Read this powerful paragraph from Ovide Mercredi, delivered at the Crown-First Nations summit in the presence of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and AFN National Chief Shaun Atleo:
Do we trust Canada? We want to trust Canada. We have a leader who is a great person for reconciliation, to bring people together. But he also relies on warriors to speak and we have many warriors across the country. We are a peaceful people but — and we are very patient — but now we say to Canada, it’s time to act.
Watching Mercredi deliver this speech, I took it to mean that the “leader” he was referring to was Harper. His act of reconciliation was the apology for the residential schools. But the “warriors” would be, in my mind, members of his political party who, as in the case with the Attawapiskat crisis, seemed to criticize that band and chief on accountability.
But a Twitter follower, Wendy Kennedy, tweets to say she thought Mercredi was talking about Atleo.
UPDATE: Ain’t Twitter a wonderful thing? Just got this tweet: “Don Kelly w AFN communications here David. Mercredi confirmed w us directly he was referring to NC Atleo.”
David, I interpreted a new paragraph after “we want to trust Canada.” I believe he went on to speak about Chief Atleo’s ability & reonciliation to bring everyone together, and wisdom in allowing the warriors to speak to the matters at hand. Look forward to hearing from Ovide for clarification. Thanks!