Harper to meet with Chief Spence/First Nations leaders

[zzontar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDbdty7KZg0

I think if you listen you will find that natives desire a change in the relationship with non natives and how their comunities are run.they just want to have a say and not be treated like children anymore.

One way to get a kid to get a job and be more independent is to stop giving them their allowance and doing everything for them.

[juz516]

So true, zzontar, so true!

[Roadster]

Agree, encourage he stay in school so he can make his own way in life. Let him know there is no handouts as an adult. We are not the mother

[zzontar]

We came here made treaties that took away 99 percent of the land .

If you go way back, everybody's ancestors had more land than they could use, everybody's ancestors had to hunt and gather to survive, everybody's ancestors were involved in wars in which land was lost, everybody's ancestors had a unique culture or heritage, and everybody had ancestors who paid no taxes. Why do you think only the natives should get special treatment?

[zzontar]

Did any of you posters sign the petition, and how many took the time to send a note to their MLA?

If you did not, quite complaining and keep paying!

Even if the petition goes through we still pay, the money just gets distributed differently. I'd prefer a petition that states we don't have to pay anymore and everyone be treated equally.

[kibbs]

Why do you think only the natives should get special treatment?

not special different .we wrote the treaty's and the Indian act we designated the reserves ,they just signed and mostly obeyed,problem is they've smartened up and learned how to negotiate and we want to run pipe through their land.

[juz516]

not special different .we wrote the treaty's and the Indian act we designated the reserves ,they just signed and mostly obeyed,problem is they've smartened up and learned how to negotiate and we want to run pipe through their land.

"We" did not write or designate anything.....our ancestors did, in a world vastly different than today. Negotiation is one thing...demanding is a whole other ball game. I am sure the majority of people are as concerned about the uses of the land as are FN, but the "powers that be" in this country are more concerned with financial gain.

What is the difference between "special" and "different". If there are groups that benefit more than the majority, it is wrong....period....in this day and age. IMO

[zzontar]

not special different .

Please explain how what they get now is not above what other Canadians get.

[Roadster]

not special different .we wrote the treaty's and the Indian act we designated the reserves ,they just signed and mostly obeyed,problem is they've smartened up and learned how to negotiate and we want to run pipe through their land.

WE DID NOT WRITE ANYTHING, those who did are dead and gone, those who signed are dead and gone, those who are alive now and for many years have nothing to do with this. This is Canadian land,,, if someone don't like it they can move on like our ancestors and ourselves did... Those pipelines might make Canada a better place with more woooooork! Ya that's a good word, work, something we all need so we can put food on our tables.

[kibbs]

all the people who wrote the american constitution are dead and gone ,we still respect it,it still applys even if altered

[Roadster]

"We" did not write or designate anything.....our ancestors did, in a world vastly different than today. Negotiation is one thing...demanding is a whole other ball game. I am sure the majority of people are as concerned about the uses of the land as are FN, but the "powers that be" in this country are more concerned with financial gain.

What is the difference between "special" and "different". If there are groups that benefit more than the majority, it is wrong....period....in this day and age. IMO

And even to say Our ancestors did,,, many of us had no family here back then, My family wasn't here then, they were in Scotland and Norway back then, they came later, meaning I am paying for something someone else, not even related to me did. Many Canadians today had no family here, this is a whole different world today then it was back then... Those people had a different look on how things should happen then we do now, time we quit paying for what Someone else did.

all the people who wrote the american constitution are dead and gone ,we still respect it,it still applys even if altered

Ya well not if We all get our backs up about it and make necessary changes to encourage equality for all.

[juz516]

I have a really tough time with the attitude or naivety or whatever it is. One group should not benefit above others...period, end of story....this is 2013, not 1813! The constitution of America (which, by the way, has no bearing on Canada) is a law....and it is, apparently, for the good of all. Do you believe that it applies only to a select few? And if it did, what do you believe would be the outcome of that?
Every Canadian is "special" and should be treated no "different" than any other one.

[zzontar]

If you go way back, everybody's ancestors had more land than they could use, everybody's ancestors had to hunt and gather to survive, everybody's ancestors were involved in wars in which land was lost, everybody's ancestors had a unique culture or heritage, and everybody had ancestors who paid no taxes. Why do you think only the natives should get special treatment?

not special different .we wrote the treaty's and the Indian act we designated the reserves ,they just signed and mostly obeyed,problem is they've smartened up and learned how to negotiate and we want to run pipe through their land.

Okay Kibbs, do you think everybody else in the whole world should get less because no one offered them a piece of paper to sign way back? Do you think the rest of Canadians should smarten up and demand the same royalties from every pipeline and mine goes up in Canada that's not on a reserve? (before answering, keep in mind companies would fold if that happened.) As far as not wanting to pay taxes, there are countries where no one has to pay taxes, they're called third world countries.

[twobits]

not special different .we wrote the treaty's and the Indian act we designated the reserves ,they just signed and mostly obeyed,problem is they've smartened up and learned how to negotiate and we want to run pipe through their land.

So what makes it their land? We are not talking about designated reserves are we? It is the very loose term "traditional territories". It would appear the native definition of "their lands" includes every place in the country where some ancestor may have fished, hunted, or collected berries one week a season. This alone appers to give them the god given right to say yes or no to any activity on those lands and usually a ransom to gain support. If you want to buy into their claims of all traditional territories, they have every square inch of the country under hostage claim plus 30% more as most bands seem to claim overlapping terrritories. How on earth do do negotiate anything when two different bands cannot even decide who's "traditional territory" it is never mind if they actually used it a 100 or more years ago? And even if they did, does that activity a century and more ago give them current right and title to any and all activities on those lands in today's day and age. To that I would answer an emphatic NO WAY.
Further, to claim some kind of moral high ground as keepers of the lands and environmental stewards for all Canadians is a hypocracle farse. One only has to visit some reserves and bear witness to not just the squalor but blatent abuse of the lands. No where will you find more litter and garbage stewn about, abandoned leaking equipment, storage facilities for waste fluilds leaking everywhere that are beyond the reach of enforcement because they are on reserve lands. Thousands of businesses have been set up purposely on these lands because they are able to skirt regulations because of the native status alone. Brings in a cheque though.

[kibbs]

, something we all need so we can put food on our tables.

growing food puts food on our tables,cranking out all the juice as fast as we can ,feeds greed ,everyone who wants to work in this country does.now we are pushing it to excess.Canada is the new america.Has any one heard about the Meetings with atleo.i need my another native world fix.