Some Manitoba Chiefs say they hope King Charles III will reconsider the decision not to hold a meeting with Indigenous leaders during his two-day visit to Canada.
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson and Southern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels joined Indigenous leaders from across the country on Parliament Hill Monday morning to call on the Crown to respect the treaties to which they are signed.
“We are your allies,” Daniels said. “That is the nature of the relationship in this country.”
Charles, who arrived in Canada Monday alongside Queen Camilla for a visit which will include the opening of Parliament on Tuesday, will be the first Canadian monarch to deliver the throne speech in almost a half-century. His itinerary includes meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Governor General Mary Simon.
Grand Chief Wilson told Global News that excluding First Nations leaders is a sign of disrespect.
“We always hear of the term ‘nation to nation,’ but we’re actually not seeing that happen,” she told Global News.
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“It’s always First Nations really knocking on the door, asking to be let in. And we can’t allow for that anymore.”
Wilson said she is hopeful Charles will reconsider before his visit ends Tuesday afternoon.
“We do see a lot of policy, we do a lot of funding agreements, we see a lot of compensation. We see all of this right now, but it doesn’t really truly address the true intent of treaty implementation, and so that’s what we’re talking about this week,” she said.
Grand Chief Daniels will be an attendance for Tuesday’s speech in Ottawa, and said in a statement Monday that it’s an opportunity to advocate for the 32 nations represented by SCO.
“I hope to witness a renewed relationship and acknowledgement of the wrongdoings of the past, setting the stage for a transformed future,” Daniels said.
“The relationship with the settlers who came to our territories has long been one of profound complexity, marked by sacred agreements and damaging betrayals.”
Daniels said he hopes to see a change from the actions of past sovereigns and their governments, which had negative impacts on generations of First Nations people.
“It is essential that we see a fundamental reset in our relationship with the Crown. At the opening of the 45th Parliament of Canada, I hope to witness a foundation set for our future generations to thrive through a genuinely renewed and equitable relationship.
“This cannot occur by small, incremental changes to the systems that sought to break us, but by forging a new path collectively as First Nations and settlers cohabiting this land given to us by Creator.”
— with files from Iris Dyck
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