first nations democracy

10:00AM
Printer-friendly version

In a letter to Richard Price in 1789, Thomas Jefferson wrote "whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights." In other words, an informed electorate possesses the knowledge to hold their government accountable.


9:00AM
Printer-friendly version

The concept of “democracy” is important to many Canadians. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has received awards identifying him as a “champion of democracy, freedom and human rights” and the government has frequently spoken out against democratic violations in other countries.


2:00AM
Printer-friendly version

In this light, the response of Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come of the Assembly of First Nations to the proposed changes to the Indian Act is immensely disappointing. He calls the bill a “racist document” and an attempt “to entrench Euro-Canadian models, principles and standards on our people.”