Batchewana elder turns table on Sault election candidates

Local candidates in the Sept. 20 federal election were allowed to speak only four minutes on each issue at the United Steelworkers Local 9548 all-candidates debate.

No such restriction was placed on Don Waboose, the Batchewana First Nation elder who was asked to open and close the gathering in prayer.

Taking advantage of the extraordinary opportunity, Waboose delivered the better part of half an hour of political wisdom Wednesday night to candidates Kasper Makowski (People's Party of Canada), Marie Morin-Strom (New Democratic Party), Terry Sheehan (Liberal Party of Canada) and Sonny Spina (Conservative Party of Canada).

He talked passionately about honouring treaties; protecting land, water and air; about missing and murdered Indigenous women and his wish to see a national Aboriginal leader seated in the House of Commons.

With a captive audience, no time limitation and liberties accorded only to an elder, Waboose lectured the political wannabes on how to do their job if elected.

"My brothers and my sisters, carry this message. Don't go halfway," he said.

"You as parliamentarians must understand very clearly that you don't go halfway. You don't talk to your colleagues halfway, you go all the way."

"If you're going to sit in that House, you make sure because we're going to be watching you. We're going to be watching you to bring our national leader in there and sit in that House."

Cody Alexander, president of USW Local 9548 representing about 350 hourly workers at Tenaris Algoma Tubes, says his membership includes a strong Aboriginal contingent.

Waboose was granted permission to make personal remarks in addition to opening and closing prayers and land acknowledgements, Alexander said.

At times, his words were sharp, even angry.

At other points, he punctuated them with humour.

The elder spoke so forcefully that none of the candidates dared dispute what he said.

"We have acknowledged and kept our treaties in place. Our treaties are mostly respected by our people, and the laws behind those treaties," Waboose told them.

"The federal government is not recognizing those treaties of our territories."

"Many upsetting things are happening in this country we call Canada."

"Many promises have been made, yet have been broken one by one. Not by us. By the federal government, the Crown and even the province."

"We've come to a time that we have to acknowledge and honour our way of life, as indigenous people across Canada."

"Why? Because we are honouring you, as Canada, as Canadians."

Waboose discussed the thousands of Canadian Indigenous women and girls who've gone missing or been murdered, as well as other issues.

"When are we going to stand up as people in this country to stop this genocide that's happening to our people?"

"A hundred and five years ago, our royalties were four dollars a year. And still yet, to this day, is four dollars a year."

"That's all we get. We don't get a free ride."

"We're tired of four dollars a year. We're tired of pollution. We're tired of global warming."

"In the beginning, our people have said: Do not bother these monsters who lay below the earth."

"At that time, way back in the 1400s and maybe further back, they thought we were crazy, stupid."

"What we meant [was] do not bother our water. It will cause destruction, that we now call nuclear."

"Do not bother the grounds. They went and did what is now called mining."

Waboose talked about contaminants leaching from tailing ponds into our water and food.

"Our elders still speak about the environment. We've been talking about that for thousands of years. We can't even go for a swim today. We can't even be outside more than 15 minutes or 20 minutes before sicknesses come upon us. What do you call it? Climate change?"

"When are we going to stand up and... start honouring our relationship of the original indigenous treaties of this great country we call Canada?"

Waboose advised against putting any kind of passports on mobile devices.

"You've got to remember, a lot of people across Canada do not have those devices."

"A lot of people in isolated areas do not have those, to use them for passports for going to another area."

"You have spoken about the corporate world. We are not part of the corporate world."

"It's very important that we have our political leaders sitting in that House along with you, so you don't have to hear a second opinion."

"You will hear the truth from our people who will join you in that House."

"To sit in the House, to hear it from the source, not a second person."

"You, as politicians, have been carrying our voices to that House. Now, it's time for us to sit in our House and bring our voices to that House."

"We must continue to work together as people," Elder Don said.

"Our honesty is in those treaties, not the Indian Act."

"The interpretation of that Indian Act, it's a disgrace amongst our people."

"To you politicians who are running, I congratulate each one of you. Take this message to the House. "We would like to see our national leader sitting in the House, along with your debates."

"We don't want any more second voice. We want the Indigenous voice. That's who we are as Indigenous peoples. We can work with Canada in partnership."