Letters to the Editors

Useless rhetoric

Dear Editors,

Re: “Where was the outcry?” (Sept. 29, 2009)

Canadians are left with nothing to say to what came out of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s mouth last week. 

He negated any belief in his words of apology for the impacts of Residential Schools, he destroyed trust in his judgment, and he put forth a provocative challenge to Aboriginal Canada, making a mockery of Truth and Reconciliation by declaring the foundations of that process moot.

His statement can be seen as an invitation to engage in another fruitless battle with a government that has consistently refused to see beyond its own powerbase. Native people have no time or patience to debate that which has already been proven. Let’s not be provoked—there are more important battles to fight, and this one is won before it starts. 

Harper put forward conciliatory words in that apology and acknowledged the damages colonialism wrought in this country, even if he never took action to make his words meaningful. That makes it seem as though he never meant what he said. His most recent comments confirm it.

Let Harper destroy his own credibility with useless rhetoric. We can instead respond to the needs and aspirations of our own communities, instruct our youth in the kind of outstanding statesmanship that was demonstrated at the Assembly of First Nations elections this summer, support the healing and growth of those who came through the crushing experience of “killing the Indian in the child” and help build positive futures. We can work harder to “de-colonize” ourselves and hold up the light of our spiritual and political history and practices, because what we have shines way brighter than anything Harper’s government has ever promised and not delivered to our people. 

The time of reacting to government pronouncements is over. We have a vote—we need to use it. We have access to education and we have some outstanding teachers, so let’s listen to them. We have a youthful population that means business. Let’s not give any more energy to a government that speaks from two sides of its mouth and delivers little truth from either.   

Cynthia C. Wesley-Esquimaux, PhD

University of Toronto

Aboriginal Studies/Faculty of Social Work

Proud Canadian

Dear Editors,

Re: “An election’s extraneous” (Oct. 2, 2009)

Yeas: 117. Nays: 144 “That this House has lost confidence in the Government.” These are the results from the defeated no-confidence motion debated in the House of Commons last Thursday.

It looks like the only person on a power trip here is Michael Ignatieff—not only for letting the “unique interests of his party fall second,” as the Journal states, but also for putting his own interests first.

After a summer of recession, Mr. Ignatieff and the Liberal party return not with new ideas or an effort to help Canadians get back to work, but with a power grab. While Ignatieff talks elections, Prime Minister Harper talks economy. You tell me who’s on the power trip.

It’s telling that the NDP, long-time opponents of the Conservatives, have decided to work with the government to help the unemployed and the economy. The Home Renovation Tax Credit and almost one billion dollars in extended employment insurance benefits to longtime workers are simply good for Canadians and good for the economy. For their efforts to help Canadians, I applaud the NDP. But it appears our resident tourist Iggy has yet to have that light bulb go off. I suppose being an academic has its perks; you feel you don’t need to understand the average Canadian, because Uncle Iggy knows best.

A forced election in the middle of a fragile economic recovery can only be a bad thing. It seems the Liberals haven’t figured that out. And while you paint a rosy picture of the United States, America is still facing the worst economic situation in their history, with a spiraling deficit and an endless debate on health care.

North of the border I know we have a leader who’s getting things done. That makes me proud.

Jacob Mantle ArtSci ’10

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

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