All Things First Nations - CF help, protests, solutions, residential schools, etc. (merged)

[Lightguns]

According to the UN we are not living up to our obligations and continuing to oppress these folks. Perhaps the UN will be supplying a peace keeping force from Europe.

 

[a_majoor]

According to the UN we are not living up to our obligations and continuing to oppress these folks. Perhaps the UN will be supplying a peace keeping force from Europe.

Just saw this on CTV. Money quote (paraphrease) was that Canadians have health and life expectancies of a developed nation, while natives have the outcomes of less developed nations.

Well, perhaps if they dropped the fiction of being separate "nations" and adopted the culture and values that make Canada a "developed nation" they might get the same outcomes as a "developed nation". Too much to hope for, I guess.

 

[Haletown]

Just saw this on CTV. Money quote (paraphrease) was that Canadians have health and life expectancies of a developed nation, while natives have the outcomes of less developed nations.

Well, perhaps if they dropped the fiction of being separate "nations" and adopted the culture and values that make Canada a "developed nation" they might get the same outcomes as a "developed nation". Too much to hope for, I guess.

So whatever money we send to fund the UN  should be diverted to pay for our aboriginal policy sins.

The UN will understand.  People are the priority after all.

 

[Brad Sallows]

>while natives have the outcomes of less developed nations.

White men are stupid, you see.  When the resource of a resource-based town taps out, the people move out.

 

[CougarKing]

When a group gets so dependent on the status quo that they don't even want something better...

National Post

N.B. First Nation’s violent protesters fight jobs to preserve band's 85% welfare status quo

Christie Blatchford: First Nation band behind anti-fracking protest fights for 85% welfare status quo

In a brief on proposed welfare cuts filed with the Federal Court of Canada in March last year, lawyers for the Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick estimated that 85% of its people were on welfare.

The ignoble number added heft to their argument: The band, and other Mi’kmaq First Nations in the province, successfully fought off Ottawa’s attempt to equalize income assistance on reserves with that in the rest of province.

For instance, where a family of four in the rest of New Brunswick receives $908 a month, a family of similar size on a reserve receives $1,262, or about $300 more.

Judge Sandra Simpson granted the First Nations’ motions, at least stalling the implementation of the federal policy, on the grounds some native recipients would suffer irreparable harm if their cheques were to be slashed.

(...)

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

She was probably too busy driving around in her Escalade, checking out the very expensive Zamboni ice resurfacing machine at the community rinkthat they bought instead of doing basic housing repairs, planning her next  publicity diet stunt (don't forget to make reservations at the local five star hotel so you can get a good night's sleep - TeePees are so uncomfortable) or hanging out with her big plasma TV and satellite service to worry about the little people of her Band.

I was recently in Kelowna and witnessed the entrepreneurial expertise of the  Westbank band.  Very impressive. The Feds should just hire them to run Aboriginal  Affairs on a contract basis.  Chief Spence wouldn't last five minutes under Westbank leadership.  The first time she whined on about something and tried to blame anyone/everyone else for her band's problems they would boot her butt down the road  and replace her with someone who gets things done.

And they would sell her Escalade and force her to get some much needed exercise by walking.

There are some good bands with strong and dynamic leadership all over the country.  Pabineau First Nation, near my hometown of Bathurst, NB is one such community.  They own a number of commercial fishing boats which provide employment and income to the community.  They also fish within season, follow all rules and regulations and maintain very good relationships with other fisherman in the area.  They also own their own fish market and store where they sell their catch.  They, along with many other First Nations are good people but their hard work is over-shadowed by the "1%er's" who would rather live by a code of "corruption, extortion, bribery and mis-information".

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

  They, along with many other First Nations are good people but their hard work is over-shadowed by the "1%er's" who would rather live by a code of "corruption, extortion, bribery and mis-information".

Whom the press give 99% of their attention too.........

 

[Edward Campbell]

Whom the press give 99% of their attention too.........

In fairness to the media, people going about their lawful business, in a lawful manner, doing an honest day's work for an honest wage is hardly "news," is it?

