We screwed up, give us money!
Ah, the plight of Canada’s Natives. Wait, correction - Canada’s on-reserve Natives. There’s a difference. A big one.
Those who live off the reservation, if left to their own devices and not meddled with by either touchy-feely guilty white liberals or by the Chiefs - Native equivelent of Al Sharpton and other race pimps, can usually manage some degree of assimilation. They may in many cases still collect social assistance or have substance abuse problems, but they are still far more adept at functioning within the larger society.
Those on the reservations… not so much.
Canada has approximately 400,000 Native living on-rez, at a cost of $8 Billion to the taxpayer. We keep them in these concentration camps as a sop to their traditions - traditions that existed 400 years ago when we arrived, and would have changed over time with the new surroundings, but which are now propped up by wishy-washy do-gooders who think that our Natives should still live in an infantilized version of 18th Century customs, with the added bonus of SkiDoos and satellite television to remind them daily of the lives they’re not living somewhere closer to civilization.
If a teenager completes ninth grade, he or she is probably better educated than many others on-rez. And so he can then work within the system, joining the Band or Council, making decisions that affect the lives of the others in his community and apportion the tens of millions of dollars allotted to his particular reservation. He does not need to know anything about engineering to make decisions on vital infrastructure. He does not need to know anything about health and safety or policing or anything else that affects the community. After all, a reservation is merely a Potemkin Village, with the Bands and Councils all for show; in the end, the feds step in to solve the problems that the infantilized residents cannot.
If we as a white European community wanted to give the Natives their 18th Century traditions back, they would be living in teepees and log cabins, not in derelict, mouldering modern pre-fab homes. They would not be driving snowmobiles or watching American television on satellite cable. They would not be reading this article on the Internet. Instead we have offered a half measure between dragging them forward and holding them back. The result is stagnancy, and just like stagnant water, the Native communities are attracting rot and disease.
And two more of their number have died.
A coroner’s jury looking into the deaths of two aboriginal men in a fire at an isolated northern Ontario reserve’s police station three years ago has called for more federal and provincial funding to improve First Nations police facilities and officers’ training.
Ricardo Wesley, 22, and James Goodwin, 20, burned to death on Jan. 8, 2006, while being held for public intoxication at the ramshackle Kashechewan First Nation police detachment.
Among its 80 recommendations made in a report released on Thursday in Toronto, the five-member jury called on the Ontario and federal governments to provide the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service the funds needed to ensure its policing standards and infrastructure are equivalent to those in non-First Nations communities.
The jury’s report also recommends Ontario and Ottawa should also provide adequate money for annual fire inspections of all Nishnawbe-Aski Nation police stations, as well as additional fire response training for officers.
Money, money, money. At what point do we stop throwing money at the Reservations in some lame attempt at making the problems go away? This is the very definition of insanity: Repeating the same action over and over, expecting a different result.
As an evil white European responsible for the creation and maintenance of Kashechewan, I will shoulder the responsibility for the lack of sprinkler system in the jail. But here are the things I will not shoulder responsibility for, in no particular order:
- No functioning smoke detectors
- No fire extinguishers
- Keys that were not clearly labeled or marked, stored in a disorganized fashion
- Lack of a fire escape plan
- Lack of adequate police training
- Lack of adequate fire employee training
- The two drunks that got themselves locked up in the first place
Guys, what did you do with the last $8 Billion we gave you? Did you spend it on candy and records? You wanted your own police and fire services - this is not like a little kid wearing a fire helmet. This is real grown up, you-could-get-hurt stuff.
Canada, and the Department of Indian & Northern Affairs, needs to make a decision. Are these going to be child-like people we will be caring for in perpetuity in sub-standard insane asylums, or will they be functioning members of Canada?
400,000 thousand into 8 billion means 20,000 per capita/person. But wait, remember the Department of Indian & Northern Affairs employes white people like that carricature in the upper right hand corner of this page “Girl On The Right” primarily. In their 28 story skyscraper in Hull, PQ there are only a handful of First Nations people. But let us not dwell on people as this could be a racist thingy.
Remember that eight billion has to pay the federal salaries of these white people first and that building and its infrastructure and the Rich Pensions of those people. Remember there are lots of little indian affairs bldgs across Canada employing more white people.
Now after paying for all that the First Nations people may get a dime or a quarter of the dollar allocated by Parliament. Not much left to buy a Jail is there.
Now to continue this reactionary rant. I seem to remember that the Right Winger John Diefenbaker in order to win one of his elections for the Conservatives in Canada, made the Indians of Canada CITIZENS in 1962. 450 plus years before they could VOTE…sounds like disenfranchisement to me. and
Canada is a major exporter of Oil to the USA but remember that land was Indian Land before it was stolen. 8 Billion doesn’t even come close to the interest on the value of the minerals ripped off the First Nations.
Comment by Chirping Noise — May 23, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
How much land would it take for a reservation based community to actually succeed? No tribe ever had all of the continent to themselves so how much land would be need to be given over (and what amount of money) to get a single tribal “first nations” society that can actually function self-sustainably? And how many native societies were harvesting oil and mineral resources before Europeans came and supposedly stole them?
