Since the #Idlenomore movement began just a few short weeks ago, tens of thousands of Indigenous Peoples and allies in Canada and around the world have stepped forward to inform the Canadian government that it can no longer treat First Nations as zero class citizens who’s only right is to obey the government–and if you don’t like it, then too bad for you.

If you don’t realize it yet, this is exactly what Canada is saying through its attempt to legislate a suite of Bills that will fundamentally change First Nations lives without First Nations consent.

But #idlenomore isn’t just a protest movement or some silly social media trend as the government calls it. It’s an awakening of consciousness, a resurgence, a platform that is bringing all of us together against a common foe. And it’s not just the “usual suspects” leading the charge, it’s everyone, including those of us who have never taken a real interest in politics.

Canada’s indigenous movement has arrived.

Now, with this solid foundation in place, it is time for us to build on it—to make sure that #idlenomore can endure, to avoid old mistakes, to bring the results that we need to live our lives according to our own traditions and rights, and, most importantly, to make sure we never become idle again.

We can no longer afford to keeping treading in Canada’s dirty pool. It’s killing us.

A big part of the building is knowledge. We need to know exactly who Canada is and what exactly we’re dealing with. It’s not just one bill, or even eight. Rather, it is a legacy that Canada has kept alive (election after election after election) in order to extinguish us. Right now it’s Bill C-45 and all the other bills; before that, it was Residential Schools; the Native Sexual Sterilization Act; the imposition of the Band Council system; the 1969 White Paper; the creation of blood quantum; the abolishment of the National Indian government of Canada and, later, the co-optation of the Assembly of First Nations (formerly the National Indian Brotherhood); the creation of the word “Aboriginal” (which was meant to detach us from our “Indian” ancestors) …and the list goes on.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE & WATCH VIDEOS HERE: Idle Know More: Films to Strengthen the Idle No More Movement in Canada.