 

[cupper]

In fairness to the media, people going about their lawful business, in a lawful manner, doing an honest day's work for an honest wage is hardly "news," is it?

It would be a pleasant change though. ;D

 

[a_majoor]

In fairness to the media, people going about their lawful business, in a lawful manner, doing an honest day's work for an honest wage is hardly "news," is it?

But it's getting to the point that it soon will be "news" </rant>

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

In fairness to the media, people going about their lawful business, in a lawful manner, doing an honest day's work for an honest wage is hardly "news," is it?

I don't know,.....I enjoyed reading 'Royal Drew's" account of a First nations success story more than reading about this latest protest.

Maybe it's because way too many people want and crave the lowest common denominator as their "news"?

 

[George Wallace]

I don't know,.....I enjoyed reading 'Royal Drew's" account of a First nations success story more than reading about this latest protest.

Maybe it's because way too many people want and crave the lowest common denominator as their "news"?

I agree with Bruce.  Those "Success Stories" should be more broadly broadcast and perhaps they will help to kick start others to follow suit.

 

[ModlrMike]

They, along with many other First Nations are good people but their hard work is over-shadowed by the "1%er's" who would rather live by a code of "corruption, extortion, bribery and mis-information".

You forgot nepotism and clanism...

 

[CougarKing]

Attawapiskat in the news again...

CBC News

Winnipeg’s Muslim community donates meat to Attawapiskat

Over 1,800 kilograms of meat will soon be on its way to an impoverished Ontario reserve, after Winnipeg’s Muslim community donated a massive amount of food and boxes of supplies to Attawapiskat First Nation as part of their annual Eid-al-Adha celebration.

“Each year, I try to raise the bar a little bit,” said Hussain Guisti of the Zubaidah Tallab Foundation.

Guisti gathers food and goods from the local Muslim community and sends them off to those in need.

Last year, hundreds of kilograms of meat was sent to Shamattawa and Garden Hill.

“We have lots of food, right, and some of the people, they need the food,” said Asha Khaleq, who is storing the meat in her freezer before it is shipped to Attawapiskat. “We don’t want to keep all this for us, right? We want to send it for them.”

The First Nation’s chief, Deborah Spence, told Guisti the community has 350 to 400 families on social assistance. In 2011, a state of emergency was declared on the First Nation.

“She says things are so expensive up there that by the middle of the month their social assistance cheques end and then most families will have to rely on eating bread for the rest of the month,” said Guisti. “In Canada, something like that should not exist.

According to 2006 census data, the average annual income in Attawapiskat is just over $12,000.

Dennis Koostachin is a crisis intervention worker for Attawapiskat. He said the problem of low incomes is exacerbated by the high price of supplies.

“The people who are in low income, they face this everyday,” said Koostachin. “They struggle to buy stuff, some of them. It’s just expensive here because it’s isolated.”

So why is the community sending meat as part of their supplies?

Part of the celebration of Eid-al-Adha is the sacrifice of an animal and a donation of its meat. But the Zubaidah Tallab Foundation takes that tradition a lot further.

Included in their shipment will be 50 boxes of diapers and 60 kilograms of flour, just a portion of the supplies that are being sent to the remote reserve.

Guisti will load the food and supplies onto a trailer and drive it to Thunder Bay, Ont., and then send the goods off by air from there.

“I am fulfilling first of all my Muslim responsibility, and I am fulfilling my Canadian responsibility, and last, I am fulfilling my responsibility as a human being,” said Guisti.

 

[GAP]

It would be interesting to see how and to whom it is finally distributed to..... :

 

[George Wallace]

I didn't think that there were starving anorexic inhabitants up there.

 

[Robert0288]

I also remember some public figurehead of theirs who was rather large despite not 'eating' for a month+

 

[larry Strong]

Have they given up hunting?




Larry

 

[George Wallace]

Have they given up hunting?




Larry

Not for handouts.  >

 

[Lightguns]

Not for handouts.  >

Hunting?  The last time they hunted it cost the tax payer 20,000 for a long weekend of goose hunting.