Aboriginal Children In Care

[the truth]

imho most would choose to stay

[grammafreddy]

What if there was no more funding for a reservation system?

[the truth]

Removed/Trip

[cutter7]

Removed Quote/Trip

Are you speaking in general terms? westbank first nation has plenty of development creating jobs for natives and non natives alike, so does campbell river.

As far as the kids are concerned, I have little sympathy for the parents as it was their own actions that caused their children to be removed, smarten up and get your kids back if you want a say in how they are raised.

[zookeeper]

Graduation and social comparisons are being made on splitting the statistics between native and non-native students and children. It would be interesting to see what the statistics would show if the statistics were divided up even more in both categories.

What would we see if social status, income and political influences included in the breakdown?

There are plenty of native people who have overcome the woes of the past, many of their children and grandchildren (as well as themselves) have moved ahead by taking charge of their future and their education, many to go back "home" to work to improve the situations not only at home but in the world around them. Let's compare that to non-native families who have grown up in the welfare system.

Consider the native families who don't rank high within their own political system, the poorest of the poor who are denied every chance to move ahead because they are not "special" (read as related) in the ranks of their own tribe. Ask then for your city to deny a non-native person their social assistance cheque and kick them out of your city.

When a non-native person fails to complete their education, lives in an alcohol induced abusive home, and fails to reach the high living standards expected by some of the posters here, what system do you think takes care of them?

Take in to consideration the affluent, in both colors, those who have the means to hide their faults, the ones of both colors who don't get in to the system of statistics because they have the wealth to provide for the shortcomings of their offspring.

Break the statistical system down some more, find the true measure to indicate success or failure and base studies how to improve situations on actual causes. There are many families who need to break a cycle and making comparisons based on brown vs white aren't solving a damn thing.

Racism, and plenty of misinformed arrogance, at it's best here I would say.

[driveangry]

I've spent quite a bit of time on the Reservation. At the time, the band was saying that in the previous 20 years, there was only 1 death that wasn't alcohol related. School or no school kids are going to be exposed to heavy and chronic drinking. Education will not change anything. Only a change of culture can do that because alcoholism and dependence has become the culture (thanks in large part to the Indian Act).

The older generation that I once knew who are now passed on were still living off the land, working hard trapping, guiding and hunting, and even ranching. They say that idle hands are the Devil's workshop, and I see that with today's generation. There is way too much idleness and free time. Some people have jobs, but on many Reservations, most do not. In some cases 90% don't, and the ones that do, work for the band.

Many people lay the blame at the feet of the Residential schools, but this has very little bearing on today's dilemma (those who did not attend residential school face the same problems today). The Reservation system itself is the bigger problem. Native people, like anyone else, need to be given the right to own their own land, which they do not under the Indian Act, at least not on the Reservation.

The reservation system is evil and always has been. South Africa modeled apartheid on it. It ghettoizes First Nations, just like social housing projects ghettoize the people who live there. First Nations individually should own their section of the reserve outright and be able to sell it or be able to borrow against it, or collectively own their reserve land and be able to borrow against it collectively, just like any group of people who want to own land collectively. The Nisga'a have recently been given the right to own their own land, and hopefully this trend will spread across the country.

We are enabling the problem of social dysfunction by continuing to live under the racist Indian Act. Time to abolish the Act.

Excellent post.

Just one thing to correct, individual First nation members can own property on reserves, in B.C.. Common misconception. Called C.P. ownership, short for Certificate of possession. Same thing as a deed. My wife owns her property as well as the rest of her family owns their property. Here the majority of land on the res. is CP land. Those that don't own property can still own there house on band property or rent.

The Nisga'a have always owned their land either CP land and/or band land. Many CP holders lost their land when they signed their treaty, borders were moved that put CP land outside the res. The province took it. Some land was added to the res. also, but became band land.

A lot of the WFN land in Westbank is CP land. Many leased out the property to the big stores. WFN leased out so much land that they had no land for housing for their own people. They were at one time asking for land from other bands.

