Content warning: This article mentions anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, and murder. 

“Truth and reconciliation” is becoming the new “thoughts and prayers.” While Canadian politicians acknowledge the country’s violent history, I believe they make little effort to change the present. 

Our politicians offer constant apologies and pledges — like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2021 apology for unmarked graves at residential schools — to quell our rage over the lack of true progress. 

For politicians, the appearance of progress often matters more than real change. I also saw this prevalent during the Black Lives Matter protests, in which US leaders took a knee and commissioned street murals in honour of the movement, while various states increased police funding for an organ of the government that is infamous for over-policing and brutality within Black communities. 

With no options for real social change, marginalized groups are left choosing between the bare minimum or nothing at all. I believe Trudeau’s bare minimum is only marginally better than Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre’s proposed reversal of progress. But just because one is slightly better doesn’t mean we should settle for it.

Empty promises and political stagnation

In 2015, Trudeau ran for the leadership of the Liberal Party, gaining support by advocating for Indigenous communities. After the election, he engaged with Indigenous organizations and launched the National Action Plan — an initiative to combat the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. However, these initiatives have led to little substantive change, as the homicide rate for Indigenous women remains six times higher than that of non-Indigenous women in 2023. 

Violence against Indigenous peoples remains prevalent. For example, Steven Dedam — a Mi’kmaq man in New Brunswick — was murdered by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police this year during a “wellness check.”

I believe that like many politicians, Trudeau thinks pointing out Canada’s violent history against Indigenous peoples reflects well on him, yet the underlying issues remained unchanged. 

Like Trudeau, Poilievre frames what I view to be reductive policies as ‘progress.’ In a speech to the Assembly of First Nations in July, he promised the Chiefs present that, if elected, his government would reduce the federal involvement in their lives and give them greater control over their economic futures. 

In my view, Poilievre is simply imposing a ‘pull yourself up by your bootstrap’ mentality on Indigenous issues, ignoring the government’s responsibility to address the traumatic effects of the Canadian government’s historical  policies and programs like the residential school system.

Additionally, his environmental policies centre on “axing” the carbon tax, one of Canada’s key efforts to combat climate change. Environmental issues affect everyone but are especially relevant for Indigenous peoples, whom Canada has recognized as “stewards” of the land. 

Knowing what could happen if Poilievre is elected as Prime Minister, I can somewhat appreciate Trudeau. I recognize he is the better of the two. I can see the Liberal Party’s efforts in their 4.35 billion dollar investment into 1,345 clean water infrastructure projects for Indigenous communities. As of October, 146 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted since 2015.

I ultimately prefer incremental progress and acknowledgment over ignorance and decline.

Learn from the past, plan for the future

However, we should not settle for shallow gestures and acknowledgments. I have noticed that politicians often prioritize saying anything to secure power over our collective wellbeing, and if we rely solely on their limited ‘good intentions,’ progress in addressing social issues will stagnate. 

If you are non-Indigenous, you might view politics surrounding Indigenous issues as distant or irrelevant. However, I’d remind readers that we all live under the same government. Oppressive governments often start by targeting marginalized communities before moving on to others. Without sounding alarmist, the issues you turn away from may eventually affect you when you least expect it. 

We must take action within our communities. Even as non-Indigenous people, there are steps we can take: speak to your local representatives, attend Indigenous-led protests, collaborate with the Assembly of First Nations, or engage in community dialogue. 

Change can be incremental or accelerated; it depends on your actions now.

Emmanuella Nwabuoku is a first-year student at Victoria College.