Harper to meet with Chief Spence/First Nations leaders

[kibbs]

Nothing like beating a dead horse that still wants more cash to squander. More money is not going to help this cycle on how the white man did them wrong. Again this is not about the topic of the thread.

many would think that the only reason that these people wish to meet with steve is to ask for more money.they can easily do that with out him,i believe they wish to discuss how to improve relationships between our two nations.I think people can be racist and not even know it.it is not a race card to be played but a need to right past injustices between our nations ,something steve has already apologized for and we as Canadians should collectively feel this shame. racism isn't hate of other peoples .its fear.lets listen to what the chiefs have to say before we pass judgement on the whole event.maybe we will be able to understand them better after and fear them less.

[cv23]

a need to right past injustices between our nations

This is Canada, one nation, not multiple ones

[kibbs]

This is Canada, one nation, not multiple ones

why do they call them first nations people?.they are a nation within a nation.

[Ken7]

I think that Harper was careful to say that he was going to meet with Aboriginal leaders as opposed to saying that he was going to cave in to Spence's so called hunger strike protest, to meet with her specifically. IMO this women has more nerve than a toothache to be carrying on the way she has. Is she not the Chief of the Attawapiskat band in Ontario that was the recipient of over a hundred million dollars for a population of about 1800 people, yet many were living in tents and shacks? Didn't she then kick the independent auditors off her reserve so that he books and spending could not be completely explored and exposed? I would personally be grossly offended if our Prime MInister were to go against the long standing policy of refusing to meet with protesters while they are involved in illegal activities or [in some other way] are figuratively speaking, holding a gun to the head of government. There are a lot of questions that Canadians should be asking about this whole Idle No More (Bill C-45) issue. From what I can see, there is an awful lot of misinformation being spread about the Bill C-45, and as tax payers we are footing a financial cost for it all.

I think Harper needs to meet with these leaders. Not just this one Chief. I further feel it's time to get to the bottom of all this, we all know there is money given what it comes down to is how it is spent or better yet waisted.

Is there a simple solution? I don't think so but it needs to be brought to the table.

As for the toothache comment, I agree if it was someone other then a Native Leader the media wouldn't cover it and the Government wouldn't give you the time of day! What was her wage $250,000.00 a year I think I heard....."she eats really good!"

[Glacier]

I think she needs more starving.

She ain't starving to begin with...

The reservation system has been holding natives down for far too long, and needs to be overhauled or abolished. It is little wonder that there are more natives in the care of the government today than there was at the height of the residential school fiasco.

[Bsuds]

Please reread the forum rules for the Canada board - jennylives

[waterwings]

What was her wage $250,000.00 a year I think I heard...

Harper is the sixth highest paid world leader. His salary is $296,400.00 US. She earns $46,000 less!!!!! Is this true?

Hey Something aint good, right, or accountable Jack

[Hassel99]

No, she earns 70k a year and she pays her boyfriend/common law husband close to 200k a year. Neither pay income tax so add another 35% to total purchasing power if you want to compare it to non natives.

[cv23]

why do they call them first nations people?.they are a nation within a nation.

They refer to themselves as first nations peoples and it is they who want to be treated in special ways solely due to their race. Very obvious who are the ones perpetuating racial attitudes rather than seeing all Canadians as equals no matter the race.

[waterwings]

Idle No More protests choose the wrong targets
By Mark Milke, Vancouver Sun January 5, 2013 1:46 PM •Story•Photos ( 1 )

Idle No More protesters demonstrate in Oakville, Ont. Friday, where Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced he will meet with First Nations delegates next Friday.Photograph by: Matthew Sherwood, The Canadian Press , Vancouver SunIn the wake of the Idle No More protests that have blocked railway lines and have hinted at more mischief, multiple grievances have been advanced in place of clear-headed analyses. But none of the slogans, clichés and guilt-tripping get to the bottom of why some aboriginals, especially on reserves, are in a sorry state.

First, some misinformation about one supposed reason for the protests, that reserves will be broken up by Bill C-45, should be debunked.

That recent federal legislation allows First Nations to lease some of their land to others if they so choose.

In British Columbia, the Westbank and Osoyoos First Nations have prospered using such lease arrangements to create housing subdivisions and commercial complexes. The money flows back to the reserves' owners.

All Bill C-45 would do is to allow even more reserves to imitate those successful models. But the bill does not mandate that path and nor does it allow for reserve land to be sold (as has been incorrectly claimed).

Another mistaken assertion is that taxpayers have not done enough for Canada's native peoples.

Let's be clear about the benefits some First Nations and Inuit peoples receive that other Canadians do not.

To use one example, every Canadian has access to universal and taxpayer-funded health care through their provincial ministry of health.

