Harper to meet with Chief Spence/First Nations leaders

[grammafreddy]

You need to fix your quote, Wolfen.

[Dash5]

"Idle no more"? Good. Its about time. Go get a job.

Considering the negative stereotypes sometimes applied to some First Nations people, could they have picked a worse name for their "cause"?

[Ken7]

"grammafreddy"
That might work out better for them because under the Indian Act and some of the treaties, they don't have those.

GF- I think we have been over those points time and time again.
Unless I've misread your posts you do not get a free home, you do not care for.
You do not receive financial assistance from your band.
You do not receive ( not all but some ) free education.
You do not get free medical attention.

Even their own people are discriminated against when you consider some of the Treaties, why would that be?
The treaties under the Indian Act apply to all of the status Indians and more, not who the band elects to support Gramma.

The list goes on, I wish I had all the rights they have. I am beginning to wonder about my rights.
Oh, yes I have the right to work for over 50% of a year so that a large portion goes to those who have no rights...

Currently has anyone found the figures on what percentage of your tax dollar goes directly to supporting the Native Heritage and costs of living?

[Roadster]

They dont have rights? I think they do, they get free medical, free education, tax free lands and homes without rents or mortgages,,, cheaper stuff like their tobaccos and gas sold exclusively even at certain gas stations,,, money monthly without working for it... Hmmm wish I could get my gas cheap and live rent free. I think they have more rights then I do, they just dont exercise many of them, like the right to make even more then they get from their chief's doling out, by working for it.

[grammafreddy]

One of the rights they don't have is the right to own their own homes on the reserves, the right to the land it sits on or the right to sell that home or any of the reserve lands.

Until recently they didn't have the right to tax any business operating on their land but I think now they do which is perhaps why we see the Okanagan bands building and expanding shopping centres and housing subdivisions - as tenants not as owners of the land their businesses and homes sit on.

Historically, there were a lot more rights they didn't have but which non-reserve people did have. The right to speak their language or practice their traditional ceremonies, the right to leave their reserves, the right to hunt, fish or trap off reserves in their traditional ways for sustaining themselves, the right to educate their children the way they wanted to, the right to self-determination are just some I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others.

[Roadster]

Fishing, hunting,,,, dont they get to do those any time of the year and without limits and purchasing licences?

[grammafreddy]

Fishing, hunting,,,, dont they get to do those any time of the year and without limits and purchasing licences?

Historically they did not. Now they do.

[LoneWolf_53]

One of the rights they don't have is the right to own their own homes on the reserves, the right to the land it sits on or the right to sell that home or any of the reserve lands.

One of the rights it seems they do have, is to sit on their duffs collecting money from Canadians who in fact did nothing to them, Canadians many of whom have to stretch their resources far more than natives do, to accomplish the same ends.

Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooosh................. hear that? That was the sound of sympathy flying out the door.

[Fancy]

I'm still confused - they want their lands and their way of life as a collective and then on the other hand want to be able to own their own home to buy and sell as they please. They can do that off the reserve.

[LoneWolf_53]

I'm still confused - they want their lands and their way of life as a collective and then on the other hand want to be able to own their own home to buy and sell as they please. They can do that off the reserve.

Sort of conflicts with their traditional culture, where really they might be considered Nomads by modern standards. It is in keeping with traditional behavior though, where our ways are embraced when it suits, and the traditional culture card played when it doesn't. Nothing new there.

[dogspoiler]

I have the right to work and support myself, so do they.
I have the right to buy my own home, so do they.
I have the right to buy materials and do the work to maintain my home, so do they.
I have the right to pay my bills to ensure my utilities service, so do they
I have the right to vote, so do they.
I have the right to medical care, so do they.
I have the right to avoid alcoholism and addiction, so do they.
I have the right to education. so do they.
I have the right to be a productive member of society, so do they.
I have the right to be critical of people that are merely a drain on our society, so do they.
I have the right not to be a non-productive parasite, so do they.

[twobits]

One of the rights they don't have is the right to own their own homes on the reserves, the right to the land it sits on or the right to sell that home or any of the reserve lands.

Until recently they didn't have the right to tax any business operating on their land but I think now they do which is perhaps why we see the Okanagan bands building and expanding shopping centres and housing subdivisions - as tenants not as owners of the land their businesses and homes sit on.

Historically, there were a lot more rights they didn't have but which non-reserve people did have. The right to speak their language or practice their traditional ceremonies, the right to leave their reserves, the right to hunt, fish or trap off reserves in their traditional ways for sustaining themselves, the right to educate their children the way they wanted to, the right to self-determination are just some I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others.

Native locatee owned lands have been leased for a long time gram. Has made a number of natives quite well off.

[juz516]

Historically, there were a lot more rights they didn't have but which non-reserve people did have.

"Historically" being the key word here. Time to come into the "future", IMO.....and let the past be where it needs to be...in the past. Why can't they live, teach, and speak their culture? All immigrants can do that....no excuses for the First Nations people, IMO.

[zzontar]

One of the rights they don't have is the right to own their own homes on the reserves, the right to the land it sits on or the right to sell that home or any of the reserve lands.

That's horrible, they get land and a house for life, but they can't own it. I'm sure they'd rather live in the same house but have to work for it their whole lives, and then even though they "own" it, they'd lose it if they didn't pay taxes on it. Now seeing as you hear so much about how they complain they're stuck on a reserve, what better opportunity could they have than to be able to save for a house off-reserve with what they save on rent or mortgage payments on-reserve, another opportunity that the rest of Canadians don't get, yet that doesn't seem to be happening.

As far as the condition of some of their houses, I don't know why they don't adopt a sort of strata system when they're given houses where they must keep up the lawn, can't board up the windows, can't leave garbage or old cars in their yards, etc. or you get the boots. Most any other Canadian would jump at the idea of getting free housing you just have to maintain, so why doesn't it work for the natives?

[LoneWolf_53]

^^