WATERLOO — The Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde gave a unifying lecture last week at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.
He presented the lecture that he called “Closing the Gap: A new era for First Nations in Canada”, on Friday, April 1. He addressed the need to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
“The gap represents housing conditions, the gap represents the number of Indigenous people in jail, the gap represents the number of our children in childcare,” said Chief Bellegarde. His list of issues that are causing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada to grow went on to include the 132 boil water advisories across Canada and the cost of Indigenous post-secondary education.
Chief Bellegarde commented on the recently released federal budget’s decision to allocate $8.4 billion to First Nations across Canada.
“It’s a historic investment,” he said. “When you invest in human capitol, only good things can come from it.”
The auditorium was filled with people of different races and backgrounds — the impression that the Chief’s lecture gave was one of unification and bringing people together.
“Making the call to work together, deal with our differences and try to work with the mainstream world is a good thing,” said Carolyn King, community organizer and former Chief of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. “I agree with the things he [Chief Bellegarde] said in regards to closing the gap.”
It’s no longer a secret, thanks to things like the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that there are obvious inequalities between Indigenous people and settler Canadians. Student at Laurier, Corinne Araujo, sees the gap too.
“I absolutely see a gap in equality and it’s not fair,” she said. “The turning point for me and what really made me see it was when I took a course at the school called Introduction to Indigenous Societies.”
Araujo said that she wants to see the gap closed quickly because there is a growing concern in the country that enough is enough. She wants to see change and she wants to see change that lasts.
“Coming here and being a part of this lecture has filled me with so much respect for Indigenous people. Being welcomed in and invited to be a part the opening songs and thanksgivings is such an honour,” said Araujo. “I wasn’t given the opportunity to grow up with that — I wish I did.”
