Let’s work together, stop hating First Nations

Christmas is right around the corner. It is supposed to be a time of peace, love and good will to each other. Instead, I feel more or less heart broken.
I thought that when Canada found out about my people in Attawapiskat and their lack of quality housing, they would have responded in a positive way. I hoped that governments and the Canadian population would understand just how difficult life is for most Native people who are living on remote First Nations right across Canada.
Maybe I shouldn’t be shocked but I am. It is like somebody turned a switch on and said it is OK to hate Native people. The comments I have been seeing online in various media and letters to the editor and even feedback from people I know have been terrible. It is all of the same old stuff I grew up with.
In plain words, it is hate.
Many Canadians are commenting that First Nation leadership is corrupt, we are not owed anything and our treaties are worthless. We are also lazy and don’t work. We don’t have any pride of ownership and we shouldn’t have any benefits. And we have too easy a life.
The sad part for me is that people I know and like think that it is OK to feel this way.
One of my favourite topics is history so I understand that as imperfect humans we have always felt a need to look down on someone else. Many wars and conflicts have been fought with this as a root cause. It gets very scary when many people in the population accept that.
People in mainstream media are careful about what they say, but in the online world where everyone can be anonymous, the hate is everywhere. The worst part is people think they are justified in making negative comments rather than choosing to help out. I am not saying that everyone is doing this, as there are groups and individuals stepping forward to fund raise and push awareness campaigns to help my people. However, there are so many nasty and mean comments circulating around the Internet. Maybe if everybody had to sign their real names in order to have their comments published online, they would have less freedom to spread hate.
I don’t have any answers to all the negativity I see. I have always felt like a second-class citizen but I have been feeling better about myself in recent years. I have tried to put behind me the fact that I have had to deal with so much intolerance and racism around me when I was growing up.
For the past week I have been very troubled and I am disheartened by so much anger and hate displayed by so many towards First Nation people.
If there were a location or a town in Canada where people were living in the same destitute conditions of those on most First Nations, there would be an outcry. But that would never even happen. There would be an immediate response to help. So I am feeling very sad and confused.
If many Canadians think that First Nation people have it too good, I invite them to spend some time in a remote Native community. They will come away with a different way of thinking.
I am not saying that Native people are perfect as we still have a long way to go in terms of managing our communities. We need a whole new way of developing within this country. The only way that things are going to change for the better is if we all pitch in to help each other.
It’s about respect, healing and teaching.
As everyone gets ready to celebrate what is supposed to be a giving and loving time of the year, I hope and pray that much of this hate is replaced by positive words, encouragement and heart felt assistance. The best Christmas gift this year would be for governments and First Nations along with the rest of the Canadian population to decide to work together to make things better. Merry Christmas.www.underthenorthernsky.com