Putting the con into reconciliation

Everybody in Canada knows what you’re talking about when you talk about reconciliation. In short, it’s the process of making right the sordid history of indigenous – settler relations in this country, described by the most recent inquiry into the matter as a “genocide.”

Looks to me like some very clever PR sharpies have latched onto the “reconciliation” trope with a view to turning it into a vehicle for pipeline promotion. Seems a little counter-intuitive at first glance, but I was reading about Project Reconciliation in the national newspaper today. Their plan is to put together the financing to allow First Nations to take an ownership position in the Trans Mountain Pipeline, the one that PM Fluffy already bought for the people of Canada.

The brain trust behind Project Reconciliation is hoping that by having First Nations ownership of the pipeline, they can squelch First Nations protest against it.

The classic divide and conquer strategy. Sounds like a con to me.