05-12-2021, 01:04 PM
I wasnt going to say anything more but I feel theres a couple points that have to be made.
First off, people having the ability to choose how they are governed is inherently democratic. Not all democracies have to be parliamentarian democracies. If the people have the ability to choose how they're governed, and change their minds and change how they are governed down the line, then it is the will of the people that backs those who are governing and it is inherently democratic.
Secondly, civil disobedience and disruption are fine in some contexts however I have to agree that we cant allow a minority to grind the country to a halt and trample on the will of the majority. If the majority of people are ignored by the government then creating significant disruptions is justified until the government listens but the government has a mandate to carry out the will of the people and the majority of the people (they dont always do this) but it means they shouldnt crater to the demands of 1 or 2%
Thirdly, the whole thing about the power structures from the past being racist and continuing to rely on them is in turn not neutral. What do you suggest we do then? Force the old indigenous system back on first nations? Let's see how well that goes, we'd just be continuing to dictate indigenous affairs then.
Even if the current power structures were not founded from a place of neutral intent, as discussed the first nations now have the autonomy to change them, so any attempts to remove our colonial legacy must come from within. If they have the autonomy to change their systems and dont the ownice cannot be on us, and any attempts by the federal government to meddle in indigenous affairs now that they have autonomy is a continuation of our colonial legacy not vice versa.
Finally, the issue of the drinking water is not a clear cut one. It's a two way street. Lack of government funding for clean water projects is an issue, but there are many examples where the government invested in water treatment facilities that became run down and neglected after only a year or in some cases find were never even properly allocated. The only real solution I see is for the government to stop insisting it handle all utilities and give reserves sovereignty over their utilities like everything else, then it is up to the reserves not the feds to ensure things like safe drinking water and the feds cannot neglect reserves or be held liable.
First off, people having the ability to choose how they are governed is inherently democratic. Not all democracies have to be parliamentarian democracies. If the people have the ability to choose how they're governed, and change their minds and change how they are governed down the line, then it is the will of the people that backs those who are governing and it is inherently democratic.
Secondly, civil disobedience and disruption are fine in some contexts however I have to agree that we cant allow a minority to grind the country to a halt and trample on the will of the majority. If the majority of people are ignored by the government then creating significant disruptions is justified until the government listens but the government has a mandate to carry out the will of the people and the majority of the people (they dont always do this) but it means they shouldnt crater to the demands of 1 or 2%
Thirdly, the whole thing about the power structures from the past being racist and continuing to rely on them is in turn not neutral. What do you suggest we do then? Force the old indigenous system back on first nations? Let's see how well that goes, we'd just be continuing to dictate indigenous affairs then.
Even if the current power structures were not founded from a place of neutral intent, as discussed the first nations now have the autonomy to change them, so any attempts to remove our colonial legacy must come from within. If they have the autonomy to change their systems and dont the ownice cannot be on us, and any attempts by the federal government to meddle in indigenous affairs now that they have autonomy is a continuation of our colonial legacy not vice versa.
Finally, the issue of the drinking water is not a clear cut one. It's a two way street. Lack of government funding for clean water projects is an issue, but there are many examples where the government invested in water treatment facilities that became run down and neglected after only a year or in some cases find were never even properly allocated. The only real solution I see is for the government to stop insisting it handle all utilities and give reserves sovereignty over their utilities like everything else, then it is up to the reserves not the feds to ensure things like safe drinking water and the feds cannot neglect reserves or be held liable.