Editor:
This whole debate over who owns Fish Lake in the media is invalid.
Anyone with half a brain (well, I guess that’s an exaggeration) can tell you the well-known concepts of shared borders and intertwined histories of overlapping territories.
Bears, wolves, cougars and humans from all sorts of different nations have traditionally lived like this since time immemorial.
This colonial idea of territorial ownerships of such ultimatums are culturally, scientifically and legally invalid as shared borders were the norm in most, if not all, Aboriginal cultures.
Rambling on about who was here first is like a foolish person arguing with himself for only a fool argues with a fool, as everybody knows land claims are only valid as how things were in 1871.
Many African tribal nations land claims have been settled this way. The Bank of Nova Scotia has done a study that if Canada were to settle Aboriginal land claims this would free up red tape that hinders business opportunities between local non-native communities, Aboriginal communities and businesses.
It’s also interesting that the Harper government is under investigation for censorship of the panel of environmental scientists. Never mind the fact scientists have discovered a toxic-eating bacteria that extrudes gold! One can produce gold now like home brew, theoretically.
It is so inspirational to hear so many Shuswaps, Chilcotins and many non-native youths who want to protect Fish Lake.
An Aboriginal rap artist called Illiano will be coming to Williams Lake on April 20. Fact is, this whole conservative colonial 19th century style of territorial ownership of land claims, and how we deal with the environment, resources and aboriginal communities, is so dated that it’s comparable to an old school they tore down to build the old school we know today.
It is so difficult for me to tolerate or even discuss this subject to mindless parrots that mimic propaganda using emotionalism and sensationalism.
This is the 21st century. It’s time we act like it is.
Andrew Merritt
Williams Lake