Speaking Up is Not Manipulation — It’s My Responsibility

An eagle feather held to the sky, a symbol of strength and the right to speak truth.

As a First Nations woman who grew up with the teachings of our Treaty long before the 1985 amendments to the Indian Act allowed others to gain status—I speak from lived experience, not convenience. I know what it means to belong to this land and Nation not just through legislation, but through bloodline, kinship, and responsibility.

I continue to speak up for transparency, accountability, and inclusion in our governance because I’ve lived the impacts of silence and suppression—and I won’t carry that forward.

This isn’t new for me. It’s a responsibility I carry with love and deep respect, and it’s rooted in our Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, protected under Section 35 of the Constitution, UNDRIP, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). These affirm what we already know: Indigenous peoples have the right to be included, informed, and heard in decisions that shape our lands, families, and futures.

But instead of being met with dialogue and respect, I’ve been met with deflection, defamation, and dismissal.

When I raise real concerns or speak for community inclusion, I’m accused of “manipulating things online.” I’ve been spoken over in meetings, ignored in emails, and gaslit behind closed doors. I’ve had my integrity questioned for doing nothing more than caring for my people. That is not leadership—that is control.

Let’s be clear:

Calling me manipulative is deflection—a way to dodge accountability.

Framing me as a troublemaker is defamation—a tactic used to silence and discredit someone standing in their truth.

This is not just about me. It’s about how colonialism still lives in our governance systems. The Chief and Council system was imposed through the Indian Act, replacing our traditional ways—ways that were based on respect, kinship, matriarchal leadership, and collective decision-making. Today, we’re still seeing the harm of that system when women, grassroots people, and truth-tellers are silenced.

Let me say this clearly: that’s not our way. That’s colonialism continuing to do its work—just in different clothing.

I will not stop speaking up—not to stir conflict, but to restore connection, honour, and responsibility in how we lead. Our people deserve leadership that reflects our values—not just Indian Act policies.

And to every community member who’s ever been made to feel small for speaking up—you are not alone. Truth-telling is not manipulation. Deflection is not leadership. Silencing the people is not accountability.

I was raised in this Treaty. I know where I come from. And I will keep showing up—for our ancestors, our youth, and for a future where our voices are honoured, not feared.

Vanessa - "Proud" Rez woman