I Hate Being in the Middle

This post is about Metis People and Canadian politics and racial discrimination.If you don't know what Metis people are go here first!

I saw this comment on a friend's Facebook wall the other day. "Took a cab home and got into a conversation with him about "Idle No More". Mentioned I was Metis, and was called a racist." There is more to this story too. Apparently, when he got out the driver wished him good luck in completing his university studies so he could become a productive member of society. Ummm excuse me? This friend is gainfully employed and has remained committed to the same job for 3 years (and that is just that I know of!) Sure he could have a better job, but that is the same for nearly any university student!

Now I want to tell a little story of my own. In my 3rd year of post-secondary I changed my post-secondary institution. I moved to a new town and ended up in the residence until I got settled in my new location. In the residence I was in a shared room with another girl and had a bathroom shared with 4 people. When my roommate moved in she hadn't even finished unpacking when she plopped down on her bed and looked at me, "I'm First Nations." I blinked.... okay. I didn't see why this mattered one way or the other in context. I replied with a nod and, "Yeah, I know. I'm Metis." (And it's true... I knew. Being Metis I recognized her facial features as similar to those of  Metis people I had known growing up.) She stared at me and said nothing. In fact she never really spoke to me at all after that. She spent 2 weeks avoiding me entirely before moving out without warning. I was very confused... I started avoiding telling people I was Metis after that. It seems sometimes like it causes a social pandemic.

I am proud of my heritage, but in the grander social scheme, does it really matter what ethnicity anyone has? Especially in Canada and the USA where generations of foreign and aboriginal blood have mixed into one big muddy soup. Yes, I am Metis. You can be Metis up to an 1/8th or maybe a 1/16th in your lineage.I always forget which. The whole thing is confusing but I understand politically, economically, and legally why they have to draw the line. Anyways, I get looked at oddly when pronouncing I am Metis with ivory fair skin.  The only tell tale sign, if you look closely, is the shape of my nose. But if you can be Metis with 1/8th lineage heck I could look East Indian, or Botswanian... or really anything... and still be Metis. Don't judge!

Strangely, that is not what bothers me most about being Metis. What I hate is being in the middle and both sides hating me just for my blood... my genetics! Metis throughout history have been the middlemen in First Nations-Caucasian relations in Canada. Here's the issue....

Situation 1: I walk in on a group of friends/coworkers/etc bashing First Nations people and step in to defend them. The group gets angry and defensive. I say, "Hey look, I'm Metis and in my experience First Nations people do [X] because of [Y]."  I am greeted with "You don't look Metis." ... "Why are you siding with them?" ... "How do I know your Metis?" ... "So what, you get all sorts of freebies like they do?" ...etc. And sometimes ruins my relationship with said people.

Situation 2: I walk in to wherever... it doesn't really matter. For sake of argument we'll say a coffee shop. There is a First Nations person there. I ask them for a favor like "Could you hand me one of those napkins?" They respond with, "You think I'm lazy?! It's just because I'm First Nations isn't it?" I bite my tongue to avoid saying no it is just because you were closer and go for, "Hey sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm Metis." Then I am greeted with "You don't look Metis." ... "Why do you Metis always think you are so great?" ... "I bet you are just saying that. You aren't Metis, are you?" ... "You just wish you were Native." ... "Yeah, whatever...."

Okay.... let me explain something. When I am saying "I am Metis" in these situations, what I actually mean is "Hey, we aren't that different. Can't everyone just get along... please?!" or "Look, I understand you are having a bad day. I have them too. I'd appreciate if you didn't take out your frustration on other people though."

Where is this all going? I want to talk about Chief Spence. It seems to be an unavoidable topic lately. Let me remind you "I am Metis." (Please refer back to the above paragraph if you forget what I mean by that at any time between now and the end of the post.)

I have been seeing a lot of ignorant posts on this topic lately on Facebook. I have also read a lot of ignorant news articles. Let me set it out for you neatly...

"Chief Spence hasn't really been on hunger strike like the media suggests..."
Okay, from what I have read she has been subsisting on liquids, mostly soup broth for sustenance. I read this in an article from January 11th:
"Spence, who has been consuming only water, medicinal teas and fish broth for 35 days, says Johnston"  (Johnston being the Governor General of Canada.) 

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Chief+Theresa+Spence+steadfast+refusing+Idle+More+protest/7818844/story.html#ixzz2IEuHeNnz
Now, I don't know about you but I would be pretty darn sick and starving if I lived on only fish broth for 35+ days. I have been on an elimination diet before where you gradually over the course of a month eliminate things from your diet until eventually you are only drinking water for a day... then you gradually reintroduce these foods. I got so weak I had to reintroduce things early. I can't imagine the shock to your system if you suddenly go from full meals to just fish broth, and then sustain that for any length of time!

And yes, I suppose the media can be misleading. It has a bias, like anything else. It is just as well Chief Spence was consuming something or she would've been dead long before Harper ever decided to talk with her.

"Idle No More is a sham. The government shouldn't give Spence any more money!" or "They shouldn't meet with her."

Okay, there are a lot of things wrong with this. I agree they shouldn't give Chief Spence any more money. she obviously is terrible at money management and profiting off of reserve funds. Interestingly enough Stephen Harper seems to have similar money management skills when it comes to Canada. Maybe we shouldn't give him any more money either. The issue is people on Spence's reserve still need money. Some people have said not to give her anything until they can audit all reserves and account for money. The government does not have the time or resources to do that. Should it? Yes, probably, in the long run. Even better, set up on-reserve education in money managing.

The other issue is Idle No More and Spence's hunger strike don't directly have anything to do with money. It is a protest of Omnibus Bill C 45. This is a blanket bill that is the government's way of quickly passing a number of unrelated laws. Now the main ones that Spence is worried about are land and water (ie. environmental) legislature, and then a few laws that have to do with how the government and First Nations people interact. Since it's creation the Idle No More movement has grown to include people interested in changes in a lot of legislature covered in Bill C 45, but the focus has primarily been environmental laws. The concern has a lot to do with the pipeline being put through British Columbia to get petroleum products from the Alberta oil sands to the BC coast for shipping overseas. Citizens are concerned about environmental damage to fragile ecosystems, some of which also are part of reserve land.

So basically, yes... Spence is corrupt when it comes to money. Don't give her money. If her reserve needs money find some way to give it directly to the people who need it. That aside, she is not currently asking for money... she is asking for a meeting regarding Bill C 45. I think you should give it to her. I have concerns with some of that legislature too and I encourage other Canadians to read it carefully if you haven't. You will be shocked what is in there!

"We need to stop giving First Nations people/reserves money."

There are a lot of problems on reserves we don't even realize. Corrupt band leaders/chiefs are common. If you are interested in learning more about this you should read, "Dances with Dependency" by Calvin Helin. Don't let the First Nations style cyclical argument and storytelling method throw you off. It is full of important information and relevant statistics. There is no clear cut answer for this issue.

"Spence needs to go through the proper channels."

A. She has tried.... it wasn't getting her anywhere.
B. This is a time-sensitive issue with the pipeline in BC.

"Idle No More protesters have no right to block highways and other transportation routes."

I am pretty sure this has happened with protests throughout Canadian (and world) history. I know it is inconvenient, but I think that is the point.