and fishing activities that we have done for
centuries. Our relationship to the land is sa-
cred, 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 sur-
vival of our people and our cultures. The as-
sertion of our rights is about inclusion. Since
the arrival of Europeans on this land, we In-
digenous peoples have been subjected to
colonialism and its consequences. Our trea-
ties have been misinterpreted and often used
against us. We have been subjected to efforts
to assimilate us, to remove us from our tradi-
tional lands, and to take the “Indian” out of
us, through for example, the Indian Residen-
tial School System.
When we insist that our rights be recognized,
it is for the purpose of pointing out and high-
lighting our exclusion from, among other
things, the benefits that our traditional lands
can provide. It is about insisting to be includ-
ed and benefiting from the development tak-
ing place on our lands.
Arial view of Ouje-Bougoumou
26 BUSINESS ELITE CANADA | JULY 2018
