I SAY YES TO IDLE NO MORE
Friday, January 25, 2013 by: Joseph Corbiere
Awesome! Pride! The people’s movement! Stand up! Be counted! Make our governments listen.
Idle No More is a statement, with sense of purpose which is unifying the aboriginal people of Canada.
Visual active support is coming in from other concerned Canadians.
It is simply incredible the movement that four women started. Sheelah McLean, Sylvia McAdam, Jess Gordon, Nina Wilson began the to protest against the Conservatives Bill C-45. Truly a grassroots movement. It is like watching an avalanche tearing down a mountainside and washing over the apathy. Idle No More’s generalized direction is part of the strength and allure. The lack of an Idle No More leader prevents it from being stopped by directing an attack on a leader.
“The Goal of the movement is education and the revitalization of Indigenous peoples through Awareness and Empowerment. IDLE NO MORE has successfully encouraged knowledge sharing of Indigenous Sovereignty and Environmental Protections.”
Chief Spence’s hunger strike was swept up in the Idle No More wave. While the media and the government has focussed on Chief Spence. Her hunger strike is not the focal point. The media and government’s need for one leader is the European centralized hierarchy leadership perception.
Remember those old space movies. As a new planet is landed on, the first words were “Take me to your leader”. This concept was echoed in the cowboy movies. In fact it was emulated in the treaty negotiations. The Europeans perception was that everyone was like them and had a King that lead them. So sometimes the Anishnabe were given a hat, a long coat and had some medals stuck on them and the European named them chief. This was so someone would sign the treaty. (Sort of like the photo op leaders)
Idle No More is essentially cutting out the apathy and giving people the opportunity to hope that they can make a difference. It is an obligation of citizenship that mostly limps through as apathy. The helplessness of dealing with government (yes that includes First Nation government) is daunting.
The Conservatives don’t consult the First Nations and the First Nation leaders do not consult their citizens. The rhetoric sucks.
Don’t take the crap any more.
Be IDLE NO MORE make your government listen!!!!
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old-cat33 1/25/2013 7:50:19 PM ReportGotta agree with you old buddy and good luck in our up coming elections.
Nunavut 1/25/2013 9:50:48 PM ReportThe splintered and sometimes completely opposite points of view from the 600 or more elected chiefs is the reason that decisions and progress is not made for their people. Even now a common voice, like one from AFN,that would have strong support from the majority of chiefs would much better force the Canadian Government to recognize that those priority issues that the chiefs agreed upon so might actually get resolved.....instead we have power struggles within AFN with loser Pam Palmater trying to oust duly elected Shawn, and now Manitoba Chiefs threatening to pull out of AFN , the splintered group left will leave no focused direction for Harper to be able to focus the much needed resolve. The chiefs will blame Harper but it will be their own fault for not realizing that a single focused voice is better. That is why unions have more power than one employee, that is why Doctors have Associations, that is why we have political parties instead of 300 independent MP's. Even the thinking that Idle No More having no leader is an advantage, is silly when you look at how it has been hijacked by other peoples agendas like Pam Palmater or even other political parties that are trying to oust HArper, or American interests bent on slowing down Canadian oil so their interests can flourish. They all just jump on the band wagon not actually caring about its goals. It is the same as what happened to the Occupy Movement. Nope it is the lack of common leadership that will cause the failure, or only very slow progress, that would otherwise of been successful on some fronts. And considering the dire consequences of some native people , not being focused is any enemy far worse than the enemy they are told Harper is.
poetrygal 1/25/2013 9:52:15 PM ReportI agree with you Joe. And as daunting as it is for many people, the task itself is more invigorating than daunting. It is frightening to be inside of a colonial rhetoric, only because they, strategically, set it up that way, and upon brainwashing a nation of people (the general Canadian public and many First Nations people,) it may appear daunting. But its not. It is simple really. Force accountability, even in small ways. Stand up against all wrong doings. The media (including this paper) often incites hatred to the impressionable and often uneducated public to believe simply what they hear. And most people do, due to programming. But step outside of the robotic voices of the media and charm of false leadership and step into our inherent roles of acting within the frameworks of our own treaties and tradional frameworks. Some people may forget that the Indigenous people are educated and very strong. Annihilation was a mandate and why didn't it work? well, because our resistance, strong leadership and will to survive through this pungent governmental plan worked. The government's plan to extinguish our fires simply was not powerful enough. BUT WE ARE. so keep fighting. I got all your backs.
