The Dangerous Stance on Indigenous Rights

Just in case you needed another reason not to trust the conservatives. BC Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay has directed MLAs to no longer use the term “First Nations” because it is a woke description and language from the left. She wants to return to using the term “Indian,” and she says the name of the Indian Act, which defines Indian status and reserve lands, justifies using the term again. Findlay has promised to take a harder line on Indigenous issues. She promises to be unapologetic about B.C.’s colonial history. She promises to repeal the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, and she wants to work with Western provinces on constitutional reform to protect private property rights from Aboriginal title declarations.The BC NDP says that Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s extreme and divisive approach would set our province back to the 1800s. I previously made a video about how Findlay is in love with Trump. It won’t be long before we hear the slogan, “Make British Columbia Great Again.” She’s more interested in pitting neighbour against neighbour than in making life better for British Columbians. Christy Clark recently said that Findlay “cannot win an election” because “she is too kooky.”But why is reverting to the term “Indian” so offensive and harmful? First, it is a literal colonial mistake. Christopher Columbus used it because he was lost and mistakenly thought he had reached India. Forcing a centuries old geographical error onto the original inhabitants of this continent erases their true identities. Second, the term lumps hundreds of distinct nations, cultures, and languages into one inaccurate bucket. It completely ignores the rich diversity of unique communities like the Haida, Squamish, and Gitxsan, treating them as if they are all the same rather than sovereign groups.Third, the word carries deep historical trauma. In Canada, “Indian” is an institutional label imposed by the federal government through the Indian Act, which was a piece of legislation designed to assimilate Indigenous people, outlaw their culture, and force children into residential schools. Using it is a direct callback to state sponsored oppression.Using “First Nations” isn’t “woke” language; it is a matter of basic respect and self determination. Indigenous peoples chose this term to recognize their status as the original sovereign keepers of this land long before European contact. Forcing an outdated colonial label back onto people isn’t just “kooky,” it is a deliberate tool to strip away dignity and erase decades of hard fought reconciliation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit quietcanines.substack.com/subscribe