Get off the reserves and learn to function in the modern world. It is harsh but valuable advice.
Comment by Snake Oil Baron — May 23, 2009 @ 10:30 pm
I was born in Canada - this land is my land. And no aboriginal person has any more right to it than I do. My DNA is as good as any.
Media savvy Chiefs and their liberal friends exploit aboriginals for money, lots of money. It’s no secret, but with that much money in play it’s no surprise that they will demonize anyone who proposes solutions to their exploitation of poorer aboriginals, race pimps need the squalor it makes for good TV.
Comment by Philanthropist — May 24, 2009 @ 1:10 am
Chirping Noise> what is this “Indian Affairs department”?
Now I’m pissed!
What business is it of the government if Indians have affairs? They should be free to hook up with anyone they want to.
The government has no business in the sweat lodges of the nation!
Comment by thunderbuns — May 24, 2009 @ 10:39 am
The ROC is as cut off from what really transpires in Indian communities as we are of Quebec. We get out news sanified with sceeened talking heads. That give us right or left most what we want to hear. Mainly lies they themselves have propogated.
From Native’s we get the race mongers & victim groups. All sharp teethed to enrich themselves at there fellows expence.
Adding to the rank stew is the Native affairs dept. Easly the most corrupt Government agency that has ever existed in the Canada’s. From day one undr all Parties. Of course we can’t leave out the Education system such as it is nor the Governments onslaught to make all Natives semi-children. Its a situation now toxic & going viral, from the injustice , mixed with a culture forced to be based on hate & victimhood.
JMO
Comment by Revnant Dream — May 24, 2009 @ 5:42 pm
Well, here’s the thing. In theory, they could maintain their culture and succede in the modern world without becoming modern. Look at the mennonites, the amish, whatever. Despite the average age of education being cut off at an early age, and few going on to university, these guys kick ass when it comes to taking care of business. The difference is that these groups fund them selves, and they work together. They also have a shared vision and goals. Lethargy on the part of natives is at least partly to blame for their predicament.
Comment by Leanne — May 24, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
My family`s ancestors came to Canada with the British troops to fight in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. After that war the Queen granted land to many of her loyal troops. My relatives were among the recipients and are still farming that same grant from the Queen on the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. I think that gives my heritage enough seniority to say to those “natives” of today that think they are so hard done by go &%$)#@ yourselves. You have been sucking off the teat of “you have to feel sorry for me” long enough. It is time to get up off your lazy back sides and move into the current times. I myself am over the hill in most ways today (that means I am an old fart) but I have been associated over the years with a few Indians (I do not care if you do not like that name. That is what I grew up with as a name for you.) Most of them today are in a circumstance similar to my own, a few are exceedingly well off (good on them) and some are scraping the bottom of the barrel (mostly because of their life style). To the Indians on the reservations and the ones in the slum areas like the ones in Regina and Saskatoon. You fall into the last group of that statement. You have no one to blame but yourself for your place in society. You are getting exactly what you deserve. Maybe no one ever told you this but you get what you sow. Which means nothing in nothing out. When you start to act responsibly the rewards will follow.
Comment by Bob Devine — May 24, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
Y’all just about nailed it. Well, almost all of you. The Indian Industry doesn’t want any problems solved if it means the money they make off of the guys in jail dries up. Gotta have victims, else the whole thing will just shrivel up and disappear.
Indian Affairs is just one arm of the Industry. There are lawyers, consultants, academics and a whole host of businesses such as casinos that survive either on the tax dollars that you and I pay or, in the case of casinos, on taxing the stupid. Even construction companies on reserves build housing, schools, clinics and band offices with Federal money and the band councils play favourites with who gets the jobs in those buildings and who gets the housing. It all depends on the rest of the tax paying public. And that doesn’t even cover the thriving industry of selling contraband substances such as cigarettes.
Sure, off reserve Indians living in our towns and cities contribute dollars to the municipal and provincial coffers by spending their wages or welfare payments at local businesses, or, if they own property, through their municipal taxes, but they get all the services the rest of us do, such as running water, street maintenance, garbage pick up, schooling, policing and health services.
Chirping Noise, you should come out of your ivory tower and walk among the great unwashed for a while. These Indian Affairs offices all across this country are staffed with First Nations people. Most provincial governments have departments that deal with First Nations populations and they have numerous Indians in their employ. But again, all funded by the tax payer.
And this: “450 plus years before they could VOTE” is pure balderdash. There was a time in Canada’s history (early 19th century) when Indians did have the right to vote. It was eroded with various statutes in the later half of that century, in particular by the enfranchisement clauses which required them to surrender their Indian status in order to gain the right to vote, although Indian veterans from WWI were given the franchise without having to give up their rights. Funny thing is, after Dief introduced his bill reinstating their right to vote, for a very long time very few of them exercised that right, a fact that probably stems, in part, at least, from the older enfranchisement mechanisms set out in the Indian Act and early legislation.
