#IdleNoMore by Ken Coates

Author:Ken Coates
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Regina Press
Published: 2015-04-06T21:44:45+00:00

The declaration, which was comprehensive in nature and more dramatic than the country had seen in some time, garnered surprisingly little media attention. By this point, the Canadian public clearly preferred to see the fast over and the protests moved out of the news.

The postmortem on Chief Spence’s protest began almost immediately after she ended her fast. The declaration didn’t figure in a January 24, 2013, article in the Toronto Star’s online arm, TheStar.com, which, editorially, is generally supportive of Aboriginal rights, but in this case, was quite critical of Spence and, by association, Idle No More:

That is the raw message of the youth-driven Idle No More movement as well. It is a demand for justice that political leaders should take to heart. Spence’s fast was controversial. Skeptics questioned how much she really accomplished, apart from a hurried, firefighting meeting on Jan. 11 between Harper, Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo and other chiefs. Many Canadians take a dim view of Idle No More, and doubt that her fast will have lasting impact. A critical audit of Attawapiskat’s books didn’t help. Moreover the afn very nearly split as Spence and younger voices defiantly challenged traditional negotiating methods. But divisive or not, this was a cry of anguish that cannot be ignored.70

Keith Beardsley of the National Post also offered a harsh assessment of Spence and a telling assessment of the relationship between her and Idle No More:

To her credit, when Spence began her “hunger strike,” she did succeed in creating a spike in interest in some broader aboriginal issues. However, her stubbornness and overplayed hand will have nullified much of the good will she initially gained for First Nations issues with the general population. . . . National Chief Shawn Atleo has been weakened, perhaps fatally, and no amount of phony rhetoric about going forward united can cover that up. . . . Some would argue that Spence has instilled a sense of pride in members of the First Nations, especially the younger generation. I would argue that with a rich history, culture and traditions, pride has always been there and any renewed interest is more likely due to the founders of the Idle No More Movement, not Chief Spence. It is this grassroots movement that deserves the credit for getting the government’s attention. Yes, Spence was and still is an inspiration to some of the participants in this movement, but she was never a spokesperson for it. . . . In other words, not much has changed.71

Unfortunately, much of the critical commentary about Spence’s action was personal, criticizing her for not showing any real side effects from her hunger strike / fast. She was accused of using up a lot of the good will Idle No More had generated, and of drawing attention away from the broader movement for Aboriginal rights.

An Ipsos Reid poll generated in mid-January 2013 found evidence of wide-ranging Canadian concern about conditions on reserves. But the same poll showed two-thirds of Canadians felt the Government of Canada paid too much for Aboriginal support programs.

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