All Things First Nations - CF help, protests, solutions, residential schools, etc. (merged)
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ballz said:
As I found out at Christmas same thing at the Timmies at Halifax International Airport. No locals were interested in commuting out there for "service industry minimum wage jobs" so they've imported Filipinos who seem to have no issues with the wages or commute.
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http://digital.nationalpost.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
National Post - 4 Jan 2013
Chief gives Ottawa 72 hours 23
Misguided hunger strike is manufacturing dissent
PETER FOSTER Nobody would deny the desperate conditions on many native reserves. Most Canadians are genuinely concerned and frustrated at how little improvement has been brought by the billions spent. However, to imagine that problems of poverty, ill health and poor education are best addressed — let alone solved — by histrionic threats, social-mediated mob scenes or blocked roads or rail lines is dangerous delusion.
Chief Theresa Spence, who was previously best known for declaring states of emergency — arguably rooted in her own mismanagement — at her Attawapiskat reserve, is suddenly being treated as some combination of Martin Luther King and Aung San Suu Kyi. Celebrity moths, bleeding hearts and clamberers up the greasy political pole have sought to invest her “hunger strike,” which is now into its fourth week, with noble purpose.
In fact, her initial threat to starve herself to death failing a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnston suggested either a bizarre degree of narcissism, or revealed her as a witless puppet. Perhaps both.
Nevertheless, Chief Spence has obviously proved an embarrassment to mainstream native leadership, as has the recently unleashed Idle No More movement, with its dancing, drumming and transport blockades. On Thursday morning, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo — in what appeared to be an attempt to seize back the “initiative” from Ms. Spence and the Idlers No More — revealed that he had sent an “urgent invitation” to the Prime Minister and the GG to meet with him on Jan. 24, the anniversary of last year’s Crown-First Nations gathering.
Although an urgent invitation obviously comes somewhere down the DEFCON scale from a hunger-strike-backed ultimatum, it is uncertain why the Prime Minister would want to commemorate a meeting that was so obviously a failure.
As for Idle No More, the title is profoundly ironic. One of the main problems for native people is the idleness that comes with living on remote reserves such as Attawapiskat in Northern Ontario. However, the Idle No More movement is not aimed at attracting more jobs. In fact, it opposes the very legal changes — contained in Bill C-45 — that would facilitate development, such as making the leasing of reserve land easier, and loosening draconian environmental regulation (a process started last year with Bill C-38). Thus the movement might more appropriately be named “Idle Some More.”
Chief Spence’s handlers have recently had her invoking the fact that “precious diamonds from my land grace the fingers and necklaces of Hollywood celebrities.” Presumably, her scriptwriters were aiming at dramatic contrast (and perhaps angling for a visit from James Cameron), but in fact development of such resources represents the only route out of dependence (and Attawapiskat has benefitted from the diamond developments to which Chief Spence referred).
The roots of aboriginal plight are not lack of goodwill on the part of Canadians, or even of political will on the part of the federal government. That plight is the legacy of failed policies past, and of resistance from native leaders to changes in accountability, transparency, education and property rights that would inevitably undermine their own power.
Mr. Harper has inevitably drawn opprobrium for his failure to respond personally to Chief Spence’s manufactured dissent. However, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has offered to meet with Chief Spence, which might be considered a significant score for anybody but an egomaniac.
Nevertheless, as the Post’s John Ivison noted on Thursday, the government should have done a better job of explaining that it has hardly been neglecting the aboriginal file. Merely to point out how many tens of millions have been shovelled into Attawapiskat since Mr. Harper came to power may suggest that money is neither the problem nor the answer, and seems intended to highlight inept local management, but more selling sizzle is needed in an age when the anti-development movement has proved so skillful at media and political manipulation.
It is also critical to temper aboriginal expectations. Consultation is essential, but the idea that First Nations can be “full partners” in resource development in the immediate future is patronizing nonsense for the simple reason that they lack what wonks like to call “capacity.” Similarly patronizing is the claim that native people may be able to bring some unique, spiritual input to environmental issues that are in fact matters of science and technology. Education is the answer to both problems, but the AFN walked out on negotiations over a new First Nations Education Act last October.
