Ep. 386: To whom does the future of Canada belong?
Guest: Bill Gallagher, author of “Resource Requiem”
Canada and its relationship with its indigenous people has always been a disgraceful disaster.
Bill Gallagher, the author of “Resource Requiem," says, “From the introduction of the Indian Act to now, one disastrous policy after another has pretended to move us toward reconciliation when, in fact, they have barely moved the needle.”
Gallagher says, “We live under the illusion that we are working together in an atmosphere of improving relations – that the Tsilhqot'in Supreme Court Ruling, along with Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution and the acceptance of the guiding principles of UNDRIP, are bringing us together and providing First Nations with the rights they so justly deserve.”
Add in more than 325 court case rulings that all went in favour of First Nations claiming title and rights to lands and resources, and you’d think we would be working hard to figure out how to work together to create economic opportunities that will benefit all Canadians. “Unfortunately, this is not the case,” Gallagher says. “The opposite is true; we are at a crossroads where it is impossible to build anything. And the losers are all of us.”
Stuart McNish invited Bill Gallagher, the author of “Resource Requiem.” to join him for a Conversation that Matters about how we got to now and where we may or may not be able to go to.
