Royal
Proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation
Aboriginals
have endured years of suffering and isolation introduced since the first
European set foot on Canadian soil. The coexistence of Aboriginals prior to
colonization was harmonious. They had properly functional rules and
regulations. In addition, the Aboriginals had effective traditional systems of
governance that ensured their prosperity for thousands of years. It is
interesting to note that Europeans scrapped the aboriginal traditions. Today,
Canadian constitution is a clear demonstration of cultural genocide. In fact, a
lack of inclusivism of Aboriginals in the modern system of governance has
triggered dissatisfaction among the marginalized parties. Over the years,
concerns have mounted for the need to review the constitution and the relations
between the Aboriginals and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
While
the planet is rapidly advancing towards ensuring equality and settlement of
colonial injustices, Canada
is lagging behind. As a result, there is a constant threat of a collapse in
governance if the crown does not heed to calls in time. Besides, the protests
and dissatisfactions consume a lot of energy that would otherwise be utilized
in improving the economic performance and the overall political stability.
History has shown that shelving injustices for future consideration complicate
the efforts. In the long run, it becomes harder to source for a concrete
solution that unifies the nation. As
such, the Canadian government has a responsibility to initiate reconciliatory
measures to heal the colonial wounds (Dorrell, 2009). Ushering in a new era of
economic development is only attainable if TRC
recommendation, especially those touching on royal proclamation and covenant of
reconciliation is implemented.
Aboriginals
form a significant part of the national population. It implies that Aboriginals
have a significant role to play to ensure prosperity and to uphold a Canadian culture
of Pride in nationhood. Aboriginals are rich in cultural values that encourage
morality and ethical practices. Discarding such traditions hurts the future
generations besides threatening the Canadian core pillars. Indigenous tribesmen
are fully aware of their identity. It is the reason why they have demonstrated
resiliency in the face of adversity and also during the dark colonial era. Most
ancestors of modern Aboriginals lost lives trying to defend their hereditary
values. As colonial government denied the natives their rights to land and
freedom of movement, the Aboriginals displayed a sense of unity among
themselves. Their tightly-knit political structure is still evident today;
though the western civilization is quickly eroding the traditions (Henderson
& Wakeham, 2009).
Articulation
of the TRC Recommendation
TRC
conducted an extensive research on the importance of establishing a working
relationship between the Canadian government the Aboriginal leadership. The TRC commissioners interviewed a representative
section of Aboriginal and government officials. The survey was intended to shed
light on the concerns of the native populations and the ways that the
government can address them. The
research was necessitated by the frequent court battles and the limited
representation of the minorities in the organs of government.
The
UN’s resolution on the rights of aboriginal people has been passed. However, Canada, United
States, Australia,
and other states inhabited by Aboriginals have failed to fully implement the
declaration due to the existing legal loopholes and the dominance of whites in
legislative arms. The passage of UN
resolutions was triggered by genocide and holocaustic motivations to
exterminate Jews by Nazi Germany. As such, it prompted the need for an
establishment of a Jewish state in order to protect the endangered community
from intervention by external forces. In the United States, marginalization of
native tribes diminished their existence. Today, there is a handful of Natives
still committed to conserving their culture and traditions. Canada heads in a similar direction
if the necessary precautions are not taken. Already, the government
infrastructure and social amenities are scanty in the regions mostly inhabited
by the Aboriginals.
Canada
is a free and democratic country. Equality among citizens and justice for all
are some of the values embraced in the country’s governance. However,
sidelining the rights of Aboriginals is a direct conflict to such values. It is
surprising that tera nulitus and Doctrine of Discovery are still used to
justify the European colonial activities. Such doctrines ought to have been
scrapped off during the era civil rights movements. The government of Canada should condemn injustices committed
during the British invasion of North America (Egan,
2013). While it will take years to fully implement reconciliatory measures, a
repudiation of concepts justifying atrocities committed by Europeans will set a
good precedence.
Currently,
there is a poor relationship between the leaders of aboriginal communities and
the government authorities. The poor relations are propelled by
misunderstanding and clash of agendas and priorities between the two parties.
In addition, the government shrugs off the needs of native communities hence
slowing the efforts of reconciliation. Not all is lost, however, as the
Canadian government has a chance of renewing treaties. Recognition of
traditions and a show of respect to Aboriginals will be reciprocated through
submission to government authority. The move will diffuse tensions that exist
between the two parties. Moreover, there is a mutual benefit if the relations
are maintained in the long run. For instance in South Africa, the Apartheid regime
experienced strong resistance from the international community and human rights
activist groups. It experienced economic stagnation as a result of sanctions,
but when a majority rule and reconciliation with the black community was made
effective, the country resumed its growth trajectory. Today, South Africa is one of BRICK states
experiencing rapid economic growth.
The
benefits derived from reconciliation cannot be understated. Undermining the
minority groups limits establishment of partnership for nation-building. If the
traditional laws are recognized and integrated as part of the country’s
constitution, absorption of native groups to the government is achievable. Land
grabbing is rampant in Canada
because there is a lack of effective laws to curb the activities within
aboriginal territories. Notably, the native communities view land as a communal
property. The view is in sharp contrast to the European laws and capitalism,
where land is owned by individuals and is transferable from one person to the
other. If traditional laws are accepted in autonomous aboriginal regions, a
protection of vulnerable minority group is achievable (Alcantara &
Whitfield, 2010). Oppressive rules and
regulations should not be used as tools to force native communities to abandon
their traditions.
