In Canada, white supremacy is the law of the land

Art Manuel at Standing Rock in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota.

In this excerpt from his recently-released book, the late Indigenous activist Arthur Manuel writes about how the BNA Act that created Canada set the young country on the path to a “race-based democracy”

Resistance 150: Why Canada’s birthday celebrations aren’t for everyone

by Jackie Dunham, CTV News, June 27, 2017

As organizers ramp up anticipation for Canada’s big bash honouring the 150th anniversary of Confederation, indigenous activists are rallying their own counter-celebrations.

The #Resistance150 movement was created nearly eight months ago by Anishinaabe traditional storyteller and teacher Isaac Murdoch, Michif visual artist Christi Belcourt, Cree activist Tanya Kappo and Métis author Maria Campbell while they were discussing the government’s planned festivities for Canada 150.

Video: UNsettling Canada 150

Published to Youtube on Jun 29, 2017

In honour of Art Manuel and the integrity with which he always began with the land and honoured the grassroots people, the #Unsettling150 crew are proud to launch this video filled with Art’s words, read by his daughter Kanahus Manuel, to launch the final lead-up to the national day of action, education, and reflection. Respect to Michael Toledano for his work on this video. Please share widely.

#Resist150: Battleford mass hangings poster

Not sure who did the poster, but there it is…

“The executions of the Indians ought to convince the Red Man that the White Man governs” Prime Minister John A MacDonald.

Nova Scotia Coffee House Puts Up One Hell Of A Canada 150 Sign

By Zi-Ann Lum, HuffPost Canada, June 13, 2017

It’s all about perspective.

A coffeehouse in Grand Pre, N.S. flipped its sign earlier this week to nudge people to think deeper around the context of Canada’s 150 birthday.

To do that, the folks at Just Us! Coffee placed “MI KMAKI 13000” under the words “CANADA 150” on their signboard.

Anti-Canada 150 Poster Pack

It’s Going Down, June 13, 2017

As Canada spends half a billion dollars to celebrate its 150th year of land theft and colonial violence, Indigenous communities across Canada remain without access to clean water and endure acute poverty. Indigenous territories remain coveted by extractive industries and multinational corporations, who receive physical support from the RCMP and other agencies to forcibly steal and contaminate unceded Indigenous lands. From Oka to Elsipogtog, Canadian history shows us that Indigenous people who stand up to protect their homelands from destruction are frequently met with military force.

Six Indigenous scholars share their views of Canada at 150

Most of them won’t be celebrating.

By MOIRA MACDONALD, University Affairs, June 7, 2017

Confederation has been described as a turning point for the worse in the lives of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. Indigenous rights established through Britain’s Royal Proclamation of 1763 and subsequent treaties were not upheld, it’s been well-argued. There was a steep decline in the vitality of Indigenous cultures and languages, and in people’s well-being, particularly after the Indian Act of 1876.

NoCanada: Looking for Contributors and Co-Conspirators!

Militants burn Canadian flag during anti-Canada Day protests in Vancouver, BC.

From Montreal Counter-Information

Celebrations of the canadian state’s 150th anniversary are well underway and are looking to heat up as we approach July 1st. Over the past couple of months a few of us have been putting together a website/multimedia project against the canada 150 project as well as to put forward ideas that are against the state, colonization, capitalism, and all the misery that “canada” has meant for so many people.

We’re looking for your help to pull it off!

UNsettling 150: A Call to Action

IDLE NO MORE & DEFENDERS OF THE LAND: CALL TO ACTION

UNsettling Canada 150

In honour of Arthur Manuel, we call for a National Day of Action in support of Indigenous self-determination over land, territories, and resources

Canada 150 is a celebration of Indigenous genocide

The Scream, on the cover, The Subjugation of Truth, by Kent Monkman.

This year, the federal government plans to spend half a billion dollars on events marking Canada’s 150th anniversary, prompting a great deal of debate about its historical treatment of Indigenous peoples. The majority of Canadians don’t have all the facts about that, while First Nations continue to live the crisis-level effects of that legacy. Perhaps Canada should cancel its celebrations and undertake the hard work necessary to make amends.