The utility of debate to Idle No More is beyond dispute
Why shutting down debate about Idle No More’s next steps in favour of some false “unity” might risk the death of the movement
Author: Hayden King
Hayden King is Anishnawbe from Beausoleil First Nation on Chimnissing, ON. He is a political scientist who researches and teaches out of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.
What’s next for Idle No More? Why provincial governments should matter to the movement
The movement’s paid scant attention to the part provinces have played in perpetuating the challenges faced by Indigenous communities. That must change.
Ghosts of Indigenous activism past, present, future: #IdleNoMore’s transformative potential
Earlier this week, from Goose Bay to Yellowknife, thousands of Nehiyaw, Dene, Metis peoples (joined by Canadians supportive of them) gathered in front of provincial legislatures, constituency and Aboriginal Affairs offices. They sang honour songs, danced jigs, and waved their flags and homemade protest signs out in the cold and the wind. This hash-tag movement […]
Why it’s only right to retire relics like the Redskins
The recent debate about the Nepean Redskins is getting tired. Frankly, it’s a debate we’ve had over and over again, both in the U.S. and in Canada. Despite the very real fact that the term Redskin is nearly universally understood as offensive, White sports fans loyal to their high school, college or professional sports mascots […]
Shameless scapegoating: A catty critique of how Canadian media cover Indigenous people
Yesterday marked the United Nations’ International Day of Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme for the Day: “Empowering Indigenous Voices.” As the UN noted, the aim was “to highlight the importance of challenging stereotypes, forging Indigenous peoples’ identities, communicating with the outside world, and influencing the social and political agenda.” And while we should take this […]
