Laws of Matriarch

Content Warning: Potentially Disturbing content  I was just a little kid, still using a bottle and sleeping in a crib. My mom and dad would throw dinners and parties with my aunties and uncles. But as the night went on, things would always take a turn. When the fun was over and the drinks flowed too much, fights would break out.  It got really scary. There was blood everywhere, and my dad just kept going. One time, he hit my mom in the head hard enough to knock her out cold. I didn't know if she was dead or alive, but I remember her being taken to the hospital more than once, where they brought her back. After that, one of my siblings brought me into the room. When my dad drank, he became a different person—angry and violent. He turned into a monster, and nothing seemed to fix it. In Canada, they don’t give enough help to Indigenous people who struggle with PTSD or the effects of what happened in Indian Residential Schools. I have a few blurry memories from that time, but not...

I’ve been reflecting on how you’ve really tried to understand what colonization has done to our people, and I just want to say how much I appreciate you and the work you do. As Indigenous people, we are constantly juggling many struggles at once. I feel lucky that I have the ability to ask for help and to express myself through writing. Here’s a snapshot of what life looks like for me right now: In our Gitxsan communities, we’re seeing one or two deaths every week. It’s mostly due to cancer, suicide, and vehicle accidents. There’s a lot of cancer in our communities, but no one seems to have the resources to figure out why. I suspect it’s the water, especially with all the mining happening around us. There’s also been a woman missing from my community since December, which weighs heavily on my heart. I try to attend potlatch feasts when I can, as it helps me stay connected to my culture and community. On top of everything else, I’m dealing with human rights issues related to my oldest ...

It’s often women who stand up for what’s right. Canada has never really listened to women, and when it comes to Indigenous women, it’s even worse. Today, I feel like I might just throw in the towel. There’s so much hatred and racism directed at our people, and then there’s the lateral violence within our own communities. It’s exhausting to hear the ignorant comments from those who are privileged in Canada.  We see it all over social media—people posting hurtful memes and spreading false narratives that paint us as lazy or criminal. The media sometimes sensationalizes our struggles, focusing on the negative aspects of our communities without showing the strength and resilience we have. Articles often highlight our problems but ignore the systemic issues that cause them, leading to more hatred and misunderstanding. I’ve had some support from my friends and family, but honestly, it’s not much overall. That’s just the way it is, sadly. I keep pushing for our people, trying to break do...

Okay, I’ve had my grandson in my custody under Section 54.3 for 9 months now, and he’s currently 2 years and 9 months old. For those 9 months, he has been without medical coverage because the ministry has neglected to prioritize getting everything in place for his medical coverage before he was released from VACFSS custody. I spoke with Sasha about this issue and submitted the court order to Indian Affairs two months ago, but I still haven’t heard back. Once Angel is registered for Indian Status, I can order his status card, and once I receive that card, he will finally be covered under MSP. Since getting the signed court order two months ago, my grandson has been covered under my work plan with Blue Cross. However, I know that most Aboriginal people don’t have employment, which means many Indigenous children go without medical coverage for far too long. Below is the latest string of emails regarding the progress of Angel’s Indian Status registration: --- Hi, Maybe you can speak with ...

Why is Christy Clark still forcing child protection on all families? My grandson was born in June 2015, and ever since then, I’ve been navigating the arduous process with the Aboriginal Delegated Agency. It feels like a never-ending battle. Under the Child in Home of a Relative program, children would usually return to their families within months by going through the Family Law Act, often with just two court appearances. Childcare was covered, children received CIHR support, and child tax benefits were accessible. But now, every child who has family they can live with is forced into the child protection process. This means more expensive hours in court, and for many children, it takes a year or even two before they can return to their families—if they’re lucky. It also means high foster care costs for the Ministry. The ministry has a long list of requirements that must be met before any home can be approved. These lists are often put together by nurses and social workers, creating a m...

April 2016: Grandmother's Update on My Grandson Hello, everyone.  I want to share an update on my journey to bring my grandson home. As I prepare to get him on May 31, 2016, under a Temporary Custody Order, I feel the weight of this system pressing down on me. The ministry will not provide any financial support, such as child tax benefits, until July 14th. This is yet another inhumane policy that puts me in a precarious position, making me feel like I have to beg for what should be rightfully ours. I’ve been reflecting on my feelings of anger towards some family and friends. Some understand my struggle, while others don’t. I’ve lost connections because I get overly defensive and sensitive. If anyone speaks poorly about me or my children, they should expect to face the wrath of a mother bear. I will not stand for it. I’ve been fighting to get my grandson out of ministry care, and this battle against Canadian laws has been exhausting. I feel a constant anxiety from the convoluted and...

What would you do if your daughter’s boyfriend took your grandchild, the one you have court-ordered guardianship over? Imagine that child being alienated, lost in a world where no amount of reasoning or court process could bring them back to their biological family.   With the new Family Law Act, the biological family seems to have no rights. A stepfather can take a child and cut them off from their true family, claiming parentage without any bloodline connection. This is the reality we face. The abductor, the one the child has come to know as a parent, suddenly holds all the rights, while we, the biological family, are left powerless.   From what I've seen in courtrooms in Vancouver and Terrace, this practice is rampant, even if the definition of 'parent' doesn’t align with what we know to be true. It’s happening now, and it feels like a storm is brewing.   Even when I’ve had a lawyer, my arguments—backed by evidence—have not been enough to regain custody. Without privil...