A landmark legal precedent was set on June 26, 2014 at the Supreme Court of Canada. The decision to uphold the Tsilhqot’in’s right to their traditional territory will have far reaching consequences for the Tsilhqot’in, and presents an important opportunity for other non-treaty First Nations. However, while the decision represents significant change at the legal level, at the level of public discourse we continue to hear the same story about protecting the economy and providing “certainty” for economic interests. Moreover, an essentializing discourse around Aboriginal people and issues has disadvantaged First Nations’ interests, while reinforcing the tension between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canada. This presentation will begin with a brief overview of the ways in which Canada’s colonial history precipitated the rise of poverty among First Nations communities. It will then explore how the rise of neoliberal government policy has marginalized Aboriginal people in BC by prioritizing the interests of the market and “the taxpayer”, and by engaging in what Suzan Ilcan has called a responsibilizing ethos which privatizes responsibility for human wellbeing. Ultimately, the greatest challenge remaining in reconciling governmental and Aboriginal interests, I argue, is coming to view Aboriginal interests as Canadian interests.
