The Unfinished Business: Forging Economic Justice for Turtle Island Nations
Economic justice for the Indigenous nations of Turtle Island—a term encompassing North America—is not merely an aspiration but a foundational imperative, a rectification long overdue for centuries of systemic dispossession and deliberate economic marginalization. It is a complex tapestry woven from land, sovereignty, culture, and the right to self-determination, demanding a profound re-evaluation of historical wrongs and a commitment to equitable futures.
The economic disparities faced by Indigenous communities today are not accidental but are direct consequences of colonial policies designed to dismantle traditional economies, seize resources, and assimilate peoples. From the moment European powers claimed vast territories, Indigenous nations were systematically stripped of their lands, waters, and the economic systems that had sustained them for millennia. Traditional hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, and extensive trade networks were disrupted, often violently, replaced by a forced reliance on settler-state economies.
In what is now Canada, the Indian Act, enacted in 1876, solidified federal control over nearly every aspect of First Nations life, including their economic activities. It created the reserve system, restricting mobility and access to resources, and made it illegal for First Nations to sell agricultural products without permits, stifling entrepreneurial spirit. Similarly, in the United States, federal policies like the Dawes Act (General Allotment Act of 1887) fragmented communal land holdings, opening millions of acres of Indigenous territory to non-Native settlement and further eroding economic bases. The boarding school and residential school systems, in both countries, inflicted intergenerational trauma that severed cultural ties, language, and traditional knowledge essential for community well-being and economic resilience. "They took our children, our language, our land, and then they told us to ‘get over it’ and join their economy," remarked a First Nations elder, encapsulating the profound hypocrisy of expecting prosperity from a position of engineered disadvantage.
Today, the economic fallout is stark. Many Indigenous communities on Turtle Island grapple with poverty rates significantly higher than the national average, inadequate housing, and limited access to essential services like clean drinking water, reliable electricity, and high-speed internet. According to a 2016 report, First Nations people in Canada are nearly three times more likely to live in poverty than non-Indigenous Canadians. In the U.S., Native Americans have the highest poverty rate of any racial group. These are not statistics of inherent incapability, but rather the enduring legacy of resource theft, broken treaties, and a deliberate denial of economic opportunity.
The extraction of vast natural resources—timber, minerals, oil, gas, water—from or near Indigenous traditional territories continues to fuel national economies while frequently leaving Indigenous communities with environmental degradation, cultural loss, and minimal, if any, equitable benefit. The ongoing disputes over pipelines like the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) at Standing Rock and the Trans Mountain Expansion in Canada highlight the ongoing struggle for Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), a principle enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Article 32 of UNDRIP states, "States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with Indigenous Peoples through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project affecting their lands or territories and other resources." Too often, this principle is ignored, leading to protracted legal battles and a further erosion of trust.
Achieving economic justice for Turtle Island nations requires a multi-faceted approach, rooted in the recognition and affirmation of Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.
1. Land Back and Resource Sovereignty: The most fundamental aspect of economic justice is the return of land and resources. This doesn’t always mean physical repossession of every acre, but rather meaningful co-management, revenue sharing agreements, and the recognition of inherent title. When Indigenous nations control their lands and resources, they can develop sustainable economies that align with their cultural values and long-term well-being. The Nisga’a Nation in British Columbia, for example, achieved a landmark modern treaty in 2000 that provided self-government, land title, and substantial financial resources, allowing them to invest in education, infrastructure, and diverse economic ventures.
2. Honouring Treaties and Agreements: Many historical treaties promised not only peace but also economic benefits and support. Fulfilling these commitments, both in letter and spirit, is critical. This includes adequate funding for treaty-mandated services, respectful consultation, and ensuring Indigenous nations are equal partners in resource development on treaty lands. The principle of "the honour of the Crown" (in Canada) or "trust responsibility" (in the U.S.) must move beyond rhetoric to tangible action.
3. Indigenous-Led Economic Development: Empowering Indigenous communities to define and drive their own economic futures is paramount. This includes:
- Access to Capital: Removing barriers to financing, supporting Indigenous financial institutions, and providing start-up capital for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
- Infrastructure Investment: Addressing critical deficits in housing, clean water, energy, and digital connectivity, which are prerequisites for any modern economy.
- Education and Training: Investing in culturally relevant education and vocational training programs that prepare community members for diverse economic opportunities, from technology to traditional ecological knowledge.
- Diversification: Supporting Indigenous nations in developing diverse economies that leverage their unique assets, including cultural tourism, renewable energy projects (many nations are leading the way in solar and wind), sustainable resource management, and technology. The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, for instance, has developed a diverse portfolio including gaming, retail, and manufacturing, providing significant employment and services for its members and surrounding communities.
4. Cultural Economies: Economic justice also means supporting and revitalizing traditional cultural economies. This includes the production and sale of Indigenous art, crafts, traditional foods, and medicines. These not only provide income but also strengthen cultural identity, promote intergenerational knowledge transfer, and contribute to overall community health. Food sovereignty initiatives, aiming to reclaim traditional food systems, are powerful examples of this, enhancing both economic independence and health outcomes.
5. Legal and Policy Reforms: Governments must align their laws and policies with UNDRIP, particularly regarding FPIC. This means reforming regulatory processes to ensure Indigenous nations are genuine partners, not just consultees, in decisions affecting their territories. It also means dismantling discriminatory policies that continue to hinder Indigenous economic growth.
The pursuit of economic justice is not merely an act of charity or reparations; it is an investment in a more equitable, prosperous, and sustainable future for all of Turtle Island. When Indigenous nations thrive economically, they contribute to the broader national economies, enhance cultural diversity, and offer invaluable insights into sustainable living and environmental stewardship. Their traditional knowledge, derived from thousands of years of observation and adaptation, is critical for addressing global challenges like climate change.
"Our economic well-being is tied to our land, our culture, and our ability to govern ourselves," states a leader from a Plains Cree Nation. "Without justice in one, we cannot truly have it in the others." The journey towards economic justice is long and complex, requiring political will, genuine partnership, and a fundamental shift in mindset from paternalism to respect for inherent sovereignty. It is the unfinished business of nation-building, a moral and economic imperative that calls for urgent action to ensure that the original peoples of Turtle Island can finally determine their own economic destinies and share in the prosperity of the lands they have always called home.
