You talk about equality and democratic principles, but neither of these allow you to take people’s stuff. To quote the article:
“Sixty per cent of the natural resources needed in the United States of America are on Native American land,” said Hall, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Tribes.
“So they have to figure out that they got to come to us and talk to us if they want our resource they want to extract. And so I think to bring us to the table, that’s what we’re trying to get to. Let’s talk.”
And that’s the crux of the issue; nothing from European settlement of North America to the present day gives the Canadian government a legitimate claim to the resource and lands that have historically belonged to the First Nations. Therefore, it’s their stuff and they decide who does what with it; they have about as much responsibility to the majority interest as you have to your neighbors, and I doubt you let your neighbors waltz in and take your money with no compensation. And it’s not like these are wealthy people not paying their fair share; I hope I don’t need to get into the historical and current problems facing First Nations people directly due to colonial and later Canadian policy. It’s not at all difficult to make the argument that Canada is just a bunch of white dudes who came from Europe, committed a bunch of atrocities, declared themselves the legitimate government of Canada, committed more atrocities and are now appealing to the majority interest when it suits them. Canada simply has no legitimate right to the land or resources owned by the First Nations without a treaty consented to by both sides; “we are your legitimate government so give us your shit” is nothing more than rank tyranny. And yes, tyranny of the majority is tyranny.
TL;DR: You need people’s consent before you take or use their stuff.
You talk about equality and democratic principles, but neither of these allow you to take people’s stuff. To quote the article:
And that’s the crux of the issue; nothing from European settlement of North America to the present day gives the Canadian government a legitimate claim to the resource and lands that have historically belonged to the First Nations. Therefore, it’s their stuff and they decide who does what with it; they have about as much responsibility to the majority interest as you have to your neighbors, and I doubt you let your neighbors waltz in and take your money with no compensation. And it’s not like these are wealthy people not paying their fair share; I hope I don’t need to get into the historical and current problems facing First Nations people directly due to colonial and later Canadian policy. It’s not at all difficult to make the argument that Canada is just a bunch of white dudes who came from Europe, committed a bunch of atrocities, declared themselves the legitimate government of Canada, committed more atrocities and are now appealing to the majority interest when it suits them. Canada simply has no legitimate right to the land or resources owned by the First Nations without a treaty consented to by both sides; “we are your legitimate government so give us your shit” is nothing more than rank tyranny. And yes, tyranny of the majority is tyranny.
TL;DR: You need people’s consent before you take or use their stuff.