If you ever get the chance to visit the Diefenbaker Centre on the University of Saskatchewan campus, you should look through his papers. He championed the Indian people of this province and they appreciated his efforts. That is obvious from the papers held at the Centre. His constituency, Prince Albert, is home to many First Nations. He appointed the first Status Indian to the senate. He also gave Canada the Bill of Rights, which contained many of the rights which were subsequently put into our constitution. Notice the words “a Bill of Rights is need to take forthright stand against discrimination based on colour, creed or racial origin”.
You might note that he was re-elected by the voters in that constituency over and over and over. After he died, in the very next election, they voted NDP. Sort of shows the kind of respect the constituents had for the old guy, doesn’t it. He’d probably turn over in his grave if he knew what was going on today. He probably wouldn’t think much of our Human Rights Commissions, either.
Comment by Louise — May 25, 2009 @ 12:57 am
Hello,
her are my points:
Background
I am an immigrant to Canada and arrived in this great country in 1994. I found a job after nine days (in Toronto) and have worked ever since. I have never claimed welfare or looked to the government for any kind of hand out, unlike fifty years ago when immigrant either made it or they were sent home. Now some people come to Canada BECAUSE of the generous hand-outs. Thank you Pierre Trudeau, you Marxist bastard. In 1995 after being barred from a career as a police officer because I was white and heteroseuxal (I kid you not), I went to business school while still working to support my family.
Current Situation
I later moved to Calgary, Alberta where I now own and operate a growing security company. Every year here we have the Calgary Stampede, which brings hordes of natives into town. Some of the rental properties we guard attract gangs of natives who have been the worse for drink (and substance abuse). They show up mob handed and threaten the guards while throwing racial slurs at them (with slurred words), who are often than not visible minorities. I employ blacks, east indians, filipinos and even a couple of very good natives. They are regularly abused, spat on, shoved around and threatened. My native employees are even called “traitors” by the on-rez drunks. During foot patrols, we have found them passed out drunk in stairwells, parking lots and even in dumpsters. My employees have saved more than a few native lives by calling an ambulance to the scene. It is unlikely that any government will take a hard line with the on-rez natives and tell them straight - “your all totally f***** up and need to sort yourselves out. No more money! So smarten yourselves up and get a life.” One summer we stood and watched a group of Pakistani youths and native youths hurl abuse at each other. “Get out of our country!” screamed the natives. “Go have another whiskey you drunken bums,” replied the Pakis.
Gee, isn’t multiculturalism wonderful? But it all whitey’s fault of course.
Leanne made a valid comment concerning the Amish people and other groups. They pulled together, work hard and succeeded. East Indians do it, asians do it and we wicked white Europeans didn;t do a bad job of actually building the bestthe country in the world out of bush and rock.
As for “stealing the land”, what the did the natives ever do with it before the Europeans arrived? Sorry Tonto, kimasabi did what you couldn’t do - build a great nation through hard, work, sweat and inovation.
Comment by Security Guy — May 25, 2009 @ 11:56 am
A-freakin-Men! RG: Only you have the courage to properly discuss the truth of this issue. Too bad most Canadians stay silent and pump in another 8 bil into this black hole.
Comment by Roger — May 25, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
jeesh..i wonder if some of the natives would give back their land, if granted it, to the various other sundry natives they stole it from..
War on this continent had been going on for a thousand years before whitey ever showed up..
Comment by Kursk — May 26, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
RE:the lack of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc., in the USA, tribal reservations are considered ’sovereign nations’ (probably similar in Canada) and therefore not subject to the local building codes (which require such things) which would otherwise apply.
They are free to establish their own requirements…Or not…
Comment by Jay — May 27, 2009 @ 11:17 am
[...] PART-NATIVE RIGHT GIRL– “We screwed up, give us money!” …. [...]
Pingback by Steynian 358 « Free Canuckistan! — May 28, 2009 @ 11:34 am
Hypocrisy, a white person from mainstream can rant on the edge of racism, and if native people write about their discontent, they are censored. And that’s simply why we never get any where, because we are not allowed to converse and debate in an intellectual manner. Do you have any real competent people out there who can offer answers or is it all about stoking the fires, about raw emotion, or lifting up that ugly face of racism, which I know is deeply embedded in Canadian culture. That pathology of superiority, is never justified, but it nevertheless it tries to dominate everything in Canada; people who are not of the dominant society have no lives or thoughts it is all dependent on the the majority- a deeply embedded pathology, I say, there is no where else to go but to be more arrogant, sad, very sad!
Comment by CMax — June 16, 2009 @ 8:51 pm
QUOTE from an India person:
“After Australia now its Canada in news for the racist attacks on #Indians, the Govt. must take some strict action before this virus spreads
4:42 AM Jun 11th from web ”
Chirpingnoise: I suppose the heart of the ‘Girl On The Right’ AND OTHERS OF HER SYMPATHY in Canada are visiblein some other quarters of the World. Is it too early to say Canada used to have such a good reputation.
Comment by Chirping Noise — June 16, 2009 @ 8:51 pm