[driveangry]

imho most would choose to stay

I would agree with you.

[driveangry]

What if there was no more funding for a reservation system?

Out of curiosity, how much money do you think a band gets and how do you think it's distributed ??

[Ken7]

Out of curiosity, how much money do you think a band gets and how do you think it's distributed ??

Here is one example of how, and I say not very. I'll continue to try find WFN.


http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... 0-million/

[Ken7]

Excellent post.

Just one thing to correct, individual First nation members can own property on reserves, in B.C.. Common misconception. Called C.P. ownership, short for Certificate of possession. Same thing as a deed. My wife owns her property as well as the rest of her family owns their property. Here the majority of land on the res. is CP land. Those that don't own property can still own there house on band property or rent.

The Nisga'a have always owned their land either CP land and/or band land. Many CP holders lost their land when they signed their treaty, borders were moved that put CP land outside the res. The province took it. Some land was added to the res. also, but became band land.

A lot of the WFN land in Westbank is CP land. Many leased out the property to the big stores. WFN leased out so much land that they had no land for housing for their own people. They were at one time asking for land from other bands.

That is very interesting what you have stated and I'm sure many did not know this.

Now the question which comes to mind is, are all band members entitled to a piece of land to use for there own?
If not, how is the selection process made? Do these people who own land actually have to purchase it from the band?

[driveangry]

Now the question which comes to mind is, are all band members entitled to a piece of land to use for there own?
If not, how is the selection process made? Do these people who own land actually have to purchase it from the band?

I can only tell you what I know this band does, other bands in BC will be very similar but they may have added some different policy procedures.

Here CP land was distributed when the reservations were being formed. People were asked where and how much land. Some took larger areas for farming and ranching while some choose smaller areas. Over time CP land was handed down to their children or family members, some were subdivided for family. If there was no family the CP land was turned over to the band as band land. The band would then build subdivisions with a few housing projects. Members would apply for housing to rent or to own. Usually first come ,first serve basis, history of damaging rental property or delinquent rent or mortgage payments put you at the bottom or removed from the list. Band members get selected first, then band members from other bands can rent if something is available. CP holders who want a house on their land can either build your own, or finance it thru the band. The land will have to be signed over to the band if financing thru the band, that way if delinquent, the band takes it. CP land can be bought and sold ONLY to status Indians and has to be approved by chief & council, and then by DIA. Can sometimes take years for all the red tape.

Some CP land owners owned their land before the reserves were here but because of their status and property bordering with the res. , their property was included into the reserve boundary.

I hope I answered your questions, I did a lot of research before I built our family home on my wife's property. I can't own land on the res. but my children will inherit it. Now everyone who reads this knows a lot more about me that I didn't want to happen but at least they know why I get very defensive about First Nation issues.

[rvrepairnut]

There is only one group of people to blame in this mess and its the creators of the mess to begin with

The DNA parents whom created the children and their own culture.Only if and when there willing to help themselves will we see any change in this ridiculous situation
We as a whole are forced(10 billion federal tax dollars) to throw money at these people whom are hopeless as things stand
people have to be able and willing to help themselves.Unless the natives can step up and help themselves we will never see this child abuse/neglect situation change
Also the feds need to quit paying tribes money directly.we need money managers appointed to oversee all federal transfer tax dollars that go to all native groups
All one has to do is read the story of the women indian band leader in Ontario and the money she sucks put of the system and no one lifts a finger to stop her

[grammafreddy]

^^

[Ken7]

Tonights news, approaching Government for funding to start their own program again.

This topic troubles me, as I've stated they are damned if they do and damned if they don't intervene.

Does anyone have the answer?

[coffeeFreak]

Tonights news, approaching Government for funding to start their own program again.

This topic troubles me, as I've stated they are damned if they do and damned if they don't intervene.

Does anyone have the answer?

Link?