The Reconciliation Manifesto: Recovering the Land Rebuilding the Economy

About this book

In this book leading Indigenous rights activist Arthur Manuel offers a radical challenge to Canada and Canadians. He questions virtually everything non-Indigenous Canadians believe about their relationship with Indigenous peoples. The Reconciliation Manifesto documents how governments are attempting to reconcile with Indigenous peoples without touching the basic colonial structures that dominate and distort the relationship. Manuel reviews the current state of land claims tackles the persistence of racism among non-Indigenous people and institutions decries the role of government-funded organizations like the Assembly of First Nations and highlights the federal governments disregard for the substance of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples while claiming to implement it. Together these circumstances amount to a false reconciliation between Indigenous people and Canada. Manuel sets out the steps that are needed to place this relationship on a healthy and honourable setting. As he explains recovering the land and rebuilding the economy are key. Completed just months before Manuels death in January 2017 this book offers an illuminating vision of what is needed for true reconciliation. Expressed with quiet but firm resolve humour and piercing intellect The Reconciliation Manifesto is for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who are willing to look at the real problems and find real solutions. Table of Contents Contents Preface Speech at the Funeral of Arthur Manuel Naomi Klein Introduction Our Struggle Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson PART 1 GETTING TO KNOW YOU Chapter 1 The Second Coming Chapter 2 Beginning at the Beginning Chapter 3 White Supremacy The Law of the Land Chapter 4 From Dispossession to Dependency Chapter 5 From Dependency to Oppression PART 2 THE R WORDS Chapter 6 The Race Question Chapter 7 Reserves as Holding Pens PART 3 EUROPEAN LAND CLAIMS Chapter 8 We Stole it Fair and Square Chapter 9 Attempted Genocide: Political Battles with Pierre Trudeau Chapter 10 Changing Legal and Policy Landscape 19842014 Chapter 11 Tsilhqotin Case and Crown Title Chapter 12 British Columbia Commission Treaty Process Chapter 13 Rightful Title Holders Chapter 14 Risk and Uncertainty Chapter 15 Revenge of the Balance Sheet PART 4 PUTTING OUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER Chapter 16 Neocolonialism or Selling Our Birthright Chapter 17 Where Have the Leaders Gone? Chapter 18 Around the Mulberry Bush Chapter 19 The Grassroots Struggle: Defenders of the Land and Idle No More Chapter 20 Unity Around a Strong Position PART 5 THE FAMILY OF NATIONS Chapter 21 The International Stage Chapter 22 Constitutional Deadlock and the International Option Chapter 23 What the UN says about Self-Determination Chapter 24 Canadas Human Rights Treaties Chapter 25 CERD: Early Warning and Urgent Action Chapter 26 International Recognition of Our Proprietary Rights Chapter 27 UNDRIP and the Trudeau Betrayal PART 6 FALSE RECONCILIATION Chapter 28 The Reconciliation SWAT Team Chapter 29 Reconciliation Framework Agreements PART 7 STANDING OUR GROUND Chapter 30 Defending Our Land Chapter 31 The Legal Billy Club Chapter 32 Blockading a Mine Chapter 33 Criminalization of Protest Chapter 34 Non-violence but not Passive Acceptance Chapter 35 Resisting the Carbon Bomb Chapter 36 Defending Mother Earth Chapter 37 The Long-Term Approach Chapter 38 Declaring Sovereignty on the Ground Chapter 39 Standing with Standing Rock Chapter 40 Death of a Warrior PART 8 RE-ENVISIONING CANADA Chapter 41 Our Inalienable Rights Chapter 42 Back to the Future Chapter 43 The Six-Step Program to Decolonization LETTERS TO FRIENDS AND ENEMIES Open Letter to Pope Francis Open Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Open Letter to the Queen of Canada Open Letter to the Chief Justice of Canada Open Letter to the Defenders of the Land Afterword Settling with Canada: A Debt Coming Due Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson Appendix: Are you a Canadian? About the Authors Index