One solution to racist rhetoric? Empathy in conversations about crime, says this Innu lawyer

An Innu lawyer from Sheshatshiu says more empathy is neededin recent discussions about crime in the region.

Jolene Ashini grew up in the 1990s, when she says racism toward Innu was commonplace. Now, she believes it's getting worse.

A simmering situation in the town escalated earlier this month, when theSand Bar Lounge burned to the ground. A 36-year-old Natuashish man was later charged with arson and other offences, which led to a rally about the state of crime in the town and what others in the community say was followed by racist rhetoric.

Ashini spoke with the CBC's Heidi Atter about the need for empathy and solutions on both sides of government tables.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

JoleneAshini: I understand that there is a safety risk with people, and unhoused people, whether they're Innu or non-Innu. I think that the concern is larger and larger throughout the years, especially now with the onslaught of more powerful and dangerous drugs entering all communities in Labrador. And I can understand people being afraid for the safety of their home, vandalism of their home, the safety of their children.

And it's also that situation of having empathy and feeling for that, because I myself wouldn't want those things happening to my own home. But then the other side of the situation is it's also not a great feeling to be in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and be racially profiled or discriminated against just based on who you're with.

I've been seeing my friends and my family saying that they're afraid to go to Goose Bay because they're afraid that if they have to cross the street, they might be profiled as somebody who's intoxicated and yelled at. Ortold that they're hated or for fear of being harmed. Because there have been multiple death threats that have been uttered by individuals living in Goose Bay and non-Indigenous individuals as well. I have family and friends who are afraid to go to the grocery store to buy groceries in fear of being yelled at or experiencing some sort of discrimination, or even racial slurs.

WATCH | Lawyer Jolene Ashini responds to a simmering situation in Happy Valley-Goose Bay:

Labrador lawyer says empathy is needed in discussion about crime in Happy Valley-Goose Bay

20 days ago

Duration 1:48

Jolene Ashini, an Innu lawyer in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, believes racism in the community is getting worse. Her comments come after a simmering situation within the town escalated earlier this month, when a local bar was burned to the ground. A rally about the state of crime in the community turned ugly when residents say it was followed by racist rhetoric.

Heidi Atter: Let's talk about some of the underlying issues. We know that not all unhoused people in Happy Valley-Goose Bay are Innu. We know that it is a variety of backgrounds of people who are unhoused in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. But for thosewho are Innu, what do you want people to know about the history and the situations that those people might be dealing with?

I think first off for myself is that I want to express that I don't condone any of these situations happening to residents ofHappy Valley-Goose Bay. I don't sympathize with these people doing these harms. I don't condone any violence. I don't condone vandalism. I don't condone any of this.

There are also those who have experienced none of this and are just chiming into this situation because we have social media now, and it's easier to add to a situation and add fuel to a fire. And it just causes this groupthink attitude where people can't see clearly in a rage situation or fear. All of a sudden your rationality is gone.

But I think it's important to take note that this is the situation that nobody asked for. And this is a part of Canada's dark, terrible colonial history, that we had a government that is supposed to democratically protect every Canadian citizen, come and colonize and take away lands from Indigenous peoples. And we've had governments come and basically, in my opinion, steal land for very minimal nominal amounts.

So we have a very new reservation in Labrador that is very young. We were told we were nothing, and for years we lived as nothing. For years the government left us in poverty of the continuous fighting between Newfoundland and between Canada.

We've all experienced these situations of getting our culture taken away from us. And I think that's a huge thing that people don't understand. And I've seen numerous occasions in the last week where people say "We have it great, we have everything free."We don't get everything free.

There is no money value that is a comparison to the loss of an identity of people. How do you deal with this? How do you deal with cultural loss? The easiest way out of this is substance abuse. It is a way to escape the pains of the life that you chose not to be a part of, but you are forced to be a part of by a federal government that is supposed to represent everybody, but decided to radicalize and minimize the amount of lands that Indigenous people are entitled to haveto minimize their resources.

These are the situations that we're left with. And so we, [as] I mentioned earlier, have to be a part of the solution. We should be a part of the solution. But unfortunately the Innu have to take control over a problem that we didn't ask for. We have to now take control of the situation that was caused by the intergenerational traumas.

There are elders in our community who recall and rejoice in the life that they used to live on the land. And unfortunately, we can't go back to that life. And we have to move with this, the society today. We have to be able to be a part of what Canada is. Because without education, without a valid form of workplace, you cannot thrive in the conditions that we used to live in. And then I think people forget that we have had a harder uphill battle than anyone who hasn't been able to experience that.

I understand that as somebody who's not a part of an Indigenous group or further away from an Indigenous group, that you haven't had to face those problems. And it's harder to empathize and it's harder to sympathize with any Indigenous person. And especially the Innu, because you can't picture a life where you're judged based on your skin colour. You can't picture a life where you have been hated on for the entire existence that you've been alive. And for the Innu, that is what we face every single day.

We need to form relationships, because what type of government will want to work with another that completely slanders and discriminates against a group of people? It needs a tailored approach between these two governments and these relationships need to be repaired in a fruitful way, in a way of good faith, in a way to show that you can work together. Because how well is the system going to work if you cannot speak to the other side?

The Innu are not leaving. We're not going anywhere. Because along with the Inuit of Labrador, we were here originally. And these towns are built on Indigenous lands. And yes, that's a hard truth and it's a hard pill for people to swallow, but we're not going anywhere. The residents of Happy Valley-Goose Bay aren't going anywhere. So we need to find a solution to work together, and what works best for both communities. And not just the Innu or not just the residents of Happy Valley Goose Bay. There needs to be a government to government approach here.

LISTEN| Hear the full interview here:

Labrador Morning9:04Innu lawyer Jolene Ashini shares thoughts on recent comments made towards Innu

An Innu lawyer says racist rhetoric towards Innu needs to stop. She also says Innu need to take accountability for community members living on the trails in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We hear from Jolene Ashini.

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