performative reconciliation

Performative Reconciliation is the Buffalo in the room that noone talks about. It’s when you have Descendians and Pretendians taking up massive spaces and they just sit there. They are jetted all over the country to be stoic in boardrooms, conferences, handing out comps and edging in on Photo Ops with the brass of Company A, B, and C, rackin up the social media influence, and signing on the dotted line. But they get paid well, better than an Indigenous person would. I’ve seen this play out dozens upon dozens of times, I am always observing, noting, reflecting, pondering. I think about things that affect my people all the time.

I’ve been MC for key events, I’ve spoken for the City of Toronto, major universities, been at many, many places. Indigenous, corporate, private sector, public sector, Labour Congress, Procurement Canada, PDAC, I have seen Corporate Canada and the millions of dollars that change hands in the name of Reconciliation.

Thus, I hereby dub the term “Performative Reconciliation” and I shall give you two clear examples and this DIRECTLY related to Indigenous Identity Fraud.

PERFORMATIVE RECONCILIATION

… happens when Nadia George is named Ambassador for Water First and the Dreamcatcher Charitable Foundation, and the woman has been proven to be not Indigenous at all. Pretty sure, there’s some sort of scholarship in her name at a college, too. How’d that happen? How is she getting the Ontario Premier Award of Excellent for being a Pretendian?

… happens when Lynn Groulx becomes Chief Executive Officer of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, NWAC. Her last Indigneous ancestor was early 1700s, we Pretendian Hunters call her a “Descendian”, an apt name for an opportunist who is desperate to reach WAY back to an Indigenous Ancestor that couldn’t possible relate any authentic Indigenous Lived Experience. Descendians are comically inauthentic! But she’ll tell you she’s Indigneous with the confidence Michelle Latimer had. How’d that happen? How is she getting to be the CEO of Canada’s biggest Indigenous Womens’ Rights org, being a Descendian?

PERFORMATIVE RECONCILIATION

It’s when Corporate Canada and their interests intentionally steer away from an authentically Indigenous Person and instead, prefer the Pretendian or Descendian. WHAT? Yes, this happens all the time.

The Pretendians tends to be a barren Capitalist.

The Descendian tends to be an opportunist.

Neither the Pretendian NOR the Descendian is accountable to a nation, a tribal council, or other body of Indigenous people, and are therefore much more easy to control. The Pretendian and the Descendian pretty much operate on their own - outside of the circle and are easily bought by corporate interests that need to show Indigenous Engagement.

So.

Performative Reconciliation happens when Corporate Canada pretends to undertake Indigenous Engagement, but it’s all a smoke screen to award business to friends, allies and often, interests are NOT Indigenous at all.

They’re outbidding Indigenous companies and start ups in the Procurement Process, they’re partnering with fake Métis and other Pretendians, Descendians, and other fly-by-night self-proclaimed-Indigenous-Corportations and bypassing authentic Indigenous nations.

Before I leave, one important definition: CPAIN

Corporations
Posing
As
Indigenous
Nations

Like the MNO, and honestly, NWAC. I worked there, visited Head Office in Gatineau, and in my tumultuous sixteen month employ there, I would say around 15% of their workforce is actually Indigenous. Yes dang they get a LOT of money, all their top brass is NOT Indigenous. How does this happen? Performative Reconciliation.

Stop Performative Reconciliation and the Rise of CPAINs.

Crystal Semaganis