Case 5 Political action

"Only time will tell but I believe we have a new native hero to go along with such giants as Tecumseh and Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) in native history. The man I refer to is NDP MLA Elijah Harper. The NDP before his name refers to the New Democratic Party and the MLA means he was elected to he Manitoba legislature. In the future he may be called the killer of the Meech Lake Accord."

In 1990, Elijah Harper refused to consent to the Meech Lake Accord on eight occasions on the grounds that Aboriginal people had not been consulted during constitutional discussions on the matter, for which he was named the Canadian Press newsmaker of the year in 1990.

His actions are a sign of how Aboriginal and minority groups have been respected and treated properly in recent times. It is also a sign that Aboriginal people have regained their trust in the Government of Canada. In a sense, it is a fierce confrontation between decolonization and colonization. Some degree of “assimilation” proved to be acceptable in order to safeguard the interests of Aboriginal people in the long term.