Pamela Palmater Quotes

If we as individuals, families, communities, and nations looked beyond superficial measurements of blood and looked deeper at what makes those connections between individuals, their communities and nations so strong, we would see that blood is not only unnecessary as an indicator of our identities; it is completely irrelevant.

The social realities that Indigenous people face today are that they live among other Canadians, frequently intermarry, and have other relationships that often result in children. This has been the case for centuries. Consequently, there are no Indigenous groups in Canada that are completely made up of "pure" Aboriginal peoples - even if there were a test to determine such a status. This fact, however, does not in any way detract from their distinct status as Indigenous peoples.