Since elementary school, I have learned a lot about aboriginal issues in Canada; at one point, I was even pen pals with a girl my age in the Cree tribe. Her community was kind enough to send us flags, pins, and information pamplets about their culture in order to broaden my understanding of Canada as they saw it. When I think about the issues being boiled down – I can only come up with one word: ignorance.
Racism, discrimination, hateful and hurtful behavior stems from ignorance. In the article about the Tsilhqot’in people declaring the New Prosperity mine as their tribal park in order to preserve the land and the nature with the boundaries, I read the comments section and was surprised at the amount of hatred that was voiced. One particular commenter said:
That must be real nice! Just go and make a plan on whatever piece of property you happen to like and call it a park….Voila it becomes yours! (…) Sick and tired of this inequality (…) Time to put a stop to it! For good.
That comment shocks me for a number of reasons – but the foremost thing is how ignorant this commenter is. It’s extremely ironic that she mocks the Tsilhqot’in people for taking “whatever piece of propery [they] happen to like” when that was exactly what the white settlers did to them to begin with. And inspite all the hurt and pain the aboriginals have been through, they have reached an agreement to collaborate and partner up with the government in order to find a solution.
When it all boils down, I think the true issue behind this matter and any other conflicts behind professional relationships (partnerships) is the refusal to reciprocate and compromise between two parties.
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