Unfortunately, there remain too many lawyers, consultants and academics in the “Aboriginal Industry” with a vested interest in what amounts — under the guise of preserving culture — to keeping natives in a kind of run-down Hunter Gatherer club. This industry claims that land-claims settlements and self-government are the cure, when in fact they are more like the main problem. But they will not simply go away.
The one power that frustrated aboriginals do have is to stop development, at the extreme with violence. That power is being eagerly cultivated by radical environmental NGOs of the type on which Prime Minister Harper and Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver drew a bead early in 2012.
Chief Atleo, when issuing his “urgent invitation,” noted that the First Nations were ready to do the “hard work” needed to achieve a better future. But the main task is how to bring real work to the reserves, or ease passage away from them. Any “dialogue” that doesn’t address those issues is going nowhere, as many may secretly wish.
Trending on Twitter is hardly a substitute for getting down to genuinely “hard work.” Meanwhile, if you want to see what ENGO anti-development Utopia looks like, go to any remote native reserve. Then imagine all transfers being withdrawn because there is no economy to pay for them.
Vote for this story Well Written (33) Not Well Written (0)
Photo Caption: SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, centre, is helped back to her teepee after meeting supporters in Ottawa Thursday, the 24th day of her hunger strike. (Whatever diet she is on is not working!)
National Post - 4 Jan 2013
Chief gives Ottawa 72 hours 23
Misguided hunger strike is manufacturing dissent
PETER FOSTER Nobody would deny the desperate conditions on many native reserves. Most Canadians are genuinely concerned and frustrated at how little improvement has been brought by the billions spent. However, to imagine that problems of poverty, ill health and poor education are best addressed — let alone solved — by histrionic threats, social-mediated mob scenes or blocked roads or rail lines is dangerous delusion.
Chief Theresa Spence, who was previously best known for declaring states of emergency — arguably rooted in her own mismanagement — at her Attawapiskat reserve, is suddenly being treated as some combination of Martin Luther King and Aung San Suu Kyi. Celebrity moths, bleeding hearts and clamberers up the greasy political pole have sought to invest her “hunger strike,” which is now into its fourth week, with noble purpose.
In fact, her initial threat to starve herself to death failing a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnston suggested either a bizarre degree of narcissism, or revealed her as a witless puppet. Perhaps both.
Nevertheless, Chief Spence has obviously proved an embarrassment to mainstream native leadership, as has the recently unleashed Idle No More movement, with its dancing, drumming and transport blockades. On Thursday morning, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo — in what appeared to be an attempt to seize back the “initiative” from Ms. Spence and the Idlers No More — revealed that he had sent an “urgent invitation” to the Prime Minister and the GG to meet with him on Jan. 24, the anniversary of last year’s Crown-First Nations gathering.
Although an urgent invitation obviously comes somewhere down the DEFCON scale from a hunger-strike-backed ultimatum, it is uncertain why the Prime Minister would want to commemorate a meeting that was so obviously a failure.
As for Idle No More, the title is profoundly ironic. One of the main problems for native people is the idleness that comes with living on remote reserves such as Attawapiskat in Northern Ontario. However, the Idle No More movement is not aimed at attracting more jobs. In fact, it opposes the very legal changes — contained in Bill C-45 — that would facilitate development, such as making the leasing of reserve land easier, and loosening draconian environmental regulation (a process started last year with Bill C-38). Thus the movement might more appropriately be named “Idle Some More.”
Chief Spence’s handlers have recently had her invoking the fact that “precious diamonds from my land grace the fingers and necklaces of Hollywood celebrities.” Presumably, her scriptwriters were aiming at dramatic contrast (and perhaps angling for a visit from James Cameron), but in fact development of such resources represents the only route out of dependence (and Attawapiskat has benefitted from the diamond developments to which Chief Spence referred).
The roots of aboriginal plight are not lack of goodwill on the part of Canadians, or even of political will on the part of the federal government. That plight is the legacy of failed policies past, and of resistance from native leaders to changes in accountability, transparency, education and property rights that would inevitably undermine their own power.
Mr. Harper has inevitably drawn opprobrium for his failure to respond personally to Chief Spence’s manufactured dissent. However, Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has offered to meet with Chief Spence, which might be considered a significant score for anybody but an egomaniac.
