A YouTube talk by Sandi L Boucher (Red Thunderbolt, Seine River First Nation) addressing the common excuse of 'inconvenience' used to resist changes needed for reconciliation. Boucher argues that reconciliation ultimately benefits everyone, describes the emotional labor and personal cost Indigenous advocates face responding to ignorance and racism, and urges viewers to resist the 'inconvenient' excuse and share this message instead of arguing. The piece combines personal testimony, practical guidance for allies, and a call to action.
Chapters
I hear it all the time. A suggestion is made, something that needs to change that could move us closer to reconciliation. And then there's the common response. Yeah, but that wouldn't be convenient. Today, let's talk about inconvenience. Hello, everybody. My name is Sandy Boucher. I'm Red Thunderbolt, woman of the Loon clan and a proud member of Seine River First Nation in Treaty 3 Territory in Northern Ontario. And today I wanted to talk about inconvenience because so often that is the excuse that is used for not making a change that is needed to move us closer to reconciliation. There's two super common excuses going to cost too much or it's inconvenient. So we're not going to talk about the money part today because I think it's going to cost less money if we actually were to reconcile in a good way, not in the rushed way that so many are trying to do. But when you think of that inconvenience, for one, reconciliation will benefit everybody. Anyone that lives in an area that's at peace benefits from that. And don't kid yourself, Indigenous and non indigenous or boring, and at different times that flares up to different degrees. So this is not a peaceful existence. And if you think it is, then you need to do some educating. So reconciliation will be incredibly convenient. Once achieved, it'll be a huge mountain we have all climbed. It is worth the fight. But the next time you hear someone talking about how inconvenient a change would be, maybe you could direct them to this video. Because I've been doing this work for almost 14 years, I work with a lot of non indigenous people. I have had to do my healing and my training. So. So that when they ask the questions that are not always phrased in the most respectful way that I can maintain my peace and my blood pressure and answer in a way that will actually help us move forward. It would be so easy to attack, it would be so easy to condemn. And honestly, if they come at me with judgment and attack, I don't have time to work with those people. But the people that may use a phrase that's maybe not appropriate, but they don't know a different phrase. I have all the time in the world to work with them. I'm never going to crucify someone for something they were never taught. That doesn't make sense to me. But you know what's incredibly inconvenient? The fact that every single day I put in the effort, I put out these blog posts, I put out these videos, I do a podcast once a week. I'm going back to doing a regular weekly television show and every now and then I gotta stop all the good work I'm doing and all. You know, I love responding to the amazing people that follow my work and are learning and ask respectful questions. Seriously, I have all the time in the world for that. But when I have to stop the good work I'm trying to do, helping incredibly good people who are trying to learn because some idiot wants to post some racist comment on my page or the ever popular when are Indigenous going to get over it? When are they going to stop getting all those benefits? Or something equally as ignorant. And I mean ignorant as in lacking knowledge. That's inconvenient. And if you want to know why there isn't way more Indigenous people doing the work I do, it's because those comments burn out many a strong Indigenous voice. It is exhausting to constantly be attacked and we don't see the attacks coming. No one ever warns us they're about to shoot an arrow at us until we get hit by it. So is this work convenient for us? No. Is it convenient or comfortable or easy to be an Indigenous person who wants to work with Canada? No, it isn't. But I'd be willing to bet you can name many, many Indigenous people or agencies or entities that are doing the work. So don't talk to us about inconvenience because nothing about the work we do is convenient. We just happen to think it's worth it. And I hope you do too. So the next time someone uses that inconvenience excuse, keep the link to this video handy. Don't bother arguing with them, just send them the video. I've got your back and I appreciate when you help me and cover mine until tomorrow. I love you. Take care of. Bye bye.
