Canada Day Q&A: Poundmaker Cree Nation member chooses not to celebrate

While families across the country are out watching fireworks and enjoying the festivities of Canada Day, Colby Tootoosis will be at home relaxing with his family.

Choosing not to celebrate Canada Day is a conscious decision that he has had a lot of time to think about.

Tootoosis is a proud member of Poundmaker Cree Nation, Treaty 6 territory, Sask.

He is a life skills coach, a talented public speaker, and just this week, he and his partner Andrea Landry welcomed their firstborn daughter to the Nehiyawak nation.

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CBC's Lenard Monkman interviewed Tootoosis about his perspective on Indigenous people celebrating Canada Day, Indigenous identity, and treaties.

How do you identify?

I am Nehiyaw, from the Nehiyawak peoples, from the Nehiyaw nation. Treaty national from Treaty 6.

What was it like growing up surrounded by politics?

I just grew up knowing that it was natural to discuss Indigenous rights. So for me it was a natural thing to be aware. And to stand true in regards to what has been passed down in terms of our rights and who we are.

Was that something that you learned from your family?

Yes. My late father, my uncles, my aunties, my kookums. They were really avid in not hiding information in regards to who we are, or they were encouraging and going in the direction to be Nehiyaw — even if it meant I stood out, and I was different than what was regularly accepted.

Because the truth is, fresh out of residential schools … a lot of our people were striving to be Canadian. They were striving to seek an equality in order to fulfill a need —  a need to be Canadian ... to be equal to the white man, or to prove self worth. 

I think I'm lucky, even privileged to be raised in the presence of some old people who resisted that, and [saw] that for what it was. Not in terms of shaming that behaviour, but more in a sense of "just be yourself", and watch, everyone will follow suit.

I think based on those that I grew up with ... other families out there who grew up similarly and also stood their ground, and weren't ashamed of who they were. We're seeing that outcome today. They [elders] were right. Now we're seeing a lot of young people today who are striving to be Indigenous.

But the only thing is that momentum of striving to be Indigenous is being hijacked by definitions that the colonial system has imposed on us. That contributes to the confusion, the misidentification. It basically lays the road for our children to comply, conform and to compromise the dignity of our ancestors.

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How do you interpret treaties?

I can only speak in the context of Treaty 6. I can only speak from my understanding based on what was taught and what was told to me, and it really comes down to the principle that Canada wouldn't be here, and these provinces wouldn't be here it wasn't for, specifically in my area Treaty 6 or in a broader context, the numbered treaties. 

The truth is, in our area Treaty 6, when we signed treaties, that we agreed for the crown's sovereignty to exist here.

To me it's looking at it from the perspective that it's like we're the landlords. To translate that in our language, because we're stewards to the land but we're also the original occupants to this land.

Canada being here, has to pay the rent. [Canada has] to fulfill [its] obligation under treaty.

What are you doing for Canada Day?

Nothing. I'll probably be at home playing video games and doing some yard work.

Distancing myself from Canada Day is not me being a party pooper or anything. It's not saying "don't celebrate Canada Day" or trying to talk down to other people who actually enjoy Canada Day. Children like it, children have fun, they play. It's wonderful.

But at the same time, sure, kids go have fun, but know who you are. Rock your braids, and know where your ancestors come from.

This interview has been edited for length.