“Senate approves bill to help divorced, abused female natives”
So read the headline published in the GLOBE AND MAIL, dated July 7, 2010 and written by a Bill Curry.
Yes, like most Canadians know and if not, at least perceive the many challenges that face First Nations on reserve, some of which include economic issues, drug, alcohol, substance abuse, low graduation levels, etc. The above noted issue has reached the federal government level and is known as Bill S-4 which outlines, “The government bill sets up federal rules granting reserve residents access to the courts to sort out residency and ownership issues when a spouse wants protection from an abusive partner, or a couple breaks up.”
The Bill is still under review by the Senate.
Unbelievable to some in the Senate, a couple of female native Senators are urging their colleagues to not support the Bill. Government Leader in the Senate, Marjory LeBreton was “amazed” and “mystified” by the efforts of those two female native Senators. One, a Sandra Lovelace Nicholas, said she had experienced the abuses first-hand but is unsupportive of this bill on the grounds that inadequate consultation with native people was conducted and therefore “would leave women worse off.”
Looking at it objectively, I am all in support of any measures that would alleviate the social challenges that native people have on reserve including “legislation to help prevent women who live on reserves from losing their homes because of a divorce or abuse…”
However, I somewhat side with native female Senator, Sandra Lovelace Nicholas. Consultation is key in resolving issues between parties. Yes, the proposed legislation may give an avenue to protect native women on reserve by accessing the courts but how are the women to access the courts when they likely do not have the financial capacity to do so? Even if they have the capacity to access the courts, the women could be risking social status within their own respective community.
Perhaps, in trying to solve a problem, the federal government may create more challenges for people on reserve. Still, Senator Marjory LeBreton has said, I think we’ve talked long enough about it. It’s time to take action.” I concur. However, as a metaphor, you can give a person the keys to your car but he/she still needs to know how to drive. If the government is going to assist and protect native women with empowerment, they also need to address the need for capacity…something that most native women don’t have.
