Why Canada should not choose an Indigenous Governor General

Vincent J. Curtis

29 Jan 21

Selecting an Indigenous for Governor General would be counter-productive to the aim of gaining “reconciliation” with the Indigenous peoples of Canada.  It might make guilt-ridden Anglos feel better about themselves, but any such selection would be rejected by the main stream of the Indigenous people.  The individual would be seen either as a lucky opportunist, or a sell-out.

In the first place, Indigenous people do not regard themselves as Canadian.  They are First Nations, not Canadian.  They regard themselves as sovereign, and distinct from Canada.  They were never classified as British subjects, naturally; and are only Canadian citizens by virtue of the Citizenship Act of 1947 and to the Indian Act of 1951.  They would regard any attempt to make them more like run-of-the-mill Canadian as simply another attempt to extinguish their separate identity and to absorb them into general Canadian society, as was and is one of the aims of the Indian Act since 1876.

The Americans thought that electing Barack Obama president of the United States would end the historical issues of slavery and racism in that country, but it actually made the problem of racism much worse.  Identity politics is tearing America apart, and indulging identity politics in Canada will have similar effect.

The Governor General represents the Queen in Canada.  It would awkward for a beneficiary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to represent the monarchy to those charged with upholding that proclamation.

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