"I HAVE LOTS OF HELP BEHIND ME, LOTS OF BOOKS, TO CONVINCE YOU": Andrew Paull and the Value of Literacy in English1

Chiefly wanting to improve equal opportunity of employment and education, to gain legal recognition of Aboriginal rights, and to achieve more efficient and effective ways of ameliorating Native living conditions, Paull's main (and best known) vehicle for expressing these concerns was his long-t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBC studies no. 164; p. 7
Main Author Edwards, Brendan F R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Vancouver Pacific Affairs. The University of British Columbia 01.12.2009
Subjects
Catholics
Committees
Demonstrations & protests
Educational Experience
English language
Government (Administrative Body)
Illiteracy
Lawyers
Literacy
Native North Americans
Nuns
Paull, Andrew (1892-1959)
Political activism
Political appointments
Politics
Presidents
Residential Schools
Special Schools
Treaties
Whites
Canada
British Columbia Canada
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Summary:Chiefly wanting to improve equal opportunity of employment and education, to gain legal recognition of Aboriginal rights, and to achieve more efficient and effective ways of ameliorating Native living conditions, Paull's main (and best known) vehicle for expressing these concerns was his long-time presidency of the North American Indian Brotherhood (naib), which he co-founded in 1944.2 As the Vancouver Province described it in 1956, his approach combines the eloquence of the zealot, the dialectic skill of the lawyer and the shrewdness of the politician. 9 POLITICAL PERFORMANCE AND THE POLITICS OF LITERACY As president of the naib, Andrew Paull stood before the Special Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons that was appointed to examine and consider the Indian Act on 27 June 1946 (he literally stood, ignoring an invitation by the committee chair, who asked him if he would rather sit down).10 The evidence that Paull gave to the committee is compelling reading, revealing a well-spoken and highly prepared orator, despite his own self-deprecating remarks asking the committee to disregard [his] inability to speak and [his] lack of command of the English language.\n77 This was a clear reference to Paull s many battles, politically and in the papers, to have Aboriginal history, ideas, and rights recognised.
ISSN:0005-2949