However, Health Canada runs the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program, which gives additional health care benefits to First Nations and Inuit peoples.

Health Canada notes that 846,024 First Nation and Inuit peoples have access to "medically necessary drugs, dental care, vision care, medical supplies and equipment, short-term crisis intervention mental health counselling and medical transportation." The cost of dental treatment, eyeglasses, ambulatory services and everything else on that list is not cheap: In 2010/11, the bill to taxpayers was just over $1 billion.That amounts to a $1,200 health care benefit per eligible enrollee, this while the other 34 million Canadians must buy insurance for such services and goods or pay out of pocket.

In the federal department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, the main ministry for aboriginal spending, $115 billion will have been spent on services and programs for aboriginals between 1994-95 and this year, according to that department and the Public Accounts. That figure excludes other federal departments and provincial government spending.

This year, 84 per cent of that department's money will go directly to aboriginals, band governments or programs for aboriginals. (The remaining 16 per cent is chewed up in departmental operating costs.) One could argue more money should be spent.

But that would ignore the broken governance structure on too many reserves. Such structures already allow some chiefs, such as hunger striker/

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and her colleagues, to earn salaries far above that earned by other politicians in similar-sized hamlets.

For example, in the remote Ontario township of Algonquin Highlands (halfway between Toronto and North Bay) with 2,100 people, the entire council was paid just $119,220 in 2011.

In Attawapiskat, with 1,500 people, the total bill for political salaries in 2011 was $607,364. Moreover, all of that came tax-free to Spence and her band colleagues.
Ironically, that tax-free status is courtesy of Section 87 of the Indian Act, the act that is routinely (but quite properly) derided for interfering in the lives of Canada's "Indian" and Inuit peoples.

Double-standards aside, Idle protesters miss a critical reason why so many reserves are in poor shape: They are in the middle of nowhere and cannot be sustained by the local economy because there isn't one.

It is impossible to bring the opportunities available in urban Canada to rural Canada. Even in non-reserve villages, educational, health and career options are severely limited. That's why the only people who live in such remote areas are those who already have money, or have the skills to work in nearby mines, mills, or in other industries (where they exist). Otherwise, poverty is guaranteed.

Additionally problematic for reserves is the lack of proper governance. In non-native towns and cities, most money flows up from local taxpayers via property taxes. That creates a natural taxpayer-politician link and accountability.

On reserves, taxpayer money mostly flows down from Ottawa into reserve coffers. That creates a demand for more cash from faraway taxpayers, or from the nearby resource company, rather than answers from reserve politicians about existing money flows.

Just as tragic, that structure allows band politicians to spend money on unreasonable political salaries and on housing for friends, family and political allies, first, with everyone else put in the queue.

Such fundamental problems with how reserves are run - and the unsustainable nature of some of those rural collectives - is what protesters should ponder. That would be more useful than making up grievances about private companies and taxpayers.

Mark Milke is a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of several studies on Aboriginal issues.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Idle+M ... z2H9b8G2eX

[Treblehook]

First Nations is but a name, chosen by the aboriginal people of this country. Harper is going to meet with the Aboriginal leaders. There are no two nations involved here. As a country we need to stop thinking and talking in this manner. Indo Canadians, Afro Canadians, German Canadians, French Canadians, First Nations ... wrong! Canadians. Our population is made up of peoples who descend from many different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds, but they are all Canadians.. period.

[the truth]

yap

[the truth]

te="cv23"]

why do they call them first nations people?.they are a nation within a nation.

They refer to themselves as first nations peoples and it is they who want to be treated in special ways solely due to their race. Very obvious who are the ones perpetuating racial attitudes rather than seeing all Canadians as equals no matter the race.[/quote]

you got it

[Ken7]

Idle No More protests choose the wrong targets...

The more they conduct themselves where it affects all Canadians, the less popular their cause will be. In the end they are rapidly losing support from those who feel the Government must deal with their issues.

As the facts slowly are released again people begin to ask, why are you trying to deceive us? Yes, show me the poor people on your reserve, and yet when you do the number and see what kind of money is being handed to the Band it makes me wonder? Do you think we are stupid? It is time to deal with these matters in a civil forum.

Placing roadblocks up doesn't affect Harper or the persons you need to speak with. Camp on his lawn or on the Hill in Ottawa makes more sense to me.

[kibbs]

They refer to themselves as first nations peoples and it is they who want to be treated in special ways solely due to their race.

the world recognizes them as a nation .they have their own land .their own government and recognized by the united nations.sure sounds like a nation to me .we imposed this separate status along time ago .we had our chance to make them equal within our nation along time ago .that time has passed and now they dont want to be a part of us.but they are willing to cooperate and share cultures .thats a good thing.
heres a little reading for those willing to learn.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations