Harper to meet with Chief Spence/First Nations leaders

[Roadster]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/85712/First-Nations-balk-at-meeting-with-PM


"To have both the prime minister and the Governor General attend our requested meeting will give a powerful message to us," said Murray Clearsky, grand chief of southern Manitoba.

"But to refuse will send the counter message to the Canadian public that they have no honour, nor respect for the rule of law and international agreements, and their corporate agenda which goes against the greater good of their nation, their citizens and the environment."

No. The message I'm getting is that these guys don't know what they want or when they want it but feel it perfectly acceptable to dictate and then change their demands on any whim. Enough. You wanted a meeting, you got it now keep up your end of the bargain and get your butts there. Change their minds and issue a statement at midnight? *bleep*

Good post

Do I care about the economy? Yes, indians wanna be a part of it then be a part of it, if these people want to threaten to bring it down then they need to rethink their attitudes. Isnt that what kinda takes care of them now? Crash it because they cant get more? How bout if they got nothing tomorrow? We shoulda built them a collage years ago, bused them all to it and ended their care plan once they became doctors and mechanics and let them feed their own as we do,,, hey wait! We kinda did that didnt we? They were offered free education, medical,,, money for homes and schools. What went wrong? Hate to say it but I would like to see how many took advantage of that free education thing and became something.
They block roads so we Canadians cant get to work,,,, Oh there's a good idea,,,,
Their meeting was schedualed and now they want it somewhere else...

[grammafreddy]

Of course they should speak up. I'm glad someone has but this has morphed into a monster. Threatening to hold a nation hostage while demanding their respect and support is no way to go about it.
Yesterday I made the mistake of posting my concern on a pic being shared on fb. I said nothing inflammatory, nothing pro Harper or any such thing. I simply questioned why everyone should have to pay (via economic terrorism) Do you know what the result was? I was told to stop being so selfish and was asked what I had done to help bring the Natives of this country out of second class status. Can you believe that? Because I am concerned about everyone I am selfish. Because I dared question an unsavory tactic I am guilty of keeping the Indian down. Unfreakingreal.

It's a very emotionally charged issue - on all three sides.

However, I have hope that through education, communication and co-operation, some of the more educated and industrious natives will provide a source of hope and self-prosperity to the native communities.

People like Manny Jules, Chief Louie and other progressive Aboriginals have much to offer the native youth of today to bring them out of the wasteland the Indian Act puts them in.

[Roadster]

If she's drinking only fish broth and tea, her caloric intake probably isn't 1000 calories a day which means she should be losing fat, muscle mass and eventually her organs will be jeopardized. Her mental state will also be affected which it seems to be now.

Yes, if you go off solids for a week you will loose a few pounds, might be slow at first while the body is learning to use stored fats,,, in two weeks more things happening. Someone who goes 4 weeks should show significant changes in the face especially, then other areas and the mind can be affected after that long. The brain needs food, it needs fats, good fats mostly but it still needs something. But, a person can go a very long time without food if they are hydrated, still I would have expected to see pics of her looking quite thinned out in the face by now, and also possibly being quite frail looking as well, its been over a month if I am right.
I think before she did this she could have offered more paper work and sat down with someone to find money already given and show how she could put that money to its intended use. Show how they themselves will Work to make it happen and I mean physically work to make it happen. Once thats all done then look for more money if there isnt enough to finish the projects. I am truely dissapointed to see the money sent has done nothing there yet but more is being called for.

[grammafreddy]

It seems that everything our Federal Govts. have done is create a sense of entitlement and isolatoinist feelings. What has been done is not working, there is a good lesson to be learned.

I think that a lot of the money being sent to the reserves should be converted to food and building supplies. Give them some training and make them earn the monthly cheque by fixing up their own properties.

People that recieve handouts for years are not likley to have respect for themselves or what is given to them.

The system needs change, not just more money thrown at it.

It will take cooperation from both sides.

Does that sound kinda like this ...???

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's (INAC's) recent round of cuts to national Aboriginal organizations, regional First Nation organizations and tribal councils are very telling about the policy direction in which we are headed. This policy direction is most definitely backwards in time - say 50 to 100 years or so. Canada has come nearly full circle in its treatment of Indigenous peoples. Canada went from (1) creating a mythic "race" of Indians to be divided, controlled and assimilated, (2) to recognizing (at least somewhat) that First Nations are diverse, have the inherent right to be self-determining (although limited) and that Aboriginal and treaty rights must be addressed (even though we didn't agree on how), (3) back to treating all "Indians" as one big problem that needs to be eliminated.

That's a quote from Pam Palmeter in her blog "Indigenous Nationhood"
http://indigenousnationhood.blogspot.ca ... hared.html

[Rwede]

I'm joining a new grassroots movement called "Money No More!"

Anyone else care to join?

[Glacier]

The Harper government spent $7.9 billion on Aboriginal affairs last year ($40,000 per family of 5). This is up from the $6.1 billion in 06/07. How can anyone live off of $40,000 per year? Clearly Harper hates First Nations.

[eMeM]

But what do they want???? Do they even know? Off the teat or on? Gov't intervention or not? I don't believe having it both ways is viable any longer. Equality but not really equal? I'm confused.

[goatboy]

People like Manny Jules, Chief Louie and other progressive Aboriginals have much to offer the native youth of today to bring them out of the wasteland the Indian Act puts them in.

As long as there is an Indian Act that they can use as an excuse for their situation (which in 2013, how can it be anything other than an excuse?), they will never have real incentives to move forward.

[dogspoiler]

I'm joining a new grassroots movement called "Money No More!"

Anyone else care to join?

Count me in.

[waterwings]

They beleive each one of their people and land comes before canadians because they are native canadian. They believe they must move forward but not in the manner that society has. They believe that how they do things is the right way because they were here first. They believe that canadians have stopped them from building a culture based on their customes and the way society runs does nto and will not affect how they do things whether it buggers up canada or not. They believe each one of their chiefs is as important as the prime minister (not that each chief has as much land or people to organize doesn't matter). They believe schooling the people means teaching them the old ways and how not to fit into canada as it is but as they want it. They believe they come before the Queen and that they should have the privlleges that the Queen/King. Each Chief should have its own throne and each of us will one day respect every native culture and customs and all will be well,

[waterwings]

Where do I sign up?

[grammafreddy]

People like Manny Jules, Chief Louie and other progressive Aboriginals have much to offer the native youth of today to bring them out of the wasteland the Indian Act puts them in.

As long as there is an Indian Act that they can use as an excuse for their situation (which in 2013, how can it be anything other than an excuse?), they will never have real incentives to move forward.

As long as there's an Indian Act the government can use it to control them. It works both ways. The original Indian Act was not an invention of the aboriginal people but was the crown's/government's instrument of rewards and punishments after all the buffalo were gone, etc. It was the Indian Act that put them on the reservations and dictated how they would live on those reservations. The reward was the free money and tax-free status (amongst others), which guaranteed the natives would become dependent upon the crown. The punishments were the residential schools and the withdrawal of funds and service until they complied with what government dictated.

[dogspoiler]

They are demanding the right to share in Canada's wealth.

Yes, I agree.

I demand that they share in the work.

[eMeM]

But what do they want???? Do they even know? Off the teat or on? Gov't intervention or not? I don't believe having it both ways is viable any longer. Equality but not really equal? I'm confused.

My apologies if this has already been posted. I went in search of an answer to my question and found this article:

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/c ... pragmatism

If any of you read it and would care to copy/paste some or all of it, please do.

[Rwede]

The interesting thing is, Kennewick Man and his caucasian relatives were here first.

But, would I be racist if I called someone "second nations?"