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

[UberCree]

Here are the IMF Standards.

http://www.imf.org/external/standards/scnew.htm


List of Standards, Codes and Prinicples
Useful for Bank and Fund Operational Work and for which Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes Are Produced
November 2002

Transparency standards: the standards in these areas were developed and are assessed by the Fund. They cover issues of data and policy transparency.

Data Transparency: The Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard/General Data Dissemination System (SDDS/GDDS).

Fiscal Transparency: the Fund's Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency.

Monetary and Financial Policy Transparency: the Fund's Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies (usually assessed by the Fund and the Bank under the Joint Fund-Bank Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP)).

Financial sector standards: the standards in these areas have been developed by other institutions and are generally assessed under the FSAP.

Banking Supervision: Basel Committee's Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision (BCP).

Securities: International Organization of Securities Commissions' (IOSCO) Objectives and Principles for Securities Regulation.

Insurance: International Association of Insurance Supervisors' (IAIS) Insurance Supervisory Principles.

Payments and Securitites Settlement Systems: Committee on Payments and Settlements Systems (CPSS) Core Principles for Systemically Important Payments Systems and CPSS-IOSCO Joint Task Force's Recommendations for Securities Setttlement Systems.

Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism: Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) 40+8 Recommendations.

Standards concerned with market integrity: standards in these areas have been developed by relevant institutions and the Bank is in the lead in undertaking assessments. Some of these areas may be assessed under the FSAP.

Corporate Governance: OECD's Principles of Corporate Governance.

Accounting: International Accounting Standards Board's International Accounting Standards (IAS).

Auditing: International Federation of Accountants' International Standards on Auditing.

Insolvency and creditor rights1/:

 

[a_majoor]

UberCree, while I agree that good governance is the key issue, the real question is what sets the conditions for "good governance"?

Looking around, I see patently idiotic decisions by my local city council, or the record of scandles the Federal Government compiled from 1993 to 2005, yet in theory, these institutions are well defined and run by supposedly rational people. What drives things is incentives, and when given access to virtually unlimited monies and power without checks and transparency, people have perverse incentives to do things for their own self benefit rather than the taxpayer's benefit.

Jonathan Kay is essentially proposing that the "perverse incentives" be cut off at the root, so native self governance is indeed local, transparent and effective. Essentially, band councils will be forced to take the steps you propose since they are directly accountable to the people and no one will be there to bail them out when they make self serving decisions. As you pointed out, the Cheifs are far better off with the system as it stands today, and have every reason to drag their feet on an incrimental approach. Of course, they have every reason to fight Jonathan Kay's proposal tooth and nail as well.

 

[Strike]

UberCree,

Nice to see you back.

Completely agree with you.  It would also be a benifit to have those Bands who have a proven track record of success (there are several on both the East and West coasts and I'm sure a smattering elsewhere) get involved with those Bands looking to improve their situation by building a business plan.  Maybe even involve Aboriginals from other nations who have had successes of their own (many Maori tribes in NZ run some GREAT tourist businesses.

I believe it was the Chief from the Membertou (sp?) band down east who tried this...with little success though.  Ran into a brick wall when he told various councils they had to get off their collective behinds and work if they wanted to see improvements in their communities.

http://www.membertou.ca/community_news_article.asp?ID=20

 

[Yrys]

Mohawk protesters set up blockade in eastern Ont. town

Dozens of aboriginal protesters blocked off a main street through Deseronto, Ont., after a Kingston, Ont., developer announced plans to develop a property that is part
of an ongoing land dispute.

An old RV continued blocking the intersection of two gravel roads Monday afternoon, and protesters plan to maintain the blockade until the developer changes his plans, said
spokesman Dan Doreen. "They want to make sure that any other development does not return to this land," he added. "This is Mohawk land and developers, you better stay
the hell away."

Demonstrators barricaded County Road 2 in both directions around 6 a.m. Monday, said Ontario Provincial Police Const. Jackie Perry.

The protesters, members of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte from the nearby Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, were responding to a public announcement that Nibourg Developments would begin clearing brush Monday on property it owns in the community southwest of Napanee. The property is part of the Culbertson Tract, about 400 hectares
of land on Lake Ontario's Bay of Quinte, east of Belleville and west of Kingston, that the Mohawks said they never properly surrendered.

Acting police chief Don Maracle said a response to the company's announcement should have been anticipated. "I think you can always expect some reaction from the
community when something like that is put out into the papers, saying he's going to show up with 30 or 40 men to deal with that."

