First Peoples National Party of Canada leader proposes “mass revamping” of education, government

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      William Morin says Canada should abolish the Senate and replace it with a house of Parliament filled with elected aboriginal representatives.

      He also argues that native-studies classes should be made compulsory in high schools and universities across the country.

      In a phone interview, Morin told the Georgia Straight that aboriginal people must be included in all levels of government in Canada—and a “mass revamping” of the education system is necessary for that to happen.

      “Ninety-nine percent of the Canadian population has no knowledge or minimal knowledge or incorrect knowledge of the history of our country,” Morin, a member of the Michipicoten First Nation, said by phone from Sudbury, Ontario. “It was a country that was based on treaties of shared relationship, and that shared relationship does not exist.”

      Morin is the interim leader of the First Peoples National Party of Canada, which is gearing up to field a slate of candidates in the third federal election since its founding at the end of 2005.

      While none of the party’s nominations have been finalized, Morin noted he is planning to run in the riding of Sudbury.

      He’s run as an FPNP candidate twice before, in Sudbury in the 2008 election and Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing in 2006.

      In the 2006 election, the party nominated five candidates, including one in B.C., and garnered a total of 1,201 votes. The FPNP’s six candidates in 2008 attracted a total of 1,611 votes.

      “How many people voted is not an accurate indication of the impact that the party had,” Morin said. “What I mean by that is it motivated a lot more aboriginal people to vote than had before, either for the First Peoples National Party or for other parties that were doing good stuff for aboriginal people, like the NDP.”

      According to its website, the FPNP’s mandate includes promoting economic growth, fighting poverty, building social programs, and representing and respecting the values of all Canadians.

      The party is open to both aboriginal and non-aboriginal members and candidates.

      Morin noted the “grassroots, young party” has between 300 and 500 members, but he claimed it has obtained much more support through “non-traditional” channels, such as its Facebook group.

      He argued the FPNP is needed because First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people are excluded by a Canadian political system which represents the majority but not minorities.

      “Any government that excludes its indigenous peoples from its systems of government is a colonial power, behaving no different than a regime like that in Libya,” Morin said.

      As he sees it, an aboriginal house of Parliament could take the place of the Senate and be composed of aboriginal legislators elected by aboriginal people from across the country.

      Making native studies a graduation requirement in high school and university would make sure students don’t leave the education system ignorant about residential schools, the Indian Act, and many other “acts of genocide” against aboriginal people, Morin maintained.

      “Until Canada relocates itself into Europe, why are we not talking about more aboriginal issues?” he said. “Because if you go to France, you learn about French history. If you go to England, you learn about English history. If you go to Japan, you learn about Japanese history. But you come to Canada, you learn about European history.”

      A sessional instructor in native studies at the University of Sudbury, Morin sees education reform as a prerequisite for political change.

      “Without education, there’s not going to be support for inclusion,” he said.

      You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.

      See also: Aboriginal people in B.C. should form political party, school trustee says

      Comments

      5 Comments

      nayo gloster

      Apr 2, 2011 at 9:38pm

      bravo ! .....who is the candidate in windsor? I would love to speak with her/him..... This is true talk, and we all need some of that once in a while...especially now ! cheers, barney

      glen p robbins

      Apr 2, 2011 at 10:29pm

      I don't support the concept on the Senate. I think this is somewhat xenophobic on Mr. Morin's part. If aboriginals want a faster inside track why no all aboriginal law firms - I see plenty of aboriginal lawyers - many working for white law firms.

      pippatch

      Apr 3, 2011 at 8:32am

      Who is this guy anyway???? Talk about fomenting racism, this takes the cake! Aboriginals are Canadians, just like the rest of us. We have a Canadian parliament, not an aboriginal parliament.

      ''George"

      Apr 7, 2011 at 12:39pm

      Hi

      Chris Joy

      Apr 10, 2011 at 6:27pm

      As a non aboriginal woman, I am delighted that the First Nations National Party exists. I have longed for the time when my voting options would include more than Conservative, Liberal and NDP. I became disillusioned when I learned that all 3 parties once approached the same individual to be party leader. This shocked me: how little true distinction there was between these parties. I want a Coalition Govt voted in on May 2, 2011, that includes the FPNP, the Greens, the Canadian Party of Women and maybe , just maybe if Jack Layton could be energized to stand for anything, the NDP. I think Mr. Morin makes tremendous sense! Thank you for running an Aboriginal Party in these ridings.