You would think that Aboriginal people in Canada have enough to worry about.  With a legacy of colonialism, institutional racism and a constant fight to protect the environments that are foundational to our cultures, people of indigenous heritage struggle to have their interests recognized in Canada.  It has been that way for a long time and will continue that way for a long time to come.  So why is it that some Aboriginal leaders focus their attention on international issues?

Next week a delegation from Canada will travel to Honduras as international observers for that country’s elections.  Among those going will be Aboriginal delegates; and they will not be representing Canada.  Their objective will be to provide solidarity with the majority indigenous population and to observe and report on the validity of the election process.  Canada and Canadian corporations are heavily invested in the outcome of this election as this nation’s colonial foothold expands in Latin America.

There is a growing interest on the part of Aboriginal people in Canada to link in solidarity with the international decolonization struggle.  When Idle No More emerged as a social and political response to legislation negatively affecting the Canadian environment, groups around the world responded with support and recognition.  There is a history of Indigenous Nations in Canada seeking their place in the international community.  Leaders of Six Nations traveled to the League of Nations in the early 20^th century.   Aboriginal representatives serve on many United Nations committees protecting the environment and species-at-risk, studying climate change and providing refugee services.  Aboriginal people have been the highest per-capita volunteers in wars fought to protect democracy and freedom for Canadians.  When Ethiopia faced a devastating famine in1983, Inuit people, per-capita, gave the most generous personal donations of any group in Canada.  It is a myth that Aboriginal people in Canada only think of themselves. 

However, there is still an unspoken rule in political circles that “Indians” should concentrate on fixing their own problems.  The narrative that places Canada in the forefront of global human rights and political equity highlights all of the efforts Canada is making to be inclusive of Aboriginal people; but maintaining this image also limits Aboriginal people’s effectiveness as world class leaders.  After all, as politicians have said, if Aboriginal people have something to say on the international stage then they had better be good ambassadors and even more so, make sure that they promote Canadian economic development. There is even cash for that, if you want it.  The unspoken rule is “if you don’t have something nice to say then you might as well stay home”.  (and STFU) 

Promoting Canada is not the principle objective of Aboriginal people who work internationally.  Like many Canadians who work on the real front lines of human rights struggles they are there to work in solidarity with other indigenous people who are being oppressed by shameless corporations that are exploiting labour and disrupting sustainable cultures.  Many of them put their lives on the line to bring some attention to gross injustices.  The problem for Canada is that when Aboriginal activists take up the cause of international decolonization they confront many of the same injustices that Aboriginal people face at home.  Making this connection can open up the closet door on the skeletons many corporate boards and their political protectors don’t like seen.  It’s easy to say you are free and democratic.  It’s another thing to be confronted by the realities of doing business and living well because others suffer. 

Honduras is one of the targets of contemporary Canadian colonialism.  The Canada/Honduran Free Trade agreement is all but ironed out.  The last wrinkle is the election on November 24^th.   The environmental assessment for the agreement was simple; anything that might have been controversial was considered a state secret and remained confidential.  The main commodity that Canada will export to Honduras will be investments putting our country in the enviable position of becoming the laundry for international colonial investment into Latin America.  We don’t have to worry about Canadian workers being exploited because they won’t be making anything for Honduran markets.  We also don’t have to worry about devastating environmental impacts because they will all be happening in Honduras.   This sounds like the very same economic development that has been so helpful to Aboriginal people in Canada over the last 200 years.  But I suppose it takes an Indigenous perspective to see it.

 Robert Lovelace

 Robert Lovelace is an Adjunct Lecturer in Global Development Studies at Queen’s University.  He is a member of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation.