart's beliefs, the mandate of the RCMP is to enforce laws, prevent crime and maintain peace, order and security. That's exactly what they were doing by being present at the protest, ensuring the protesters could carry out their march in a safe and peaceful environment. As for the high numbers of First Nations represented in our legal and welfare systems, rather than blame white society for this dilemma, I suggest Mr. Stewart, and First Nations leaders who like to use these statistics to prove an un-just society, take an introspective look at themselves and their communities and ask themselves, "am I doing all I can do to reverse this trend?" To absolve yourself of responsibility for your own actions because of your ancestral heritage is the ultimate cop out and only serves to prolong the problem.
So, to answer Mr. Stewart's question, "which side am I on?" I would have to say that I am on the side most opposite to him. A side consisting of individuals who fashion their lives around the basic premise of respect for one another and personal accountability. A side characterized by intelligent and thoughtful dialogue designed to address societal issues. A side which places an emphasis on family, community and culture. I invite Mr. Stewart to come visit this side, so he can see how prejudiced and unsubstantiated his views truly are.
Darren Achter
North Battleford