Reasons
for inclusion of Recommendation
Canada
is a settler society. There are native societies that need recognition. This
way, relations between non-Aboriginals and Aboriginals is fostered. The
motivations of reconciliation opponents and the reconcilers vary, hence the
need for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC),
a key Indian Residential Schools
Settlement Agreement institution.
Reconciliation in Canada
is a malleable undertaking. Hence, it is imperative to address all the pertinent
issues affecting the entire process. Otherwise, the few measures introduced
would fail to be effective in the long run. Therefore, an inclusion of Royal
proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation as one of the recommendation is
part of an effort to treat the cause rather than a symptom.
For
many years, the existing reconciliation measures have been considered as a
legitimization of colonization because they fail to capture the core needs of
Aboriginals in the modern times.
Normalizing or ignoring colonial injustices forms a basis of uproar,
dissatisfaction, and protests by liberals and activist groups. The introduction
of the recommendation by TRC
provides a closure to such injustices and ushers in a new life of inclusivism
in national issues. While the TRC
is partly a state agency, the calls for its establishment were prompted by
rising tensions and communal hostilities. It is hard to avert criticism,
especially from the conservative groups because of a resistance for change and
formation of an all-inclusive government. However, any prosperous government
must be prepared to face its fears and to address the needs of all citizens to
ensure harmony and unity. Ironically, the founding values of TRC do not highlight the role of non-Aboriginal
groups in Canada.
The
recommendation is included in TRC’s
outcomes to ensure a pursuit of a national discourse. Indeed, reconciliation
should be pursuable nationally for it to bear fruits. An invitation of Canadian
government’s policy makers in sourcing for a solution is a strategic step of
introducing the proposal to a wider national audience. If successful,
subsequent ratification or amendments to Niagara
Treaty and 1763 Royal Proclamation will
be implemented. The symbolic ratification will wield a greater influence on the
government intention. It will result in an alteration of mindset and general views
towards Aboriginals. Resultantly, the
natives will be motivated to participate in building the nation through
integrative economic activities. Most importantly, peace will prevail among
Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals.
Validity of the
Recommendation
TRC
invested a significant amount of time and resources in the initiative to ensure
a working solution is achieved. There is no doubt that the issues raised in the
recommendations need to be addressed with immediate effect. Previous recommendations by other mandated
bodies failed to address the core causes of dissatisfaction because the
composition of committee members was skewed.
The majority of TRC
commissioners had aboriginal roots or understood the lifestyle of the
marginalized communities. As such, the probability that the recommendation will
not solve the recurrent challenges is negligible. Most Canadian civilians
advocate for recognition of aboriginal values and traditions. However, the
leadership has politicized the whole ordeal, making it harder to implement UN
recommendations or to embrace human dignity across all spheres.
Ruins
of racism and inequality are hard to avert in a modern multicultural society
like Canada, US or Australia.
In fact, inequality is upheld by an existence of outdated legal structure and
constitution. Dormancy in Canadian constitution is seen in an intact existence
of Victorian era laws and a failure to embrace modern reforms. Hence, the
inclusion of Royal Proclamation and Covenant of Reconciliation is justified by
time changes and ineffectiveness of existing regulations.
Reconciliation
and renewed national spirit are fundamental in ensuring national rejuvenation
and settling of scores (Bombay et al., 2013). Postponing reconciliation for
future generations worsen the prospects besides heightening the levels of anger
and discontent among the vulnerable and marginalized societies. It is a ticking bomb whose explosion will
unleash unimagined chaos and confusion within the government. States fail
because of issues such as racial segregation and isolation of minorities. These
issues are often overshadowed by a turn of events hence a cultivation of
hostility among the warring communities. To neutralize foreseeable instability,
it is important to reconcile the contrasting groups through sourcing of a
middle ground for a win-win solution. Involving aboriginals in the drafting of
constitutional amendments is a critical foundational step.
The
Adoption Process
Canada
is a vast country with multiple minority groups. Initiating and implementing
reconciliation measures is not easy. In fact, it will take years for the
introduced steps to gain a foothold in the society. As such, the adoption
process should consist of subsequent phases according to the level of
complexity.
Firstly,
the government should call hold a meeting with aboriginal leaders to chat the
way forward. It is important to involve the local natives to get an idea on how
crown policies affect their day-to-day lives. Secondly, an oversight committee
should be formed to work on outlining the pertinent issues hindering
reconciliation between the worrying parties (Wakeham, 2012). The committee
should be mandated with a task of sourcing for information regarding
outstanding matters to be included in the amendment. The select committee should also uphold the
rights of Aboriginals to ensure swift transition. In the past, efforts to
reconcile the natives with whites and other non-Aboriginal societies have
failed because of a resistance on the policies upholding colonial rule while
suppressing the traditions and culture. A repetition of such failures should be
avoided through addressing key issues.
