Nothing's changed. The indians are still trying to storm the fort. Yesterday it was Fort Parliament Hill, when, in a demonstration of perfect and uncivilized non-democracy, a number of chiefs whooped it up and attempted to break down the doors of the House of Commons to express their displeasure at the passing of an omnibus bill which included (gasp!) a number of changes to The Indian Act.
There's no way to put this nicely: protestations to the contrary, the National Assembly of First Nations wants nothing to do with changing one letter of one word of the arcane Indian Act. And we all know why. Because it would mean the no-serious-strings-attached money wouldn't flow quite as freely into oblivion and waste as it does now.
The outraged chiefs argued all over the airwaves that there had not been enough "consultation" or "transparency" in the changes. Since when have the natives been voluntarily transparent about their finances? Since when have they consulted in good faith? Their big beef to this latest move is the strengthened financial transparency and accountability it demands. Oh dear, oh dear.
Never play chess with the patient and cunning Mr. Harper. As he was ushering native leaders into the House of Commons a couple of years ago -- complete with sweet grass and ceremonial dress, dancing and drumming -- to apologize for the residential schools' debacle, he was planning drastic changes to the deeply-flawed and out-of-date act. After waiting in the weeds and vainly trying to consult, Mr. Harper has sprung.
Not a minute too soon, in my opinion. Long overdue. Chiefs, get used to it.
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