By Murray Sinclair
First Perspective: National Aboriginal News
September 30, 2008
Two-thirds of the Community Party of Canada's Manitoba candidates are aboriginal.
As impressive as that might sound, the communists are only fielding three candidates in the province.
But Darrell Rankin, the non-aboriginal candidate in Winnipeg Centre, said a lot of the party's principals match what anthropologists have found about traditional aboriginal society.
Aboriginals lived more communally before European contact and exposure to capitalism, just as the communists envision.
Natives have also seen the effects of imperialism and colonialization, which communists charge happens as a part of modern foreign policy, for instance with Canada's military being in Afghanistan.
"It's part of their experience," Rankin said, adding how natives say they can relate.
"When I introduced myself to Grand Chief Morris Shannacappo at the first National Aboriginal Day of Action in 2006, he said 'I'm a communist, too.'
"I replied, Yes, we are working hard to catch up.'
"So the sentiment is quite wide beyond the circles of aboriginal people who are members or close to our party."
One such member is Brandon-Souris candidate Lisa Gallagher, a Brandon University graduate and an activist for aboriginal rights and against poverty and war.
“It’s time to stop electing politicians who bow down to big business,” said Gallagher, a member of the Waywayseecappo First Nation.
She doubts that she would be a communist without being native, citing party policies like fighting against poverty, racism, the high number of aboriginals in jail, and "police brutality."
Gallagher says natives would benefit from communist policies, like an "emergency action plan" to deal with poor living conditions.
The party wants to settle all land claims, set price controls for northern and remote communities, and get rid of a rule that limits Indian and Northern Affairs Canada funding increases to two per cent yearly.
Gallagher carried the party's colours in 2006, coming in last place in a field of seven candidates with 120 votes, or 0.03 per cent of the total.
"We've got a lot of work to do," she said of her campaign.
Metis Frank Komarniski, born in St. Rose du Lac, is the communist candidate is Winnipeg North, and has worked for last 14 years for the city.
“Socialism would make society much fairer. Let’s work for it," he said.
