You Have an Opportunity: What Will You Do With It?

Written by Joe Antone, Manager, Health Equity & Indigenous Reconciliation, Middlesex London Health Unit

Opportunity. In and of itself, opportunity as an idea is extraordinary. Defined as “a set of circumstances that make it possible to do something”, the possibilities seem endless. Many people in our region have harrowing stories of ancestors coming to Canada with little more than two feet, a heartbeat, and an opportunity. The stories sound heroic, and many are. But we must acknowledge and understand that these stories and the opportunities were only possible because of racist policies that led to mass killing of Indigenous people and mass land theft. 

The laws and attitudes that devastated Indigenous communities and saw rise to Canada are still present and are relatively unchanged. Statistics like 30-50% (depending on age group) of people in Canada’s justice system are Indigenous are expressions of these racist policies, policies that contemporary Canadians have been in no rush to change.

The good news is that more and more people acknowledge that these policies allowed both the historical building of wealth and power and the current sustainment of  it while preventing Indigenous people from doing the same. To put it simply, opportunities are scant when there is a 90% child poverty rate among Indigenous people in London.

If only there was an event that left us so scared that we had to begin taking care of one another again no matter what colour we were?

Enter COVID-19.

COVID-19 has torn down silos and brought us together under the shared goal of survival and the recognition of the value of all human life in a way nothing else has. This presents us an opportunity we may never see again in our lifetime. The opportunity to unite and remain united under our shared humanity, including the truth that Indigenous people deserve the same quality-of-life and opportunities that settlers and their ancestors have enjoyed, and we need to change a lot to make that possible.

So, what is required to get us there?

The determinant of health most cited by Indigenous people is self-determination. You have an opportunity to partner with us in making Indigenous self-determination happen. We cannot do it without you.

Step one involves becoming honest with yourself and others, acknowledging that you will probably have to give something up, and normalizing this among your peers by expressing your willingness to do so.

Step two involves adjusting your “reconciliation” lens by several orders of magnitude. To think bigger than “what can I do to adjust a program?” (which remains critical) to bigger picture questions like “How can we give land back so Indigenous people can generate wealth and sustenance?” A transformation in thinking and doing is required.

Step three involves establishing trusting and respectful relationships with Indigenous people and working together using our strengths to achieve our co-defined goals.

You have an opportunity to return some power and resources so Indigenous people can self-determine what is next for us, to create a set of circumstances that make wellness possible.

I know this is not the tangible reconciliation manual you desire. What is required is for you to work from a good mind and a good heart, and for once, take our lead.

We don’t want charity, in fact we are quite tired of it. We want the same thing you have enjoyed at our expense, the power and means to self-determine, language fluency, to care for our own, to protect our women and children from abduction and murder, to have enough land to eat a traditional diet, to be acknowledged as worthy of wellness.

You have an opportunity to say racism ends with me. Missing and murdered Indigenous women and children ends with me. Living in a country with race-based legislation ends with me. 90% child poverty in MY city ends with me.

COVID has thrust us into a period of unprecedented convalescence, and I invite you to consider that it also offers us an opportunity for unprecedented coalescence.

What will you do with it?