Nevertheless, as the Post’s John Ivison noted on Thursday, the government should have done a better job of explaining that it has hardly been neglecting the aboriginal file. Merely to point out how many tens of millions have been shovelled into Attawapiskat since Mr. Harper came to power may suggest that money is neither the problem nor the answer, and seems intended to highlight inept local management, but more selling sizzle is needed in an age when the anti-development movement has proved so skillful at media and political manipulation.
It is also critical to temper aboriginal expectations. Consultation is essential, but the idea that First Nations can be “full partners” in resource development in the immediate future is patronizing nonsense for the simple reason that they lack what wonks like to call “capacity.” Similarly patronizing is the claim that native people may be able to bring some unique, spiritual input to environmental issues that are in fact matters of science and technology. Education is the answer to both problems, but the AFN walked out on negotiations over a new First Nations Education Act last October.
Unfortunately, there remain too many lawyers, consultants and academics in the “Aboriginal Industry” with a vested interest in what amounts — under the guise of preserving culture — to keeping natives in a kind of run-down Hunter Gatherer club. This industry claims that land-claims settlements and self-government are the cure, when in fact they are more like the main problem. But they will not simply go away.
The one power that frustrated aboriginals do have is to stop development, at the extreme with violence. That power is being eagerly cultivated by radical environmental NGOs of the type on which Prime Minister Harper and Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver drew a bead early in 2012.
Chief Atleo, when issuing his “urgent invitation,” noted that the First Nations were ready to do the “hard work” needed to achieve a better future. But the main task is how to bring real work to the reserves, or ease passage away from them. Any “dialogue” that doesn’t address those issues is going nowhere, as many may secretly wish.
Trending on Twitter is hardly a substitute for getting down to genuinely “hard work.” Meanwhile, if you want to see what ENGO anti-development Utopia looks like, go to any remote native reserve. Then imagine all transfers being withdrawn because there is no economy to pay for them.
Vote for this story Well Written (33) Not Well Written (0)
Photo Caption: SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, centre, is helped back to her teepee after meeting supporters in Ottawa Thursday, the 24th day of her hunger strike. (Whatever diet she is on is not working!)
J
jollyjacktar
Guest
That's because they've joined forces as a group and live/commute together to make it possible with the minimum wage job.Danjanou said:
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The Globe and Mail is reporting that:
Mr. Harper will attend a meeting on Jan. 11 with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and a delegation of first nations leaders co-ordinated by the Assembly of First Nations.
“This working meeting will focus on two areas flowing from [last year's] gathering: the treaty relationship and aboriginal rights, and economic development,” Mr. Harper said in a statement Friday morning.
My guess is that Chief Spence will not be "selected" by the AFN to attend that meeting and that the communiqué, already written by the PMO Communications (PR) staff I also guess, will not say very much.
Mr. Harper will attend a meeting on Jan. 11 with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and a delegation of first nations leaders co-ordinated by the Assembly of First Nations.
“This working meeting will focus on two areas flowing from [last year's] gathering: the treaty relationship and aboriginal rights, and economic development,” Mr. Harper said in a statement Friday morning.
My guess is that Chief Spence will not be "selected" by the AFN to attend that meeting and that the communiqué, already written by the PMO Communications (PR) staff I also guess, will not say very much.
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Well they're celebrating it as a victory over Harper on the idle no more face book page. If Chief Spence was smart she'll end the "hunger strike" now.
This the typical post over there.
"This is one step on the beginning of our movement. It makes me sick to see Harper taking all this time airing live on TV for Ford Auto Industry and announcing automobile innovation funding....but he can't take time to meet with Chief Spence and wait Til January 11th....this shows his support for big corporations that are ruining and destroying our lands, waters, resources,etc! He is a joke....he best wake up because we have just started!!!"
This the typical post over there.
"This is one step on the beginning of our movement. It makes me sick to see Harper taking all this time airing live on TV for Ford Auto Industry and announcing automobile innovation funding....but he can't take time to meet with Chief Spence and wait Til January 11th....this shows his support for big corporations that are ruining and destroying our lands, waters, resources,etc! He is a joke....he best wake up because we have just started!!!"
