A ray of hope

Page 5

Is that the faintest hint of positive development we see discussed in our pages this month? Let us focus your attention on page 8 where we bring you news of a remarkable report by the Assembly of First Nations' 18-member panel of experts that dealt with the alternative dispute resolution process for residential school survivors. There it is. Positive development, lurking in the background on almost every page.

We also saw it in the Haida judgement (page 11) authored by Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverly McLaughlin.

Reconciliation, real reconciliation between Native and non-Native people in Canada is suddenly on the radar screen in this country. It might only be visible when you look to Canada's best and brightest. But there's good reason to begin to believe that the idea of reconciliation will survive, thrive and eventually makes its way down to those lesser souls who thought they might continue to bully and bash Aboriginal people until the end of time.

Justice McLaughlin invoked it-reconciliation- in her reasons for the decision in the Haida case. She and her colleagues concluded that the honor of the Crown means dealing honestly and fairly with First Nations. And when the province tried to argue that only the federal government is responsible for maintaining the honor of the Crown, the highest court in the land called that idea "impoverished."

That should put an abrupt end to that kind of Stone Age, bullyboy thinking that's a noxious leftover from the colonial era. That doesn't mean there won't be mean-spirited, devious and amoral bureaucrats who won't try to find a way around the court's pronouncement. But that kind of thing just went very suddenly out of style.

We hear from reliable and knowledgeable sources that a more progressive approach is emanating from the top levels of the Canadian government. Particularly at the international level where noted human rights lawyer turned law professor turned federal Justice minister Irwin Cotler is exercising a certain amount of benevolent influence on Indigenous affairs. It won't be long before the "Indian fighter" type of government official becomes a relic of the past if that kind of thinking prevails.

And since we're always willing to slap the Assembly of First Nations around when they mess up, we feel it only fair to be just as willing to commend them when something works out extraordinarily well. The report on the ADR process was a masterful work. All who worked on it should be congratulated.

To date, Canada's response on the residential school question has been to minimize the damage to itself, even if it means re-victimizing the survivors. The assembly's report lays that out for all to see in stark detail. We don't see how the federal government could possibly keep doing something as nefarious as that after this very bright light has been shone on it.

Some of the most distinguished thinkers in this country contributed to that report and it shows. As Chief Justice McLaughlin did, the AFN expert panel relied on Canada's own words to paint the federal government into a corner. Canada has said it wants reconciliation, so here's what it actually looks like.

Re-victimizing people who are now old and frail and facing the end of their lives, people who when they were victimized the first time were innocent children, shows a level of hatred and a dehumanization that should be unthinkable in a country that considers itself a progressive liberal democracy.

That hatred has to stop. People on both sides of the divide have got to walk out to the edge and extend their hands. Hatred, suspicion, resentment and racism have got to be wrung out of all areas of Canadian life. Respect has to be paid, sincere apologies made and new bridges built.

The AFN report recommends a truth and reconciliation process regarding residential schools. We support that whole-heartedly. It will be the beginning of the end of a national disgrace.