Emile Nibourg of Nibourg Developments told the Canadian Press that a work crew went to the site on Monday to finish clearing brush, but Mohawks arrived to claim the land
as their own. Nibourg said the work crew left the property with police after the arrival of what he said were "40 to 50 native warriors." In a letter Nibourg then wrote to area
politicians to express his frustrations, he promised a crew of "25 to 30 guys" would return to the site this week. Theo Nibourg, head of the company, has since issued a
statement saying he changed his mind for fear of "public safety" and he's asking governments to resolve the issue.

The Mohawks have been actively protesting activity on private property in the Culbertson Tract for more than a year. Land in the tract was originally slated for a housing
development but construction was suspended after members of the Tyendinaga band protested and the federal government agreed to meet with band officials in November 2006.

In March 2007, Mohawk demonstrators began occupying a quarry in the tract as part of a protest that is continuing.

 

[geo]

Hmm... wonder if and when the OPP will (not?) make a gaffe
Will we have a "new" and improved Oka ???

Anyone wanna bet that the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will be "interesting times" ???

 

[Yrys]

Some journalists are already writing aricle saying that as 2008 Olympics is a good time
to make people aware of Tibet, 2010 O will be a good one for the aboriginals ...

 

[George Wallace]

Ipperwash

Caledonia

Deseronto

They are moving your way Yrys    >

 

[Haggis]

Ipperwash

Caledonia

Deseronto

They are moving your way Yrys     >

Remember:

Akwesasne

Kahnesatake

Kahnawake

They're closer than you think, George.

 

[larry Strong]

Found in the Mountain View Gazette.

http://www.mountainviewgazette.ca/editor1.html

Editorial
Send army into Hobbema to reign in violence
Dan Singleton, Mountain View Gazette
The shooting of a two-year-old girl at Hobbema last week should be a wake up call for the federal Conservatives. In fact, it’s high time for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to start showing some backbone instead of sitting on the fence.

Twenty-three-month old Asia Saddleback was shot and severely wounded during a drive-by shooting police say was related to ongoing gang warfare.

The young girl was hit in the liver and spine as she ate dinner with her family. She was flown to Edmonton hospital where was remains this week.

The girl’s shooting is the latest in a series of bloody incidents in the native community in Central Alberta, including a dozen firearm related incidents over the past month – all related to gang violence running rampant.

Reacting to the latest shooting, federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl said the First Nation leadership at Hobbema must take the lead role in combating the violence.

"It’s usually best if the direction comes from the community," said Strahl. "We don’t want to be prescriptive from the top."

Here’s a new flash for you Mr. Strahl – brutal and unrelenting violence has been part of daily life for people living in Hobbema for years, despite millions and millions of dollars spent on police enforcement and despite the tireless efforts of law-abiding Hobbema community members.

How Mr. Strahl expects the besieged Hobbema leadership to take on armed gangs where even the RCMP has failed remains anyone’s guess.

The bottom line is everyone has had quite enough of watching Hobbema residents living under conditions more reminiscent of civil-war torn Somalia than central Alberta.

With that in mind, if the police are unable to bring the rampant violence at Hobbema under control within, say, the next 30 days, Canadian Forces troops should be deployed there.

Let’s see how well the native gangs thrive when they have to fight it out with soldiers armed with machine guns and helicopters, instead of shooting at two-year-old girls and their families.

"I believe that it’s time now we collectively do something about the problem that has plagued our community for so long," Chief Marvin Yellowbird said.

The residents of Hobbema deserve the same security and safety as people in every other Canadian community. And guess what Prime Minister Harper? That buck stops with you.

 

[Old Sweat]

Larry,

That's all very good, and I sympathize with the people on the reserve, but it ain't going to happen anytime soon. The Federal Government does not have the legal authority to intervene and certainly the Canadian Forces can not respond without a legitimate request or direction from the appropriate civilian government agency.

It sucks, but that's how it works.

Brian

 

[geo]

Same as with the Mohawks.....
It requires local police & government authorities to lose control of the situation AND turn around to ask the Feds to bring in the big guns.......

 

[Fishbone Jones]

So, let me see if I have this right.

First Nation Warriors (I use the term loosely), break the law, seize private property, defy court orders and intimidate the rest of the population, across Canada. They say we have no business in their affairs, or on their (so called) land.

Now, First Nations communities have a problem on their land, with their illegal gangs, and they want US, the society they are holding hostage, to come in and sort it out for them? Should not their OWN Warriors sort it out?

Oh wait. Maybe that's the problem.

Maybe it's time the town(s) took a pick handle to the local bullies.

At least the body starts to breath again after you pass out from holding your breath. :

 

[zipperhead_cop]

Should not their OWN Warriors sort it out?

They've gotten to have their cake and eat it too for a couple of decades now.  Why should this be any different?  Of course, nobody mentions that the only reason a house gets shot up in a drive by is because the people inside it are involved gang activity.  There's a good chance their "warriors" are the ones engaged in the shootings and this is how they are sorting it out.    Crazy thought:  don't have your kids live in the same house you do when you are in a native gang (or any gang for that matter).
And don't ever think that the OPP are lacking in desire to go in and clean house.  They just need a green light but that requires political will, which we lack in this country/province. 

