Is Canada the Switzerland of the north?

Page 5

Guest Column

The French-speaking Quebec citizens of Canada are considering taking steps to separate from Canada. Tragically their desire to separate and to establish French language and culture as supreme within the province of Quebec, without granting a similar right of separation to Indigenous Canadians, is a continuation of the old tradition of Eurocentric colonialism.

The Inuit and Cree peoples living within the current boundaries of Quebec are making it very clear that they do not wish to be part of a separate Quebec and that they will choose to remain in Canada.

The French Canadian of Quebec picture themselves as an embattled nationality, oppressed by Anglo-Canada. They are blind, however, to the fact that the original Canadians have been far more oppressed than have the Quebecois and that French colonialism with its near worship of a European language can be very oppressive to speakers of original North American languages.

Certainly, the Native peoples of Canada possess every bit as much a right to self-determination as do the French-speaking people. The boundaries of Quebec are the end result of a process of colonialism and are quite arbitrary. They were created by anglo-Canada and can be challenged by both the Indigenous people and the other provinces of Canada.

In any case, any thinking person must admit that an original Canadian has just as many inherent rights to self-realization as does a speaker of a European tongue.

But there is another way.

I have long hoped that Canadians of all cultures would come to see that they can follow a different model; the model of Switzerland, where the German, Swiss Roman (French), Italian, and Romansch-speaking populations all have an equal dignity and right of cultural and linguistic autonomy.

Moreover, the various dialects of German, such as Bernese, are freely spoken. Switzerland is made up of a number of states, which enjoy much more political independence than do Canadian provinces or American states.

Perhaps it is out of place for a Native North American from the United States to speak up about Canada's future. But I believe I have that right because what effects Canada and especially the original Canadians will directly affect all Natives. If a war breaks out over the separation of Quebec, and if Quebec attempts to rule the Crees and Inuits by force, it will directly affect all of us. On the other hand if Canada is able to develop a new kind of federated society where different ethnic groups and regions can have genuine autonomy, that well may serve as a beacon light for all of us who seek a greater measure of self-realization.

Canada should become so attractive to Native people that perhaps Greenland and even Alaska might eventually wish to unify with a new Canada. Isn't that worth talking about?

My hope for Canada is that the Euro-Canadians can give up their foolish feelings of cultural superiority and their greed for Aboriginal resources long enough to imagine what a truly democratic society might be.