Monsurat
Alberta’s Premier, Danielle Smith released a video on Twitter on Friday, reminiscing on the origin story of Canada that’s not sitting well with Indigenous people in Southern Alberta, says CTV News Calgary.
In the video she said “As I walk the streets of our nation’s capital, I can’t help but be reminded of history of this place, including how Canada was founded. Many years ago, the indigenous people of this land and those that came from across the world united to tame an unforgiving frontier ensuring prosperity for countless future generations.”
She continued “it was their duty to support one another as neighbors and to build this country together, developing democratic institutions that would yield good and stable governance. I think it’s important to remind ourselves where we came from because it might help shape where we’re going.”
According to CTV News, Jessica Salkeld, of the Reconciliation Action Group YYC, described Smith’s comments as “dehumanizing, demoralizing and Hurtful.” Confirming that she has seen the video, and heard from the indigenous community in Alberta, she said Smith’s information was all wrong about the history of Canada and the role of the Indigenous people in it.
“If she has done any history reading, which she should be well-versed in the history of our country, in the history of this province, and if she knows anything about that history, she ought to know that what she’s seen as a bold-faced lie”
Salkeld said “The main statement she made was that she implied that indigenous peoples were quote, good neighbors in the creation of Canada and that equally participated in everything that came to put Canada together as a country and nation, implying we had equal partnership in all those pieces. That would include residential schools, and the genocide of indigenous people that is continuing today.”
The video was recorded in Ottawa, where she and Canada’s premiers met with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to talk about healthcare and she is now being pushed to apologize for her comments.
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