Why I Vote: Danny Knight
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As part of our coverage of the 2015 Federal Election, we are asking Indigenous people in this province to tell us “Why I Vote.” These are the unedited words from our interviewees. You can find more in our
Interviews section
.
Daniel
(Danny) Hanover Knight, 28, Publicist at the Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre.
Did you vote in the last federal election?
Yes
Will you be voting in this election?
Yes
What is the most important issue to you this election?
Water,
Indigenous Rights
Why is it important for Indigenous people to vote?
There is
a sentiment or rather an anti-sentiment involved concerning voting in canada
for it’s indigenous peoples
I’ve
heard that if you do vote you are seceding your “indian-ness”,
that somehow voting makes you more subservient, or at least empathetic to the
Canadian government. That in the act of voting you are being traitorous to your
heritage and spitting on the graves of your ancestors; whom died at the hands
of the Canadian government. The question arises “why we would vote
in a country that continues to marginalize, degrade and ignore it’s indigenous
people” and for a long time I sat inline with those beliefs, and took
pride in my non-voting, that somehow it proved in my belief that the NDP,
Liberal and Conservative Caucuses were not representative of me and who I am
(realistically each party has done their fair share damage to the indigenous
peoples) . However as i grow older my worldview begins to shift from
“Canada Vs its indigenous peoples” to new thoughts like
” how can we change Canada and it’s view of Indigenous peoples”
“How can i actually do something to affect the major worldview of
Canada and its peoples?” “how do we bridge the gap between status and
non-status people”, “how can I honour my past relatives and
ancestors who died oppressed in this country?”. I can’t really go out to
the Unistoten camps and stand with them, because i has a son who i have provide
for. As for bridging the gap between Status and non status people, well I life my
live colour blind, and when anyone is marginalized I stand with them. As for
the last question, well that’s a tough one, and I have to take to Canada’s
history to formulate a real opinion on this one “Beginning in
1960
,
aboriginal Canadians were no longer required to give up their treaty rights and
renounce their status under the Indian Act in order to qualify for the vote
”
when i
think about this, I realize that the old anti-voting ideology really
only fits in the past. Back before 1960 Voting really did mean you literally
secede your indian-ness and that you agree to conform to Canada and it’s ways.
Really only then you would be turning your back on your ancestors and
indigenous history. However anytime after 1960 Voting means something entirely
different, It means you are honouring the people who fought for the RIGHT for
indigenous people to vote, and that in voting you can do something restorative
about all the people who died in residential schools, and who died in care of
the province. That now we have a voice now, we are no longer muzzled and we can
do something to affect the Canadian Government.
As i look over the policies of each party i can’t help but feel contempt, over
the past and how they treated the indigenous people of Canada,
but when
I see candidates in the federal election Like Lisa Abbot,Georgina
Jolibois and even Rob Clarke, I can see that change IS happening
in Canada and that if I don’t vote I dishonour the Sweat, Blood and Tears
the indigenous people have poured into this country.
Climate Change is real, vote to protect our lakes again, vote to protect our
lands (when i say “our” I really mean everyone in Canada).
Indigenous peoples are supposed to be the stewards of this land, how can we be
the stewards if we don’t even vote?
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