Why Mutual Respect Has To Come With Internal Division.

Tempers are riding high in the wake of the Hereditary Chiefs saying No to oil and gas development on their traditional lands.

The conflit not only pits different communities against each other but FNs themselves are widely divided themselves. All you have to do is watch the news to see different FN members verbally tussling with each other.

My advice to FNs is to always concentrate the mind first on common positions in vital areas of concern to the large and varied Commonwealth of FNs. Secondly, yes, by all means be authentic and vocal but remember that without mutual respect and restraint among FN members, that each and every other FN begins to have a losing political hand versus Ottawa, the provinces and territories.

Try to find as much common ground as is humanly possible and focus on the fact that both sides only want what's best for their own and other FNs.

Historical redress is not only overdue on a wide host of issues but it's imperative that its trajectory finally takes off without FN internal divisions creating bumps in the road. By doing that, one inevitably plays into the hands of governmental opposition.

Nothing is more important than the big picture and the urgent agenda that accompanies it. Keep that in mind as the debate rages with passion internally.