Sen. Beyak got one thing right: more of the same for First Nations is not the answer

Sen.Lynn Beyak should really leave the governing of First Nations to First Nations leaders.

We could, of course, give the Conservative senator the benefit of the doubt: perhaps her suggestion that First Nations give up their status cards comes from a desire for unity, or progress. Beyak made the remark in an open letter published Sept. 1 on her website.

But the division between First Nations and mainstream Canadian culture is a consequence of government officials believing they know what is best for First Nations people.

A century ago, Duncan Campbell Scott was the head of the Department of Indian Affairs, which is today known as Indigenous and Northern Affairs, or INAC. In 1920, Scott told a House of Commons committee that he wanted to "get rid of the Indian problem."

'No Indian question'

His intention was to "continue until there was not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic, and there is no Indian question, no Indian department."

Sound familiar?

Beyak's proposal is more direct than Scott's was: "Trade your status card for a Canadian citizenship." (SurelyBeyak has learned in the days following her letterthat First Nations are already, in fact, Canadian citizens.)

In her letter, Beyak voices concern over an increase in bureaucracy that may come as a result of the government's plan to split INAC into two separate ministries.

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She's not alone in that concern, but there are plenty of First Nations leaders who hold the opposite position, including Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Dayand Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde, both of whom praise the move to dissolve INAC.

However, there is one thing from Beyak's letter that Day and Bellegarde can agree on. All three have the desire to dismantle the controversial Indian Act, which was passed in 1876 and defines the relationship between First Nations people and the government of Canada.

Not surprisingly, the consensus between them begins and ends there. Beyak suggests swapping the Indian Act for assimilation, whereas Day says the Indian Act should be replaced with self-government and self-determination of First Nations.

Efforts to assimilate

Before treaties were signed, and before contact with Europeans, First Nations were free to govern themselves as they saw fit, without influence from the federal government which of course did not exist yet.

Today, the Crown asserts its sovereignty over First Nations in many ways, including through provisions in the Indian Act. In the past, the Indian Act denied women Indian status, denied First Nations people the right to vote and forbade First Nations from speaking their native languages.

There have been major amendments to the Indian Act since those provisions were in place, but it nevertheless remains a tool of the Crown used to control the autonomy of First Nations. Indeed, for as long as the Canadian government has existed, it's endeavoured to assimilate First Nations people through oppressive measures includingthe Indian Act, the residential school systemand so on.

Many of those efforts have been nothing short of disastrous for First Nations people. This can be seen in the trauma from residential schools that affects generations, and in the youth suicide crisis.

Sen. Lynn Beyak under fire again for Indigenous comments | Sunday Scrum

7 years ago

Duration 9:24

Conservative Sen. Lynn Beyak published an open letter last week advising First Nations members to 'trade your status card for a Canadian citizenship'

In 2008, Stephen Harper apologized to former residential school students, saying: "There is no place in Canada for the attitudes that inspired the Indian Residential Schools system to prevail ever again."

Ironically, Harper appointed Beyak to the senate in 2013 presumably unaware of her controversial views on the residential school system.

All of this makes it difficult to believe that Beyak's open letter was written in earnest pursuit of solutions to the challenges faced by Indigenous people. Just as Scott was trying to do nearly a century ago, Beyak wants to find a solution to the "Indian problem."Her divisive language, and support for assimilation tactics that have discouraged reconciliation efforts in the past, invalidate her oh-so-noble attempt at moral righteousness.

So yes, Sen.Beyak, more of the same is not the answer.

If you're as invested in finding a solution as your letter suggests, you should step aside and let a First Nations person take your place. Let's get more First Nations at the table and let them decide what is best for themselves for a change.

This column is part ofCBC'sOpinion section.For more information about this section, please read thiseditor'sblogandourFAQ.