How Can We Achieve Land Back in Montreal?

What is the significance of land acknowledgements and what is Land Back? In this episode of Local 514, we look at Land Back and how this can be achieved in Montreal and beyond.

We invite Kenneth Deer, an Indigenous rights activist at the international, national and provincial level from the Mohawk Nation and Marisella Amador, the Assistant Editor of the Eastern door, a community-based newspaper serving the community of Kahnawake to discuss this.

Land acknowledgements have become more common in the last few years and more recently.

Land acknowledgements are historically accurate ways to recognize the traditional First Nations, Inuit or Métis territories of a place.

So what is the Montreal Canadien’s connection to this story? Since the hockey season began, the Canadiens have decided to make land acknowledgments before every game. Stating: "Tiohtià:ke / Montreal is historically known as a meeting place for First Peoples. The Montreal Canadiens wish to honour these peoples by recognizing that their arena is located on unceded traditional Indigenous territory. We wish to acknowledge the Kanien’kehá:ka, also known as the Mohawk Nation, as guardians of the lands and waters where we gather on today.”

The acknowledgement was written with the help of community leaders and experts.

This was received with waves of support from the Mohawk Nation, as well as allies. But it also faced critique.

Quebec Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière told reporters he believed the Canadiens might be mistaken, saying its important to recognize indigenous leaders who were here before settlers and co-inhabit the space, ”but now we’re getting into a debate of historians who don’t agree, so maybe it was a mistake.”

Historians dispute whether the Mohawk Nation or Saint Lawrence Iroquois should be recognized.

Land acknowledgements are one of the first steps to reconciliation, while land back is the goal. 

To get into Land Back, we have to look into the United Nations Declaration of Independence and Bill C-15.

The U.N. Declaration of Independence, also known as UNDRIP, adopted by the United Nations enshrines the rights that, “Constitute the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world.”  

UNDRIP protects collective rights that may not be addressed in other human rights charters which emphasize individual rights. UNDRIP also secures the individual rights of Indigenous people. 

It was adopted by the U.N. on September 13, 2007. 144 nations voted for UNDRIP and 4 voted against, including Canada.

The Canadian government has not been upholding UNDRIP, however, a law was passed by the House of Commons in December 2020, Bill C-15, to enforce UNDRIP in Canada. The complete upholding of UNDRIP and effects of C-15 are still waiting to be seen.

Deer was an active participant in UNDRIP. He discussed his critiques on the Canadian governments responsibility to uphold this declaration with Local 514.

The topic of Land Back has also come up with recent protests on Wet’Suwet’en land, as the Coastal Gaslink pipeline construction continues on Gidimt’en clan territory.  In early 2020, protesters blocked parts of the Canadian Pacific tracks in support of Wet’Suwet'en. Deer, was a spokesperson for the blockade of railway tracks on Kahnawake territory. He once said, “railways had more rights than we did.” 

What does he mean by this and how does transportation and resource exploitation for economic gain by the government and corporations prevent Land Back?

With acknowledging recent activism and activism that continues, how can we achieve Land Back in Montreal? Watch the full episode to find out more.