A University of Saskatchewan doctoral student is out to find out why the Idle No More movement created such a problem for the federal government.
Danette Starblanket received a $20,000 scholarship from the provincial government to study Idle No More.
She says the movement confused the Harper government back in 2012 when four women in response to the omnibus bills C-38 and C-45 founded Idle No More.
“Ministers and Prime Minister Harper wasn’t sure where to go to find out what it was he could do to quell the movement of Idle No More,” says Starblanket. “He didn’t know what Chiefs to go to, he wasn’t able to get the answers from elected officials.”
During the fall of 2012, huge rallies and flash mobs were held protesting the government legislation that threatened the environment and water.
Since then, Starblanket says the government has been careful with the way they deal with First Nation issues.
“The government response has been very much moving forward has been cautious,” she says. “As to how they put forward legislation policy in relation to First Nations and aboriginal rights, treaty and inherent rights.”
Starblanket hopes to complete her thesis in the next two years.