The Wisdom of Our Elders: The Contempt for Memory in Canadian Indigenous Policy

What do children owe their parents? Love, honour and respect seem like a good start. But what of parents who were once political figures? Does the younger generation owe a duty of care to the beliefs of their forebears? In a fascinating study on the nexus of familial responsibility and present-day policy choices, Peter Best examines two recent cases of inter-generational conflict over Indigenous relations in Canada. One concerns Prime Minister Mark Carney and his father Robert. The other is a recent book on the work of noted aboriginal thinker William Wuttunee edited by his academic daughter. In each case, Best finds, the current generation has let down its ancestors – and left all of Canada worse off.