Indigenous Priorities Are Just a Checkbox When It Comes to Economic Development | The Walrus

"Is it possible for Indigenous nations to define their own priorities within the very same economy built on their oppression and exclusion? In the decade since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its Calls to Action, the Canadian government has failed to shift the foundations of its economic system in a way that would truly make space for Indigenous self-determination. Instead, Indigenous people are told to be grateful that they have a seat at the table, with the menu already set."

"The majority of the Calls to Action are not written for corporations. But call ninety-two highlights the need for fair access to employment, training, and education in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and for free, prior, and informed consent before proceeding with economic development projects. It must also be interpreted in light of the demands on the government to provide culturally relevant health care, fair access to education, and the revival of Indigenous legal systems."

"Rather than implementing these calls through strong policy, federal and provincial governments have outsourced a simple checklist of Indigenous partnership to industry. In the absence of land back, redress, and systemic change, we have corporations cherry-picking language from the commission in order to legitimize resource extraction. In recent years, governments and industry have increasingly pointed to call ninety-two to justify "economic reconciliation," a term that barely appears in the TRC's Final Report and has since been co-opted to green-light resource extraction projects."

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, especially call ninety-two, demand fair access to employment, training, education, culturally relevant health care, revival of Indigenous legal systems, and free, prior, and informed consent for development. Federal and provincial governments have not restructured economic foundations to enable Indigenous self-determination. Instead, governments have outsourced superficial partnership checklists to industry, allowing corporations to cherry-pick TRC language and legitimize resource extraction. The term "economic reconciliation" has been co-opted to justify pipelines, mines, and corporate access to Indigenous lands without land back, redress, or systemic change, preserving appearances while maintaining existing power.

Read at The Walrus