First Nations reader sends letter outlining FIPA Canada-China trade concerns

November 1, 2012 His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. Governor General

Your Excellency:

I am going to start with this quote i read today “I am a Canadian, free to
speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I
think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, and free to choose those
who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold
for myself and all mankind.” – John Diefenbaker.

Now as a proud First Nations citizen of Canada, I strongly urge you to use
your discretionary reserve powers as the Head of State of this country and
to suspend Stephen Harper as Prime Minister and to dissolve Parliament in
order to preserve and protect our democracy. The method in which Prime
Minister Harper negotiated in secret the Canada-China Foreign Investment
Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) and his refusal to have any
debate or discussion on it in the House of Commons is extremely
undemocratic. There are many who believe he no longer nor ever acted in
the true benefit of Canada as a whole, i speak for myself and for my
peoples, as i know many will be, or would have wanted to, sending letters.
The First Nations are only just getting word out with regards to the full
effect this will have on our peoples. We are begging for our
Constitutional Rights given to us through our treaties. I see Elders
crying, these people lead our communities not the false leaders imposed on
us. i cry as i write this…our Elders gave a unanimous decision to reject
any deals to use our lands. We have been closed out of any trade
agreements, some based on technicalities…now to quote from of the
government documents our growing youth population (which is getting
healthier) is excepted to be “400,000” these children are what we fight
for. Our beliefs are that we are here as maintainers or caretakers of this
land. Mother Earth will be here long after we leave, our children’s
children should not have to “maintain” our messes. I was raised outside
the First Nations community, taken away as a child isolated(almost
literally) from people for around 6 years of my life, i had school and i
had my sister but i was forced to spend a lot of time alone, plus
physical/psychological abuse, i am one of the lucky ones. But our
communities are only just starting the healing process, and on top of that
educating ourselves. We need to be able to Listen to our Elders, our
Elders are begging for our Treaty rights and I do know “hear” news of our
tribal leaders asking for the same.

All citizens of Canada have a democratic right to be informed and consulted
on any such far reaching agreements especially when they have the potential
for very dire repercussions as does FIPA. In ratifying this agreement,
which provides communist run corporations the power to sue Canadian
governments at all levels should our laws and policies impede their
expected profits, it is not only completely contrary to the best interest
of Canadians it in fact serves to undermine the very core of our democracy.
By ratifying this agreement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is providing
Chinese corporations the ability to challenge and overturn our laws and
strike down our democratic process and that is without question an attack
on our democracy and our ability to be sovereign country. The vast majority
of Canadians strongly oppose this agreement but their Conservative Members
of Parliament choose to follow party lines rather than to represent their
constituent’s wishes. The people of Canada have lost confidence in the
Harper Conservative Parliament and our elected representatives refuse to
act accordingly. One of the Governor’s General most important
responsibilities is to ensure that Canada always has a prime minister and a
government in place that has the confidence of the people who elected the
Parliament. For the sake of Canada and Canadians, please execute your
duties and suspend Stephen Harper as Prime Minister and dissolve Parliament.

The above is a quote from a fellow citizen, but I have done research.
Everything I have been looking up over the last month with regards to
environmental amendments and First Nation goals are extremely disturbing,
and to mention on top of those are budget indiscretions and the
environmental impact he has allowed to happen. I am not someone that can
sit on the sidelines and not do something or say something when you know
something being done is wrong. What the Conservative government is doing
to Canada is wrong, what he has planned for the First Nations communities
is wrong. This government can not be allowed to continue on with it’s
agenda.

Sincerely
Lenore Gold
From the Cree Nation and a Canadian Citizen

*The Silo is a non-partisan online and print publication and welcomes open-forum debate and comments. The opinions expressed in letters to the Silo are not necessarily those of the Silo.