Letter to MPs RE: Attawapiskat First Nation

Undoubtedly, you will likely have heard of the plight of one of our communities, living in worse than Third World conditions and ignored by the Canadian and Ontario governments for years. I decided not to be idle. Among other things, I wrote a letter to all the MPs to pressure them to action.

Below is a copy of my letter and below that, the emails I sent it to. Each party has one email that will automatically send your email letter to every member of that party. I hope you will join me in flooding their inboxes on this issue.

Dear MPs,

I recently read the article regarding the State of Emergency in Attawapiskat First Nation and the complete failure of governments and aid agencies to respond (www.huffingtonpost.ca/charlie-angus/attawapiskat-emergency_b_1104370.html#s487209).

Admittedly, the article greatly angered and distressed me. I cannot begin to express how shameful it is for a 1st world country that prides itself on Human Rights to then turn around and deny the basic human rights of an entire community of people.

The people of Attawapiskat First Nation are denied proper housing, electricity, heating, water, plumbing. Many are living in mere tents in a nation whose temperature plummets well below 0, to temperatures that cause illness and death.

Canada gives billions of dollars in foreign aid to nations that are not even experiencing half of the horrendous conditions as the people of Attawapiskat First Nation, and even offers aid to wealthier nations like China, yet turns a blind eye domestically.

I implore you to lay aside your political differences and agendas to do what's right. Take action with appropriate responsive measures and aid. If it means redirecting foreign aid budgets to do this, then so be it. Please make this a priority. It should not come from AANDC budgets. This is a Human Rights issue, not a First Nation issue.

If this were suburban Toronto, I am certain your response would be swift with a budget determined by need rather than by artifical caps. Please act with the same level of dedication and commitment.

Thank you,

Ken Sanderson


Here are the emails (feel free to comment and add to the list):

• libmem@parl.gc.ca (Liberal MPs)
• cpcmem@parl.gc.ca (Conservative MPs)
• ndpmem@parl.gc.ca (NDP MPs)
• elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca

Last few pieces of advice. MPs are most likely to read your letter if they are well thought out and rant free. This can be the most challenging part. Make sure you take the time to process your emotions first, then write several drafts and get feedback from firends, mentors, etc. Since it is email, delivery is instant, so you can afford to take the few days to get your message right.

Happy activism!

Ken

Indigenous balance

As Indigenous people in the economy, it can be a real challenge to find the balance between activism and development.

First, let's be sure we're on the same page here. By "in the economy" I mean either working for someone, running your own business, or even living off the land. To be honest, unless we are sitting on our behinds and literally doing nothing productive, we are all in the economy - it just might not be recognized by the mainstream, somewhat short-sighted economists.

By activism, I am referring to the inevitable calling, we as Indigenous people, have to stand up for our peoples, our rights, and the environment (aka all creation).

By development, I mean the processes by which we harness the gifts of the Creator (be those gifts of the land, gifts of knowledge or skill, etc.) in ways that maintain integrity and honour (aka "sustainability"). This can be developing these gifts and includes our career development too.

So the question is, how do we maintain balance when we see injustices again our people? Do we quit our jobs and make a stand at a blockade? Do we ignore the plights of our people for the sake of some form of socio-economic stability?

As many have shared with me, it's not an either/or situation. However, this is precisely where the challenge comes in. How much activism do I engage in?

Our lives are complex intersections of so many factors, each of which take time. We have to juggle business or career, family, education, community, physical and spiritual development, etc. This, of course, is common to all, including non-Indigenous people. For Indigenous people, though, we add to that the quest for our own identity, our fight for our rights to even exist, and of course our struggle against racism, discrimination, colonialism, assimilation, seemingly unending injustices and a whole host of challenges.

I am not going to say that this or that way is the right balance. Each of us must find our own balance, our own path with this regard. One thing for certain, there will be a cost. If there is no cost at all, then we must ask ourselves if we are standing for anything. We must ask if we are even holding on to our identity, or simply succumbing to assimilation.

The weight of the cost will depend on what we are willing to pay and what we must balance in providing for our children &families and standing for our people. The cost might mean losing a job or simply not being able to work for certain employers (their position on Indigenous issues might be irreconcilable with your own belief or identity). The cost may mean the breaking of brotherhood or friendship with those whose hearts are so hardened against our people that they will hear no reason. The cost may be our time, dedicated to the struggle on a specific issue.

Whatever the cost you deem willing to pay, count it well as you run with the rat race towards the cliff of integrity. Will you stop and hold fast to integrity? Or will you, like so many in the western society, leap off the cliff of integrity into the depths of injustice?