#Ottawapiskat Highlights Political Call To Invite Stronger Action

The hashtag #Ottawapiskat was spawned on Twitter to highlight an understanding of aboriginal stereotypes in comparison with the Harper government. The tweets were primarily intended to forward citizens? concerns regarding the federal government of Canada and its poor relations with the existing aboriginal communities. Its creator, Edmonton-based artist Aaron Paquette (@aaronpaquette), spawned the hashtag by merging "Ottawa" with the name of the "Attawapiskat" reserve in Northern Ontario. Many of the tweets include light humor and sarcasm, although there are also a number that pointedly mentioned various political issues under the incumbent administration. Here are some of the top tweets on the hashtag. The issue on aboriginal rights was recently raised via the #IdleNoMore movement, where protests were made throughout Canada and the world. Some of the movements involved actual face-to-face demonstrations and hunger strikes, while other took to social media to elevate their cause. The creation of #Ottawapiskat happened after the Idle No More movement asked for improved rights for aborigines.

The incorporation of humorous posts that hinted at how Stephen Harper can improve the current situation is an effective approach to garner attention, as far as this campaign goes. Hashtags have proven to be quite useful in ushering people to the right conversations and topics online. Political parties have resorted to Twitter, particularly hashtags, to talk about specific issues and exchange ideas with citizens whom they would not have reached if they had gone through the traditional channels. Hashtags used alongside #Ottawapiskat included #IdleNoMore, #CDNPoli, #CPC, #FirstNations and #StopHarper.

The use of social media has also been very effective in dealing with various issues revolving around politics and global leaders. #Ottawapiskat is trending well at present and is hoped to be widespread enough to reach the right people who can truly improve aboriginal relations.