Meeting with King ‘more than symbolic,’ say Indigenous leaders
Governor General, national Indigenous leaders discuss reconciliation with King Charles before coronation
Governor General Mary Simon, centre, led a delegation of Canadian Indigenous leaders to meet with King Charles on Thursday prior to his coronation on Saturday. From left are RoseAnne Archibald, national Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; King Charles, Simon, Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council, and Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. (Photo courtesy of Governor General/Twitter)
Indigenous leaders who spoke with King Charles ahead of his coronation say the meeting was a “meaningful” start to a new relationship with the Crown.
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, RoseAnne Archibald, national Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, and Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council, met with Charles on Thursday at Buckingham Palace.
In a statement, Simon said the meeting was the first of its kind between Indigenous groups and a British monarch and a historic day “for Indigenous Peoples, for Canada, and for our relationship with the Crown.”
“I have great hope for an improved Crown-Indigenous relationship in the coming years,” Simon said.
“The King understands the importance of walking the path of reconciliation with Canada and Indigenous Peoples.”
The three national Indigenous leaders issued a joint statement as well, saying the group discussed climate change, housing, Indigenous entrepreneurship, cultural preservation, and moving forward on issues related to reconciliation.
Obed spoke about the work of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee as an example of the Crown’s influence on reconciliation in Canada, and the interest of Inuit leaders in furthering discussions to repatriate items of cultural importance from British museums.
“All leaders recognized the positive nature of the discussion and felt that the meeting was more than symbolic but was in fact a sincerely meaningful meeting and the start of a new relationship with this new Monarch,” said the statement.
“Discussions like these are vital. They will start slowly, and grow, forming the pillars of a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples that is based on respect and understanding,” Simon said.
“While we know words are important, it is through our actions that we can make the most difference. I will continue to encourage all Canadians, as well as the Crown, to take action on reconciliation.”
The meeting was the only audience Canadians were granted with Charles before the coronation.
In her own statement, Nunavut MP Lori Idlout called the coronation an opportunity to “reset the relationship” between the monarchy and First Nations, Inuit and Métis .
“The monarchy can advance reconciliation by respecting Indigenous peoples’ self-determination and inherent rights, and that relationship must inform the federal government’s work on reconciliation in Canada,” she said.
The coronation of King Charles will take place Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London.
Oppressors wouldn’t be so strong without accomplices from the oppressed!
Ummm, are you criticizing the priorities and choices of Archibald, Obed and Simon?
Pray thee tell, what would your priorities be? Yes, the King is a powerless figurehead, and the time is probably better spent with the powerholders in this country rather than with foreigners, but it can’t do any harm to chat with him.
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a42801041/king-charles-meets-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky-buckingham-palace-photo/
It is good to hear the king is only a symbolic fellow… endorsing as he has a US propped up puppet leader while pleading ignorance to the corruption and fascism tearing apart the Ukraine.
There’s really nothing the King can do when it comes to the issues raised by this group. Given that his role is purely symbolic (much like Simon’s role) I don’t know what they expect to come of this?
They were just taking about it. Doesn’t mean they were asking for anything.
Looks like Charles got himself a few Aunties,
High Five!!
“Royalty” belongs in the 9th century. My 0.05 cents worth anyways. Let’s see them downer thumbs.
I might add a few centuries onto that, but in essence your sentiment is true. We are living in the modern era and have been since the French and US revolutions.
While Canada has been slow to ‘let go’ of its symbolic and emotional ties to the Crown, there are few today who believe the Monarchy has a place in our future.
This is a nod of respect to Canada’s British cultural roots. It is a tacit acknowledgement and return of respect to the state which has come a long way to show respect toward their cultures.
The Supreme Court of Canada has often reminded the federal government (the crown) that it was breaching its fiduciary duty to Indigenous people and its duty under the honour of the crown. One has to remember that it’s under British colonial rule that the ancestor of the Indian Act, the Act to Encourage the Gradual Civilization of the Indian Tribes in the Province (1857 – the Province means the province of Canada) was passed.
Monarchy is the ultimate symbol of colonialism that has been a disaster for Indigenous peoples on this continent. If Indigenous peoples are serious about decolonization, the last thing would be to ask the King to help…
” If Indigenous peoples are serious about decolonization…”
Are they?
I suspect the term ‘decolonization’ today means something different than it did a half century ago when former colonized states, largely in Africa and Asia, were gaining their independence. At present the goals of the movement appear centered on symbolic, quasi-mystical connections to a past that is a mix of truth and fiction. It imagines new forms of governance which it is not entirely clear on. That, at least, is what I get from reading your commentary.