FSIN not surprised by Scheer’s ‘check their privilege’ comment

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) calls a recent comment by Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer disturbing and offensive but not surprising.

On Friday, Scheer spoke to media at the Parliament buildings in Ottawa about the ongoing rail blockades in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en pipeline dispute in British Columbia.

“These protesters, these activists, may have the luxury of spending days at a time at a blockade but they need to check their privilege,” Scheer said at the time. “They need to check their privilege and let people whose job depends on the railway system, small business and farmers do their jobs.”

Justin Trudeau has failed to act. Speaking to media about the ongoing illegal blockades across the country. WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/kxQMwPVv1m

— Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) February 14, 2020

On Wednesday, FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron addressed the comment in a statement.

“(Scheer’s) ignorance and lack of knowledge of First Nations privilege is completely false,” the statement read. “Scheer talks about privilege as if he does not live a luxurious lifestyle funded by the Conservative Party of Canada.”

Cameron went on to invite Scheer and his colleagues to visit First Nation communities to see firsthand what their “privilege” looks like.

“If First Nations People are so privileged we wouldn’t have a massive housing crisis, boil water advisories and a lack of infrastructure,” he said in the statement.

The FSIN represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.