The Stage 

I’ve lived in 7 cities in the last 6 years pushing to discover and become the best version of myself. Looking inside my new Canadian Passports it shows the place of my birth as Toronto, ON however in my heart and mind it could simply just read Canada. As a child my heart came alive exploring the commons of Halifax playing baseball at the local YMCA,  summer day camp trips at the George Dixon Community Center and great memories on the football gridiron. The thrill of learning and challenging myself academically and athletically in the town of  Sackville, New Brunswick as an adolescence forever changed my life for the better. Then I moved back to Toronto before my passion took me to Ottawa, where I then embarked on a great journey west stopping in Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Fort McMurray Alberta to secure my future and seek opportunity like thousands of other Canadians in the energy sector.

Presently 

Now as a young man at the age of 30 without an immediate family or independent of my own reflecting back on these travels from east to west, the people that have come in and out of my life the moments of pride, shame, glory and sadness one thing has never faded, the desire to keep learning and becoming better, they say to know where your going you need to know where your from and understanding Canada and what grew from the former Dominion of Canada has been a great motivation of mine, and reason why I’ve enrolled in Cape Brenton University’s innovative new online Mi’kmaq course, to learn more, as Plato told Socrates “Know Theyself”. As an indigenous Mi’kmaq Canadian, who is also a direct decent of a slave, French Canadian and indigenous Jamaican I’ve come full-circle in some respects by landing in the town of St. Catherine’s Ontario. A historic and famous town for many reasons, for me knowing that it was the central hub of Canadian operations for Harriet Tubman during the time of the underground rail road  is enough to give me a sense of pride and belonging, the same pride and belonging feeling  as Canadians we should be extending to Syrian Refugees fleeing a devastating in humane conflict.

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Moving Forward 

We draw boundaries on maps, have identification cards and various other forms of labeling and paperwork to administer our bureaucratic processes these measures are called “Red Tape” and at each level of government municipal, provincial and federal  we have a lot of it wither you’re a millionaire with a $16,000 daily pension or in need of social assistance you must have the capacity to put pen to paper. However what happens when you don’t know the laws or have the education to navigate these bureaucracies.  As great of a country I believe Canada to be, it is still a country that is guilty of attempted cultural genocide as described by the Chief Justice. New Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his first days in office  has quickly outlined a plan to re-engage and work with indigenous Canadians and has presented a “Sunny Ways”  platform that is inclusive and that hopes to restore the promise of what Canada “aspires” to be despite it’s short comings still the greatest, freest, country in the world.

I’m still the Federal Government Liaison for the Eastern Woodlands Metis Nation of Nova Scotia, although small we are mighty in impact and promise. It is my hope that the project work that started several years ago while in Ottawa will reach its maturation over the next year as memorandum’s of understanding, shareholder agreements and project proposals are submitted and introduced to members, the public and multiple levels of government. My ultimate hope is that are issues are  met with openness and consideration however more importantly our autonomy and recognition. The same consideration and openness currently being exercised federally  towards today’s Syrian Refugees, is the same we expect, and not the bog down overly administered Indian Act, which at it’s root nature is exploitative and divisive. We are thankful to the various organizations, individuals and people seeking to support and help aboriginal Canadian causes however in the end we must organize and re-find each other regain trust, community and heal ourselves, it is not the Federal Governments responsibility, although the Indian Act suggest otherwise. After generations of systemic institutional racism great collateral damage has been done, but it’s 2016 and together we can overcome this challenge and create a better outcome and opportunity for the generations following behind.