In the past new governors had an opportunity to address the board. This is no longer the practice. So I share my comments here.
Introduction
hagwil hayetsk diwayu. I’m a member of the Gispuwaada clan, Gitxaała Nation. My Gitxaała name is hagwil hayetsk, which in English is loosely ’quietly copper’ a copper is a ceremonial belonging of chiefly privilege. The copper that is my namesake is one that is always put away and never used quickly or suddenly. The name has been used for young people in my uncle’s walp (house) for many generations. It was placed on me during a headstone moving feast hosted by my uncle in Lach Klan. My anglo name, Charles Menzies was given me by my birth parents. Charles is a first name within my matrilineal line that has been held by many of my male ancestors before me. My last name came with one line of my patrilineal ancestors from Scotland to this world in the early 1800s. At UBC I am a professor in the anthropology department and my research has focused on issues of resource management practices and resource dependent communities here on Canada’s west coast and also in France and Ireland.
Silence
Mainstream society often considers silence as a form of consent.
I come from a community in which silence, being absent from a process, is a sign of opposition, not consent. In the feast hall people will stand up and say “yes, I have heard this too” by way of affirming what has been said and the process in play. If they disagree they will be silent or absent – except in very rare moments.
I acknowledge the process here is that silence is consent. Yet, I ask you to appreciate that my silence is not necessarily agreement. I will work to avoid explicit statements of disagreement. I choose instead to work from a strengths-based perspective. If I see nothing positive in a proposal or augment, I will avoid commenting on it. I will instead speak to the strengths of an alternative perspective or proposal in its place.
Privacy
I have consistently, through my public engagements for almost as long as I am old, advocated for open, transparent, and public decision making and governance. I appreciate that when holding power, powerholders are more anxious over openness than are those of us without power. Nonetheless, the qualities of a democratic society requires openness and transparency to function. I see my role as in part advocating for the expansion of authentic democratic processes and such practices are inherently in the best interests of a public university.
Being Nice
Everyone wants to be nice, and most of us expect others to be nice in kind.
What I have noted is that increasingly those in positions of power use ‘being nice’ as a tactical intervention to quell dissent. Diverse perspectives, commentary that advances difference, become flagged as disruptive and even bullying.
As an academic I am accustomed to holding ideas and perspectives up for examination, critique, deconstruction, and reconfiguration. I appreciate that other trades and professions are not as accustomed to sustained questioning. Nonetheless, I see it as a critical aspect of good governance. So when I raise questions I trust you will understand it as an act of loyal opposition and critically informed engagement.