Monday, December 31, 2012

Idle Your Facebook Likes No More

TheBestInOpEdJournalism
WithAllEyesWideOpenVille


If you've spent any time poking around this little ol' F-Troop list blog you might think I have a real problem with advocacy journalism.

The fact of the matter is that I do not.

Especially when the writer's real point-of-view and true agenda are both spread out on the table, face-up, for all to see.

And that is what precisely what Pamela Palmater did with her OpEd  on the 'Idle No More' movement that was published in the Ottawa Citizen earlier this week.

As a result, regardless your own thoughts on the subject, it is a piece worth reading and thinking hard about, with or without the more than 8,000 Facebook recommendations.

The following is just a chunk, but the entire thing is highly recommended:

...In order to understand what this movement is about, it is necessary to understand how our history is connected to the present-day situation of First Nations. While a great many injustices were inflicted upon the indigenous peoples in the name of colonization, indigenous peoples were never “conquered.” The creation of Canada was only possible through the negotiation of treaties between the Crown and indigenous nations. While the wording of the treaties varies from the peace and friendship treaties in the east to the numbered treaties in the west, most are based on the core treaty promise that we would all live together peacefully and share the wealth of this land. The problem is that only one treaty partner has seen any prosperity.

The failure of Canada to share the lands and resources as promised in the treaties has placed First Nations at the bottom of all socio-economic indicators — health, lifespan, education levels and employment opportunities. While indigenous lands and resources are used to subsidize the wealth and prosperity of Canada as a state and the high-quality programs and services enjoyed by Canadians, First Nations have been subjected to purposeful, chronic underfunding of all their basic human services like water, sanitation, housing, and education. This has led to the many First Nations being subjected to multiple, overlapping crises like the housing crisis in Attawapiskat, the water crisis in Kashechewan and the suicide crisis in Pikangikum...



OK?


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7 comments:

G West said...

You know what's wickedly ironic about this?

My wife, who is a lawyer who has spent most of her career writing legislation, wrote to John Stackhouse today suggesting that - given the OPED piece by Tom Flanagan in the Saturday Globe - the G&M would be well advised to ask Pamela to write a response/rebuttal of Flanagan's argument...

When she sent that email she hadn't seen the Ottawa Citizen piece - hence the irony.

Thanks Ross.

RossK said...

GW--

Actually held off commenting Mr. Flanagan's piece.

Why?

Because, personally, I did not find it (or many of his previous pieces on the subject) to be forthcoming about his true agenda, etc.

Boomerang ironic, no?

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the salamander said...

Keep on Keepin on in the west ...

All the best.. from the flatlands of Ontario
May 2013 be a year of personal and national pride
.. for you ..

Well deserved for a fine Canadian ...

RossK said...

Thanks Sal--

All the best to you and yours out there.

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G West said...

Good point - This, from the Literary Review of Canada - was what caught Liz's eye:
http://reviewcanada.ca/reviews/2010/04/01/opportunity-or-temptation/

Hope you had a great family Christmas!

RossK said...

GW--

Thanks!

We did have a great holiday. Hope you all did too.

We'll try to do the next UkeFolkFunkFusionFest on your side of the water.

(assuming, of course, that BC Ferries does not charging you for taking little stringed instruments on board like they now do for bicycles).

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G West said...

That would be great Ross.

Thanks for all you do...

Cheers