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| Tony Stevenson |
I was born in 1969, and I am now 55. In all the years that I have lived in this country, not once have I seen anything change to truly honour and correct the wrongs done to my people. I hear apologies, I see flags being flown, I have seen political leaders kneel at the grave site of children on the reserve, I have seen a young First Nations man here in Saskatchewan get shot execution-style by a white man who was then found not guilty by a white jury of his peers. In Alberta, two white farmers killed two Métis men who were legally harvesting wild game for sustenance and felt it was okay to do so. In Manitoba, two First Nation women are believed to be buried in the garbage dump, but the provinces leaders did not want to look for them. There are many horrific examples of racist acts in this country that I can share, but it is tiring.
The plan, to beat the Indian out of the child set by Sir John A. Mcdonald and his supporters has certainly worked. Today, a small majority of First Nation people continue his evil plan of killing the Indian in the child. As a grassroots First Nation, I have been to many reservations in Canada, and they all have the same issues. The greedy and self-serving attitudes have been deeply ingrained on our communities.
Out of the 640 plus reserves, only 30 are self-sufficient. Our own chiefs and councilors/headmen have taken the place of Sir John’s henchmen. They spend the millions of dollars that come to our communities with the same wanton disregard your own politicians do, but they are protected by their supporters. The biggest family usually gets the lions’ share of the communities’ dollars, and they control it. It is appalling to witness uneducated people have control over multimillion-dollar budgets and then pay themselves $100,000 salaries each year.
They also protect one another so that their financial interests are not cut off. For example, former Keeseekoose chief Theodore Quewezance, who was also the self-proclaimed poster boy for residential school survivors, was charged for sexual assault of two minors here in Saskatcewan. He is still being paid by the Cote and Keeseekoose First Nations as an adviser and elder.
Again, there are many stories exactly like this I can share with you. I have taken my own First Nation community and others to court for injustices to their own. I even assisted a white farmer to get his property back through the court.
In a nutshell, it is a little tough to be an Indian on and off the reservation. I had a stroke recently, and the doctors told me that a hypertension stroke is usually fatal. They said I was lucky. For some reason I don’t feel lucky, and I would have loved to have started my journey to the Spirit world to be with my family. Maybe my ancestors need me to stick around a little longer to finish this lesson.
Many of my peers and family have died by suicide because our environments are worthless for our growth. There is no real chance or hope for our people. So when you see those leaders who wear headdresses or war bonnets, ask them how much they pay themselves and why don’t they give that money to the communities as opposed to travelling all over the continent (including Vegas). The First Nations people that live on the streets could use that money to go back home. The issue of murdered and missing women would disappear.
Education in both worlds is much needed for these issues to be resolved. If I had the same opportunity as Sheldon Kennedy once had — travel the country and give public presentations, write a book, teach my grassroots people the simple procedure to use the courts to sue/reclaim the misused community funds, etc. — maybe I could do something worthwhile like that. But till then, I will not be celebrating this holiday. I am going to stay home and will keep trying to raise the funds to do what I feel is right.
Anybody want to purchase a signed Ken Dryden rookie card?
Tony Stevenson is a member of the Anishnabec First Nation in the Treaty 4 Area in Saskatchewan who attended the Qu’Appelle Indian Residential School in Lebret, Sask. He worked extensively with the independent assessment process, preparing and representing peers and elders for compensation hearings. He was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and recognized by both the Saskatchewan and Regina chambers of commerce for creating a cross-culture work project at the Conexus Credit Union. He travels to schools, universities, businesses and labour organizations to give presentations on truth and reconciliation. Learn more at MJ’s Ole Skool Crew.
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