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The Colonial Denizen: a Proposal to Move Beyond the Politics of Recognition Toward a Politics of Responsibilities

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The Colonial Denizen: a Proposal to Move Beyond the Politics of Recognition Toward a Politics of Responsibilities THE COLONIAL DENIZEN: A PROPOSAL TO MOVE BEYOND THE POLITICS OF RECOGNITION TOWARD A POLITICS OF RESPONSIBILITIES by DEANNE ALINE MARIE LEBLANC B.A., University of Toronto, 2011 M.A., University of Victoria, 2014 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Political Science) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) March 2020 © Deanne Aline Marie Leblanc, 2020 The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the dissertation entitled: The Colonial Denizen: A Proposal to Move Beyond a Politics of Recognition toward a Politics of Responsibilities Submitted by Deanne Leblanc in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Examining Committee: Barbara Arneil, Political Science Supervisor Jim Tully, Political Science Supervisory Committee Member Glen Coulthard, Political Science Supervisory Committee Member Dalie Giroux, Political Studies External Examiner Bruce Baum, Political Science University Examiner Coll Thrush, History University Examiner ii Abstract: Since the twentieth century Canadian political scientists, government and society have become increasingly aware of the need to address the various effects and realities of colonialism. This has been a positive step forward for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike and has led to various steps toward ‘reconciliation’ if not decolonization. And yet, the predominant, mainstream approaches taken or proffered by (largely non-Indigenous) scholars and government officials, in response to Indigenous peoples’ calls for change, can only go so far in the move toward decolonization. This is because they are stuck within the logics of liberal democracy and recognition, based within the prevailing arguments that moving beyond contemporary colonial situations can only be achieved through either a more comprehensive extension of liberal democratic (settler) citizenship to Indigenous peoples, or through proper ‘recognition’ of Indigenous peoples from within a predominantly non-Indigenous (settler) perspective and societal structure. Not only are these arguments inappropriate responses to collective colonial realities, they also lead to the further entrenchment of colonial structures, relations and policies because they do not attempt the necessary self-reflexivity and openness to change that decolonization requires. My proposal is that non-Indigenous peoples, in order that they can properly hear and respond to Indigenous peoples’ calls for decolonization, move beyond these aforementioned approaches and consider themselves ‘foreigners’ in need of invitation onto Indigenous lands – both past and present. I suggest that as colonial denizens non-Indigenous Canadians take up an ethos that encourages them to re-evaluate their lives and relations with Indigenous peoples, lands and the settler state. The following provides a thought experiment centered around the colonial denizen through which non-Indigenous peoples are encouraged to question the sovereignty of the state, the impacts of the Canadian citizenship regime, their daily lives, and their relations to land at the same time that it encourages them to place responsibilities to others above inwardly-focused rights. I contend that such a thought experiment can open a path toward the instantiation of this denizen ethos (both discursively and materially), an ethos which acts as a potential and active way through which non-Indigenous peoples could appropriately and seriously meet Indigenous peoples’ calls for change. iii Lay Summary: Reconciliation and decolonization have become a prominent focus within Canadian society in recent years. While this has led to some positive initiatives and outcomes toward reconciliation within the country, changes that have been invoked ultimately uphold the colonial structures and relations that they are meant to dismantle. And so, there is more that needs to be done if non- Indigenous state and society are truly interested in meaningful decolonization that properly responds to Indigenous peoples’ calls for change. I argue that if non-Indigenous state and society are truly interested in responding to Indigenous peoples’ calls for decolonization they need to shift how they understand their relationships to Indigenous peoples, Indigenous lands and the settler state. The following proposes one path through which non-Indigenous peoples might alter their understandings of decolonization, suggesting that they begin to consider themselves ‘foreigners’ who require invitation onto Indigenous lands fulfilling responsibilities to Indigenous peoples and lands in order for their presence to be justified. iv Preface This dissertation is original, unpublished, independent work by the author, Deanne Aline Marie Leblanc v Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Lay Summary ..................................................................................................................... iv Preface................................................................................................................................. v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1: Introduction – Setting the Foundations for a Paradigm Shift ........................... 1 Chapter 2: The Colonial Denizen – A Paradigm Shift ....................................................... 3 An argument for the Denizen within Jodi Byrd’s Cacophony ...................................... 16 On Framing the Issue in terms of (Liberal-Democratic) Citizenship and Recognition. 24 Situating the Colonial Denizen Against its Political Origins and Contemporary Use .. 28 Articulating the Colonial Denizen: Re-Aligning Responsibilities, Lands and People .. 32 As an Historic-Analytic Tool ..................................................................................... 32 As a Contemporary Discursive Exercise .................................................................... 34 Applying the Historical-Analytical Colonial Denizen: Seventeenth-Century Encounters ..................................................................................................................... 43 Chapter 3: Searching for the Colonial Denizen in the Early Trade Colony of ‘New France’ (1600-29)........................................................................................................................... 47 A Quick Note on the European Context of Colonial Relations and its Implications for the Denizen .............................................................................................................. 48 Questioning Invitation onto Innu Territories at Uepishtikuiau (Québec)...................... 50 Fragile Alliances: Charting the Maintenance of Early French-Innu Trade-Based Relations ........................................................................................................................ 53 Tending to the Living Relationship as Mutual Responsibility: Wyandot-French Exchange ....................................................................................................................... 58 Settlement Attempts: The Increasing Tendency Toward Agrarian Practice and Permanence .................................................................................................................... 60 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 67 Chapter 4: Religious Colonialism in the Laurentian Valley (1623-63): Denizen Contradictions ................................................................................................................... 71 The Récollets: Early Religious Actors and their Vulnerable Missions ......................... 73 La Folle Enterprise: Religious and Agrarian Colonists in the ‘Founding’ Ville-Marie .................................................................................................................... 79 Settling Montréal: Invasion of the Divide .................................................................. 81 Mission Efforts ........................................................................................................... 85 Devoted Women: The Role of Religious Women in Establishing a New French Society ........................................................................................................................... 89 Marie de l’Incarnation: Educator and Diplomat of Québec ....................................... 91 Jeanne Mance and Ville-Marie’s Survival ................................................................. 93 Marguerite Bourgeoys and Religious Schooling at Ville-Marie ................................ 95 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 98 vi Chapter 5: Settler and Sojourner Colonists from the French Return to the Valley to the Late-Seventeenth Century: Stepping Away from Denizen-like Behaviour (1630-1700)...................................................................................................................
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