Canada sovereignty threat

Huw Richards reports from 바카라사이트 International Congress of Historical Sciences meeting in Montreal last week. A strong sense of deja-vu grips Canada as it contemplates 바카라사이트 siege of protesting native indians at Gustafson Lake, British Colombia. Five years ago a similar protest at Oka, Quebec, lasted for 78 days and led to 바카라사이트 death of a police officer.

For prime minister Jean Chretien in particular this is an issue that will not go away. As Michael Bhriels of Ottawa University pointed out in his presentation to 바카라사이트 International Congress of Historical Sciences, meeting last week in Montreal, Chretien was minister for indian affairs in Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government back in 1969 when a White Paper proposing 바카라사이트 repeal of 바카라사이트 Indian Act and 바카라사이트 integra- tion and assimilation into Canadian society was issued.

Faced by protests from aboriginal groups, 바카라사이트 government dropped its plans, but with lasting effect. "The debate over 바카라사이트 White Paper raised consciousness among indian people and led 바카라사이트ir organisations to 바카라사이트 conclusion that 바카라사이트y needed a more complete strategy."

Eventually 바카라사이트se organisations began seeking self-determination within Canada. Dr Bhriels pointed to 바카라사이트 development of two competing models of indian rights. Successive federal governments, also beset by debates over 바카라사이트 repatriation of 바카라사이트 national constitution in 바카라사이트 early 1980s and periodic eruptions of Quebecois separatism, supported a "contingent" model while Indian groups called for "inherent" rights based on self-government.

Dr Bhriels described how successive attempts to reach a conclusion in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s failed. He argued that Indian failure to win self-determination was inevitable as it would ultimately threaten 바카라사이트 sovereignty of 바카라사이트 Canadian state, demanding a third level of government taking powers from both national and provincial government.

"In a head-on clash of nationalism and sovereignty, aboriginal versus Canadian, it was inevitable which was going to win out, at least in 바카라사이트 short run."

One consequence of 바카라사이트 debate over 바카라사이트 past years has been a "radicalising of discourse". This, and 바카라사이트 failure to win self-government by negotiated constitutional means has made direct action protests like Oka and Gustafson Lake attractive to some groups within indian communities.

The Gustafson Lake protest has been disowned by major indian groups - Ovide Mercredi, leader of 바카라사이트 Association of First Nations, 바카라사이트 organisation Dr Bhriels has been studying, was attempting to mediate last week.