Brendan Cross Burning Stockwell Day on The National CBC 2000

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The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's (CBC) Mark Kelly reports on First Nations Party of Saskatchewan leader Brendan Cross burning Canadian Alliance Opposition leader Stockwell Day just before the 2000 Canadian election. • --- • I could hear introductions being made in the hall, so I entered the hall at the side of the stage, where I stood beside some reporters and organizers of the event. Day joked that the glass he placed on the podium was apple juice, not chocolate milk, so nobody should worry. Right. He gave an effective speech on the Alliance promise to increase funding to Canadas military and began taking questions. I calmly walked to the side of the stage, stepped up, and walked slowly to the podium, where I stood beside Day, with the policy page in my left hand. • Im curious about your aboriginal policy it hasnt changed. . . I began, and Day answered, Great. I appreciate that. Let me address that for you. Feel free to take a seat, and pointing to the microphone on the floor level, Thats the microphone to be used, folks. I paid for this one, everybody else who didnt gets to use that one right there. He began to reply to my question, talking about Treatie Four in Saskatchewan (In Alberta thats much easier because we have Treaties Six, Seven, and Eight. In the rest of Canada its not that easy.). The Alliance would respect the treaties, but sought a different approach from the governing Liberals, he said. • At the end of every sentence, I would take the lighter out of my right pocket and begin to lift it to the policy page. But when I would open my mouth to speak, he would cut me off! OK. I was going to ask you- What should Canadas First Nations think of the Canadian Alliance policy? I asked. • Day was quick to respond (Id be happy to chat with you). If there is somebody in this country who is in need of health care, if there is somebody in need of education, housing, clothing, hope or opportunity, we should do all that we can to meet that need, he said to applause. • Folks, its twenty-first century. Weve got to move away from approaching meeting needs based on what race you are. . . • Race! Treaty rights were not based on race! They were agreed between nations, and allotted only to members of those nations. Not all aboriginal people have treaty rights only members of the First Nations, who signed the treaties. Some non-aboriginals were even entitled to aboriginal treaty rights through marriage or endearment, and many aboriginals lost their benefits through scrip or other unfortunate circumstances. Métis and Inuit went centuries without receiving benefits because of the lack of a treaty. Creating a racial issue where one didnt exist was the final insult. • I held the policy paper up and said, forcefully, On behalf of the aboriginal people that I represent here in the province of Saskatchewan, Id like to say that the Canadian Alliance policy is not what aboriginal people want! and lit the lighter under the page. The non-adjustable flame wasnt enough to light the glossy paper in the brief second before Day began crumpling the page with both hands, from the top, eventually tearing the page away, leaving me with just a corner. The crowd groaned in disgust and people shouted, Back off! • Organizer Jim Strom came beside me and asked me to please get off the stage, so I politely agreed with him and he led me back to the side of the stage, where I remained. Day continued to take questions, while I waited at the side of the stage with reporters and organizers. I was assuring them that I would remain civil and that the worst was over when Day approached. He walked straight over to me and leaned in to say, You didn't do yourself any good. You hurt your cause. We should talk some time. • I nodded, with my hands in my pockets, and he left to work the crowd. Some reporters began asking me questions and I summarized the whole affair. I think the Alliance Party policy on aboriginals is inadequate. Aboriginal people across Canada don't take any delight or have any use for the aboriginal policy that the Canadian Alliance has. The Alliance was recycling old Reform ideas, which didn't fly with Aboriginals. • • FROM The First Nations Party: Part One by Brendan William Cross • http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/n...

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