Looking back 500-plus years we discover the root of our problems today.
“In 1452, Pope Nicholas V issued to King Alfonso V of Portugal the bull Romanus Pontifex, declaring war against all non-Christians throughout the world, and specifically sanctioning and promoting the conquest, colonization, and exploitation of non-Christian nations and their territories.”
This probably seemed like an innocent, “Bull” until we examine it carefully.
I doubt he realized it, but in practice, it is sanctioning stealing and killing. Apparently that was no obstacle for the Pope and, to this day, it doesn’t seem to be bothering very many Canadians. But it should, because we are still practising it in one way or another.
With this in his back pocket, King George 3rd issued a proclamation in 1763. In 1764 it became the Treaty of Niagara. The indigenous people issued a Wampum belt to express their understanding of what they basically agreed to:
• Share the land.
• There be an equal amount of money for housing, health, and education.
• There would be a sharing of any profit made from developing resources.
• Two row Wampum belt, which pictures two nations, travelling down the river of life, neither interfering in any way with the other.
On June 2, TRC chair justice Murray Sinclair presented 94 recommendations to the government of Canada. I don’t see anything in either of these documents which most Canadians wouldn’t want for themselves.
So let us get rid of the Doctrine of Discovery legislation, and adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Then we can build Canada a second time, on a just foundation where there is a level-playing field for everyone, this time employing circle thinking, rather than straight-line thinking.
Dan MacQuarrie