28 business elite canada
H
MAY 2018
in what happens on the land. In many
places across Canada our Indigenous
peoples still practice the traditional
hunting and fishing activities that we
have done for centuries. Our relation-
ship to the land is sacred, because we
know it is the resources on the land
that we rely upon for our survival, and
we know instinctively that we must
have a respectful relationship with the
land.
The assertion of our rights is the way
in which we can ensure our futures
and ensure the survival of our people
and our cultures. The assertion of our
rights is about inclusion. Since the
arrival of Europeans on this land, we
Indigenous peoples have been sub-
jected to colonialism and its conse-
quences. Our treaties have been mis-
interpreted and often used against us.
We have been subjected to efforts to
assimilate us, to remove us from our
traditional lands, and to take the “In-
dian” out of us, through for example,
the Indian Residential School System.
Arial view of Ouje-Bougoumou