Bluebulldog
Full Member
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The Post's article was very good, and uncharacteristic for them, I'm impressed. IMO, it appears as if the swell of information and public outrage over the last few days, has begun to actually permeate the media, and they may be listening. Of course a media portraying a 4 week hunger strike, and a woman who remains rubenesque despite same.....may just call for some pointed questions.
Is it any wonder that when the PMs office announces on 4 Jan that it will meet in 7 days with the AFN, then drama-queen Spence issues a 72 hour ultimatum to the Federal Government?
She can sit quietly in her teepee downriver from where the grown ups are having their conversation. And when complete.....she'll have lost not only her already waning 15 minutes of fame, but public support as well. She can then pack up and go home and deal with the 3rd party management, and the ongoing f_^k ups that she has created.
Is it any wonder that when the PMs office announces on 4 Jan that it will meet in 7 days with the AFN, then drama-queen Spence issues a 72 hour ultimatum to the Federal Government?
She can sit quietly in her teepee downriver from where the grown ups are having their conversation. And when complete.....she'll have lost not only her already waning 15 minutes of fame, but public support as well. She can then pack up and go home and deal with the 3rd party management, and the ongoing f_^k ups that she has created.
OldSolduer
Army.ca Relic
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Chief Stoker said:
Sounds a bit threatening to me.
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:dunno:
I think maybe she was demanding that it better be three days from now in 72 hours.....or else...
...or else...she'll wear spandex!!
She's a clown. The Liberals and NDP got their photo op and have moved on. The government is meeting with a First Nations' delegation -- pointedly, not her. If even the mainstream media is starting to dismiss her, you know this latest moment of fame is done -- for now, anyway.
I think maybe she was demanding that it better be three days from now in 72 hours.....or else...
...or else...she'll wear spandex!!
She's a clown. The Liberals and NDP got their photo op and have moved on. The government is meeting with a First Nations' delegation -- pointedly, not her. If even the mainstream media is starting to dismiss her, you know this latest moment of fame is done -- for now, anyway.
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ObedientiaZelum said:
Basically amounted to "72 hours or else"
Larry
Jungle
Army.ca Veteran
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Another interesting development:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/03/documents-show-plenty-of-money-flowing-through-spences-reserve
http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/03/documents-show-plenty-of-money-flowing-through-spences-reserve
Bluebulldog
Full Member
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I think the outcome of this will be quite more exposure than what Ms. Spence wants.
I have a vision of a burned out Escalade with a lovely snow scene in the background..........
I have a vision of a burned out Escalade with a lovely snow scene in the background..........
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And once we get transparency from first nations, we can see about getting the House of Commons and Senate to reveal their expenses to public scrutiny.
In many ways Spence is like the typical corrupt politician or bureaucrat who preaches one thing, does the opposite and then throws up a sanctimonious smoke screen when the terrible truth starts seeping out. The thing about Spence’s antics and those of her counterparts in the Native community that puts them in a class of their own is that their position at the trough depends on not only syphoning money that is badly needed in their communities but promoting a particularly harmful brand of segregation that ultimately is keeping people in Third World conditions even though they live in a sophisticated and relatively stable economy where opportunities to improve their situation are all around. This myth that if they just believe fervently enough in the power of protest and put their faith in the leaders, they will be delivered to some kind of pre-industrial utopia is foolishness that is almost cult-like. I’ve been a big advocate of integration into the mainstream economy for Canadian Natives. It’s the only way that you can achieve stability and a decent standard of living. I don’t think I’ve yet seen a movement that has succeeded in improving the conditions of its people by segregation. It’s the reason, by the way, that conspiracy theories are running rampant. I think someone mentioned this a little earlier in this thread – people thinking that Steven Harper is messing with their health cards or orchestrating assaults or similar things. When you are isolated in your own corner, you lose the ability to objectively assess what’s going on around you and become more and more inclined to believe whatever stories you are fed. I’m hoping that exposure of Spence’s adventures at the trough may lead to some rethinking on the part of people of who have been following her (and her counterparts’) dictates. It will be interesting to see where this goes.
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dapaterson said:
What specifically do you think is missing and should be disclosed? There is a fair bit already available.
Parliament of Canada - Board of Internal Economy - Member's Expenditures Reports
Parliament of Canada - Board of Internal Economy - Financial Statements of the House of Commons
Senate of Canada - Financial Reports
