The three friends thought nothing of it at the time. After all, they agreed amongst themselves that one or two pieces of driftwood would not make any difference one way or another. After all, they agreed amongst themselves that such driftwood could never take root in a strange land. After all, things would be as they had always been they had thought. So they left the driftwood on the beach and carried on their way.
Two hundred years later, Raven, Mink and X:als were walking along the beach one day on when they came upon a different kind of driftwood. You see, Tide had grown weary of carry the driftwood and had decided to disgorge it on to the western shores.
Raven was the one who spied it first floating amongst the yellow foam and other bits of flotsam that Tide carried ashore.
He picked it up and examined it closely. X:als, the Transformer asked what it was.
"Itıs called a referendumb," replied Raven. "Itıs an exercise in true Democracy."
"Democracy?" asked Mink.
"Yes," said Raven. "After five hundred years it seems the driftwood peoples are going to use democracy against our people. Apparently, over the years, making our rights and freedoms illegal failed. The smallpox infected blankets failed. The intentional introduction of alcohol failed. The residential school system failed. The outright stealing of our land and resources failed. And the reserve system failed. Now they want to make sure that the Treaty Process fails as well. So, they decided to fall back on the principles and ideals of Democracy itself to undermine Aboriginal People in BC Liberal Land."
"Itıs just like the driftwood people: when all else fails resort to the true and democratic way," said Mink.
"Well, whatıs a referendumb anyway?" X:als asked.
"A referendumb is when 95% of the inhabitants of BC Liberal Land decide what the otherindigenous inhabitants5% will do," said Raven. Itıs the tyranny of the majority over the First People in the province.
"Is it legal," X:als asked.
"Doesnıt matter," replied Raven, "when the driftwood people want something bad enough they just change the laws to suit themselves. They call it the rule of law."
"What does a referendumb do?" Mink asked.
"It changes things?" said Raven.
"The way I change things?" X:als asked.
"No, Iım afraid not," said Raven. "You see, when you change things itıs usually done in a good way. Like when you reward those people of the land who have teachings and merit your favours. Or like, when you punish those who do not obey the true laws of the landthe teachingsand deserve what they get. Those changes are good and demonstrate your wisdom and compassion."
"This new piece of driftwood is designed to undermine the Treaty Process and create more dissatisfaction, strife, suffering and unrest among our people."
"Who brought this referendumb?" Mink asked.
"The BCLiarsLiberals did," replied Raven.
"Why?" asked X:als and Mink.
"Itıs like I said earlier," Raven answered, "everything else failed. Now they have decided that democracy will do the trick and settle the "Indian Problem" once and for all."
"Our people are the problem?" Mink asked.
"No, but propaganda and misinformation about Aboriginal people makes them an easy target," Raven answered.
"Can we do anything about the referendumb?" X:als and Mink asked.
"Maybe I can transform it," said X:als. "Just think, the referendumb would make a very nice rock jutting out of the lawns of the legislature. I could put moss on it and have a wizened old cedar tree growing out of the top, trailing down along one side. It would look cool, just like a bonsai. Once in place, it could symbolize to all people that fair and open and honest negotiations with Aboriginal people are preferable to underhanded and deceitful actions in the name of democracy.
"You could try," said Raven, "but our medicine doesnıt always work the same way on the driftwood people."
"Or, perhaps, I could change it into a gnome and place it in both Gordon Campbellıs gardens at each of his homes."
"He has two homes?" Mink asked. "So many of our people of the land and even the driftwood people have none."
"You see what I mean," said Raven, "their ways are so different from ours. Our teachings say that allowing any of our people to go hungry or homeless is a shameful and unthinkable thing. Our way is to share equally amongst our various people. Our Longhouses sheltered everyone. Our potlatches shared the wealth among all the people. Our teachings governed us and the land governed our teachings. Even our skwuyuth were treated better than our people are in BC Liberal Land. But, it is the free and democratic and enterprising way for the rich driftwood people to let others suffer. After all, democracy can only work when thereıs a disadvantaged group in the society that wields it as a weapon. Or governs according to its tenets of inequality and injustice. Remember, that women and slaves were not allowed to participate in the Ancient democracies of Greece."
"So, thatıs what this referendumb is about," concluded Mink and X:als.
"Yes," said Raven, "Iım afraid our chance to change it is five hundred years too late."
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