Ratification
of contentious laws inscribed in terra
nullius and Doctrine of Discovery
should precede the adoption of UN resolutions on rights of indigenous people.
In fact, the UN declarations should replace the rigid and contentious Victorian
laws because they fulfill modern needs of the Aboriginal population.
Educating
the public on the ratified laws is imperative. It creates awareness on the
renewed effort to encourage reconciliation. The government should set aside
funds to be used in the massive undertaking for optimal results. Besides,
recreational activities should be organized. The activities should include
cultural festivals and an establishment of museums for display of traditional
attire and Aboriginal vintages. The facilities should be placed under native
care. This way, the marginalized groups will have a sense of belonging in spite
of an embrace of modern culture. Recreational activities help build a strong
relationship hence setting a reconciliatory mode.
Experts
of aboriginal descent should be involved in the documentation of legal
traditions and indigenous laws. Aboriginal elders consulted widely to affirm
the accuracy of the documented information (Lambrecht, 2013). Thereafter, a
specialized body should handpick the necessary traditional laws for inclusion
in the overall document for adoption. Subsequently, law enforcers should be
briefed adequately on the new regulations to be implemented. In case of minor
adjustments, legislative arms should be authorized to hasten the process. The integration process should take a maximum
of five years.
An
analysis of TRC recommendations
reveals that the commissioners had an adequate time to gather data regarding
the injustices perpetrated by the Canadian government towards the aboriginal
population. For more than a century, Canada's
documented laws have been subjective and more inclined towards fulfilling
European needs. It is possible that such laws were drafted to encourage the
spread of western culture. What the European pioneers failed to consider is
that Aboriginals have been in existence in North America
for thousands of years. Their success and survival in such a harsh environment
was accelerated by their culture of environmental care and valuing of human dignity
(Wyatt et al., 2010). Contrastingly, Western Culture is a few hundred years
old. Its maturity levels are not comparable to that of aboriginals. In fact,
Aboriginal culture has stood the test of time. It is ironic that a younger
culture is used to wage war and to abolish a resilient tradition.
In
light of concern for the extinction of esteemed moral values, a time has come
for the Canadian government to face the fact and to address the constant threat
to its own existence (Coulthard, 2014). Notably, a deterioration of Canada's
oldest culture will eventually crumble the state existence. Besides, most
third-world countries ape developments in advanced states such as the US, UK
and Canada.
A portrayal of weakness and ethnic injustices in the developed world is often
emulated in younger states in Africa, Middle East, and Southwest
Asia. As such, Canada
should steer clear by setting a good precedence though settling disputes and
initiating reconciliation among its citizens.
Injustices
are hereditary. Bitterness and rivalry
are passed from one generation to the other. A clear example is a turmoil in
the Middle East. The cause of war in Iraq and Syria are based on age-old
dissatisfactions traceable to biblical times. Mistreatment of some communities
in the ancient times has found a way into the future. For millennia, the
oppressed communities seek revenge hence a vicious circle of carnage, war, and
political instabilities. Canada
risks following the same path if quick fixes are not found soon to set a tone
of reconciliation in the country.
World
Wars led to deposition of Kings and Imperial rule. Less than a century ago,
most parts of Africa were under British
colonial rule. The established protectorates could not survive because the
harsh rule did not resonate well with most native Africans. In the end, there
were calls for liberation and establishment of independent states hence the
abolition of the stringent colonial rule. Although most African nations are
still struggling to stabilize, many scholars are optimistic about the future of
Africa. In fact, Africa's
economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. There are projections that by 2035
the annual expansion of a majority of African nations will be in double digits.
Conclusion
Canada
is currently experiencing stagnation in growth and prosperity. While multiple
factors contribute the shallow economic development, rising tensions and
dissatisfaction among a section of the Canadian population is a major causative
agent. Today, most employment opportunities are limited to skilled labor.
Aboriginals that lead traditional lives do not get the opportunity because of
their limited level of education and unavailability of government resources in
their regions. Government concentrates on implementing infrastructural
development in urban areas and regions mostly inhabited by citizens of European
descent. Eventually, the prospects do not look good because the regions lagging
behind in development weighs down the overall economic performance ( DeVerteuil
&Wilson, 2010) . Through reconciliation, the government has an opportunity
to address challenges that have crippled its operation for years. Postponing the issues will only elicit anger
and mass protests among the affected societies. Aboriginals are increasingly
becoming aware of an infringement of their rights. If the trend continues, the
challenges faced by the government will multiply, making it harder to navigate
around.
References
Wyatt, S., Fortier, J. F., Greskiw, G., Hébert, M.,
Nadeau, S., Natcher, D., ... & Trosper, R. (2010). Collaboration between Aboriginal
peoples and the Canadian forestry industry: a dynamic relationship. A State of Knowledge report. Sustainable
Forest Management Network, Edmonton, AB.
Retrieved from: http://www.sfmn.ales.ualberta.ca:82/en/Publications/~/media/sfmn/Publications/StateofKnowledgeReports/Documents/SOK2011Aboriginal1WyattetalEn1Weben.pdf
