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First Nations - Canada and New Zealand

(June 28th 2014)
Report by Coralie Smith

After our AGM on Saturday 28th June 2014 we heard a talk by Professor David MacDonald on his work with First Nations people in Canada and how he is comparing their history and lifestyle to the indigenous people of New Zealand.

On sabbatical leave from the University of Guelph, Canada, David chose to continue his research in New Zealand partly because he is married to local girl Dana Wensley and partly because he studied at the University of Otago.

In New Zealand he wanted to see how pakeha and maori relate to each other and other ethnic groups and to see how Canadians are similar to New Zealanders.

David is a political scientist specialising in International Relations and Comparative Politics. His mother's family is Trinidadian Indian and his father's ancestry is Scots. David feels that he brings a multicultural perspective to issues in political science.

Canada is vastly different to New Zealand not only in land area being the world's second largest country and population having almost 35 million people but also how it was settled and by whom. It has two official languages French and English.

It is also vastly different in how the two countries First Nations peoples have been treated. David reminded us of some of the important steps in our history that shows we are a multicultural nation.

In 1975 the Waitangi Tribunal was set up. In 1987 Maori was declared an official language. In 1993 MMP changed the political scene. People of all races have the vote. We all have equal rights in law.

In Canada there are 12 indigenous language groups with 120 different groups within this. Known as Status Indians they live on reserves and have treaties with the Government and are represented in Government by the Aboriginal Minister who by law can never be an Indian.

The laws of Canada make it very difficult for a Status Indian to become educated and still claim to be an Indian therefore it is very difficult for the First Nations to change their status or the system. They only received the right to vote in 1960 which opened our eyes.

There is a lot of work and study taking place between the First Nations people of Canada and New Zealand. David is one of many at university level who are working to help the indigenous people of both countries.

In his research David has interviewed people like Winston Peters, Phil Gough, Peter Chin, mayor of Dunedin as well as people on maraes and universities.

If you would like to learn more about David's work have a look at his website www.davidbmacdonald.com

David's talk was on a topic quite different to any we have had before. He made a complex topic seem simple, his easy going way of presenting showed he is used to talking to people from all walks of life and that he is very aware of the problems of the First Nations people in all countries. We hope his work makes a difference.

 
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