Just Curious 1/25/2013 11:03:24 PM ReportEvery movement needs a leader,not 600 leaders but ONE leader. Until you get that leader and stick with him,you have nothing but a dis-jointed bunch of people running around ticking joe average off. You elected a leader to speak for all of you and as soon as he speaks,half of the chiefs back away.The idle no more movement will fall of it's own discord,and that in a way is too bad as it might have accomplished something in the long run. The treaties need to go and so does the whole indian affairs dept.Let people live or die on their own...
steelworker 1/26/2013 2:38:27 PM ReportIt's like trying to herd 600 cats past a tuna factory. No real organization and every chief for himself.
Nunavut 1/27/2013 9:26:36 PM ReportThe sad part of the future is that when educated natives like Joe (and maybe even poetry girl above) are convinced that a lack of focus is a good thing and that he does not see the probelm of 600 chiefs each wanting a say ....when that is missed Joe it means you have been to cloistered in a cacoon of native media and voices instead of looking at the bigger picture. Even on APTN Investigated tonight the circles that Pam spoke in were like watching an American politician ad, lots of the right words with no substance. Interestingly the native lawyer guest after admitted that Canada LEADS THE WORLD in how well it handles the rights of it aboriginal people. YEs social inequities still need to be fixed , but that is the area natives will not get much resistance from Canadians (and their Government) So why not focus on that. Instead INM continues to be a vehicle being used by politicians, chiefs and soon even radical factions of natives from USA. All with their own agendas. History has shown that where a vaccum of leadership exists then the radicals jump in and pretend they have the peoples best interest in mind. So please be aware of that , only the educated voices of the native community will be able to protect the more gullible from being duped. Don't let this chance to restructure social umbrellas for native peoples slip from your fingers because of lack of calm leadership that then let the radical run the roost. Canadians can be sympathetic when calm reasoning and clear reasonable goals are established. But if all over the map missdirection and radical means are used then Canadains will get their back up further than it is now. BE careful out there , the truths are hard to find and many have hidden agendas.
Norm 2/4/2013 6:17:00 PM ReportThe women that coined the phrase Idle No More aren't part of the movement that blocks railroads and major highways. They never intended INM to be anything but online support. By the way, Spence wasn't on a hunger srike. No one wants the movement to get out of hand. There's got to be a better way.
Tom_Bom 2/6/2013 11:21:39 AM ReportHey i'm not first nation but I would like to congratulate you on being elected to counsel! I've always enjoyed reading your columns so it's good to see you're working to make a difference!
rockfeather 2/6/2013 2:01:06 PM Reportcongrats joe - please don't make the same mistakes in this counsel - listen to the members, attend the meetings, support our staff and be fair to all members, not just those who put you in. I believe you can do it!!
right wing 2/9/2013 12:35:32 PM Report...rockfeather is saying a lot in a short post.
Are you listening Joe?
Jacinta 2/15/2013 4:13:08 PM ReportIf you people put more effort into helping themselves and less into this idol no more bs you would be a lot better off.
70% of canadians feel as l do
Jacinta 2/15/2013 4:14:30 PM ReportFat Theresa Spence should be thrown in jail
right wing 2/22/2013 8:24:31 AM Reportjacinta
70% of the Canadians that live under the same rock as you do?
IB-fine 2/23/2013 2:45:56 PM ReportCongrats Joe!
I agree with what the previous posters said; listen to the people not just the ones with the power, clean up the bad stuff and make room for new things. Take care of families, elders and kids ....not necessarily in that order.
Try to make sure no one goes without heat or food or support when needed.
And love your members like yourself, even on bad days.
I say Yes to Idle No More too and have been amazed on the backing of groups world wide!
I hope it continues with the drum and dance mobs but no one likes the highway/railways blockages, just makes them against the movement. Provide more info on INM and how even non-natives can be involved.
Again congrats!
Norm 2/27/2013 4:09:40 PM ReportSaying Spence is fat is pretty low. The issue with her is where did the taxpayer money go, fat or slim.
learningaswego 3/2/2013 5:01:21 PM ReportIf only "Idle No More" meant they actually wanted JOBS, and be "idle" no more - then all of Canada would cheer.
But, they aren't demanding jobs - or work; all they are demanding is MONEY.
Big difference.
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