I am awake, I am alive and today I am sharing a very powerful and personal decision I made yesterday, one that is completely in line with my values and who I am as a Kwe.

The decision – that I will never again vote in any Canadian election (federal, provincial or municipal). Here are my reasons …

I have always known these parties, whether federal or provincial, were never OUR parties. They never represented Indigenous interests. They were never on “our side”. After all, we are the people they negotiate with. We are the people they claim to represent when an election is brewing but when Canadian or provincial interests are at odds with Indigenous interests, their true colours show. Their red, orange, green, and blue are not our colours.

For full transparency here, up until now I have and that was only because of the words of an elder, shared with me years ago. He too acknowledged that these parties were not on our side of the negotiating table (unless our needs temporarily aligned with their political goals) but as he put it, “They are giving us the chance to pick who we get to negotiate with!”. I liked the idea of picking my opponent, so I voted but no more. Not after hearing how each of the federal leaders responded to the Canada Day controversy.

No, hell no.

So, until there is Indigenous representation, free and separate from Canadian parties in both the provincial and federal houses, no. You will not see me in a voting line.

And as for municipal process, heck no. Not when most do not even want Indignous within their municipal borders, deeming us too “uncivilized” for their civilization. Dress right, speak right, be fairer than your family, don’t speak up and MAYBE you can be accepted. Eff that.

I am Indigenous. I am Anishinaabe. I am Kwe. The fact that Canada draw imaginary lines around our traditional territories, the fact that they claimed “responsibility” for us, changes nothing. Those are Canadian delusions, not mine.

But I am no longer deluded, not when it comes to political parties.

The journey continues. I am Kwe.

I love you.
HUGSSSSSSSSSS
Sandi