(The following article is from the June 16-30, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $25/year, or $12 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $25 US per year; other overseas readers - $25 US or $35 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

People's Voice Editorial

We all know that July 1 is Canada Day, and many non-Quebecers remember that June 24 is the Fete National du Québec. But one measure of the distance yet to travel towards the goal of genuine social, economic, political and cultural equality among the nations within Canada is that fewer non-Aboriginals can name June 21 as National Aboriginal Day. On the other hand, this date was made official in 1996 by the federal government, reflecting the inherent colonial and oppressive nature of the Canadian state.

      Still, June 21 is an occasion to extend greetings of solidarity to the Aboriginal peoples - the First Nations, the Innu and the Métis.

     For centuries, the Aboriginal peoples have struggled to overcome the legacy of poverty imposed by the colonizing powers. Today, there remains a wide inequality gap in employment, incomes, employment, education, housing, and access to health care. Dozens of Aboriginal reserves and communities remain without the "luxury" of clean drinking water. First Nation youth face an unemployment rate of 38% on reserve and 27% overall, even though the resource wealth of Canada is extracted from the lands and waters of the indigenous peoples.

     This inequality is not in the interests of working people. Our common fightback against right-wing governments and corporate domination will be strengthened immeasurably through unity in action. To be effective, such unity must include understanding among the workers of English-speaking Canada - the oppressor nation - of the multi-national character of this country. June 21 is a day to remind ourselves that the struggles of the Aboriginal peoples for true self-determination must be given the full support of the labour movement and all democratic and progressive forces.