An Act of War; Oka Crisis Part 2?

[Urban Cowboy]

Former elected chief Ellis Ross speaks out - Todays FN Leadership issues

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 09%2F&_rdr

I like him a lot.

Me too.

Anyone who shares my view of Stewart Philip is OK in my book.

[Merry]

Interesting commentary in the Province newspaper, written by Karen Ogen-Toews (CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance and a former chief councillor of the Wet’suwet’en Nation)

We have protest groups, we have politicians, we have social-media axe-grinders and we have people with their own legal interpretation of the issues, all arguing back and forth over whether First Nations are governed by hereditary chiefs or elected councillors.

But there’s usually something missing in the debate, something critical, and that’s the people of the First Nations communities.

There’s a reason why the elected chiefs and councils of 20 nations along the Coastal GasLink natural-gas pipeline route have voted in favour of the development. And that reason is the benefits, jobs, careers, opportunities and revenue that will go to and support the people. In addition, being involved with the development of these projects means that our communities are able to ensure that these projects are constructed in a way that meets their commitments.

Whether we’re elected chiefs or hereditary chiefs, we must find ways forward for our people. And that’s the critical point that everybody’s missing.

I have a background of 25 years of being a social worker, so I’ve been on the front lines, dealing with the social issues of our First Nations. When you’re on the front lines, it just seems that the issues are endless.

I’ve seen our people, first hand, living in real poverty. I’ve seen the social issues, the astronomical unemployment rates, the child-welfare cases, the suicides, the addictions, the low levels of education, the poor housing conditions. I’ve seen how we’re rapidly losing our language and culture within our communities.

I’ve seen the impact on the people of colonization, of the residential schools and the abuses, of the Sixties Scoop of children torn by governments from their First Nations families, and of the missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Those issues, those impacts, are about the people. Both levels of governing bodies, the hereditary chiefs and the elected councils, must sit down for the sake of the people. We need to find a way forward.

Those elected councils go forward every single day for their people, trying to find ways and means to make a better quality of life for the people. And that’s the fact that the media and the social media and the people with their own legal interpretations are missing.

The nations that have approved the pipeline, and the LNG Canada project, have consulted with their people. They met their consultation duties as elected councillors. There have been five or six years of consultation, doing due diligence, meeting with their people and getting their say on the project.

Maybe not everyone in a Nation agrees with the pipeline or LNG. That would be true in any community, Indigenous or non-Indigenous. But the majority of the people within the communities have agreed with the projects. And some of these elected councils have hereditary chiefs as members.

The elected councils are still leaders, trying to do their best with the means that they have, committed to moving forward and finding ways and means to address economic and social issues.

https://theprovince.com/opinion/op-ed/k ... ce-debates

[erinmore3775]

Merry, thank you for posting this article. It parallels my experience with elected Native leaders.

[blue iguana]

First Nations Speak Out In Favour Of Pipeline
https://www.ckpgtoday.ca/article/551146 ... r-pipeline
PRINCE GEORGE - The Chief Counsellor for the Haisla and the chiefs of 20 different First Nations in support of LNG Canada and Coastal Gas Link held a media event at the Natural Resources Forum this morning.

She outlined the opportunities that have and will accrue to the 20 First nations that have signed agreements on the projects. And Crystal Smith had some harsh words for the BC Union of Indian Chiefs for taking sides on the Wet'suwet'en issue rather than applaud the due diligence done by the 20 First Nations.

"Given the large First Nations support for the Coast Gas link, I am disappointed that the Union BC Indian Chiefs is choosing to stoke the fire of conflict regarding the Wet'suwet'en issue, rather than stand in support of 20 Nations which have signed agreements for the natural gas pipeline," says Smith. "In fact, whether it's the UBCIC, the Assembly of First Nations or the First Nations Summit, these groups seem content to rush to offer their perspective on what is happening within the Wet'suwet'en but have remained silent on the First Nations that are benefiting in real terms of these projects."

She says there is an opportunity to build her community and others with those projects, saying she "tired of managing poverty."

[seewood]

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/247866 ... -destroyed

Here we go again. Lets see how the media spins this while the photo depicts a tree plantation in the back ground from previous logging activities.

As mentioned, all permits were in place. The structures were deemed unsafe? What constitutes unsafe ?