 

[Fishbone Jones]

ZC,

You didn't read far enough

Oh wait. Maybe that's the problem.

 

[Greymatters]

They've gotten to have their cake and eat it too for a couple of decades now.  Why should this be any different?  Of course, nobody mentions that the only reason a house gets shot up in a drive by is because the people inside it are involved gang activity.  There's a good chance their "warriors" are the ones engaged in the shootings and this is how they are sorting it out.    Crazy thought:  don't have your kids live in the same house you do when you are in a native gang (or any gang for that matter).
And don't ever think that the OPP are lacking in desire to go in and clean house.  They just need a green light but that requires political will, which we lack in this country/province. 

There doesnt seem to be any attempt to move in that direction on the Western side of the country.  How likely is it in your area?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

There doesnt seem to be any attempt to move in that direction on the Western side of the country.  How likely is it in your area?

You couldn't find the guts of political will here, if you eviserated the whole McGuinty cabinet and ran the results up a flagpole at Queen's Park.

 

[Greymatters]

You couldn't find the guts of political will here, if you eviserated the whole McGuinty cabinet and ran the results up a flagpole at Queen's Park.

Hehe, thats a pretty clear picture...

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Taken from CBC News Posted: Dec 2, 2011 11:23 AM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/02/attawapiskat-chief-friday.html

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says that First Nations communities must develop "strong, accountable" systems of self-government in the long run, as Ottawa grapples with a housing crisis in the remote First Nations community of Attawapiskat.

Local leaders in the Northern Ontario town of 1,800 declared a state of emergency about a month ago, as winter moved in and some residents were living in unheated tents, while many others suffered in crowded, substandard housing.

The crisis has propelled the issue of living conditions in First Nations communities onto the national agenda, and will likely be a hot topic during scheduled talks between the Crown and aboriginal leaders on Jan. 24.

Harper's long-term goal is to see "strong, accountable systems of self-government for aboriginal communities," he said Friday during a press conference in Burlington, Ont.

"I think we all realize we're not going to get there in one giant leap, but I continue to look forward and continue to enjoy working with Chief Atleo and other communities to move us in that direction," he told reporters.

Harper's comments came a day after he met with Atleo, who called the upcoming meeting with aboriginal leaders an opportunity.

"We can perhaps consider this moment and the idea of us gathering as a moment to reset the relationship between First Nations and the federal Crown," Atleo told the prime minister.

Federal intervention
Meanwhile, the federal government has placed Attawapiskat under third-party management, meaning that the community's finances have been taken out of the hands of the local band council.


What's third-party management?

The federal government has put Attawapiskat First Nations under third-party management. Here are five things to know about the government's intervention policy and Attawapiskat.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has said the move allows Ottawa to take immediate action to address the housing crisis and health and safety issues.

The intervention has angered the chief of Attawapiskat, who called it "mere political deflection.”

In a statement issued Thursday, Chief Theresa Spence said, “It is incredible that the Harper government’s decision is that instead of offering aid and assistance to Canada’s First Peoples, their solution is to blame the victim."

"This rationale is mere political deflection as the conditions cited by the department are present in numerous other First Nations communities," said the statement from the chief.

Emergency response
Duncan said that on an emergency basis “there is adequate clean, dry available shelter with running water and electricity available in the community.” A healing centre, sportsplex and other buildings could house people in need of shelter “today,” he said on Thursday.

The healing centre, however, is about five kilometres out of town on a rough road, reported the CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault in Attawapiskat, and the building does not have running water or phone lines.

“When that statement was made yesterday, people here in Attawapiskat said, ‘Today? Really?’ It is a lot more complicated than just saying there is a building, there are people, put them in, let’s go, we’re done,” said Arsenault. “You are dealing with elderly people and children, and this will take some time.”

Attawapiskat’s chief said the government’s notification it was appointing a third-party manager was delivered by an official who interrupted an emergency planning team “in the midst of implementing a strategy to assist people living in tent frames and shacks.”

The statement from Spence and the council alleged that third-party managers in other First Nations in Canada “are allowing similar conditions to exist while offering little or no [aid].”

For almost 10 years, the band has been under co-management, an administrative system in which the department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AAND) and the band agree on a co-manager who is paid by the band and gets signing authority for all accounts containing AAND funding.

Under third-party management, all funding goes through a manager appointed by the department to administer it. The manager, whose salary is paid by the band, decides which band staff are required to run its programs and services.

The band's co-manager, Clayton Kennedy, has acknowledged being in a romantic relationship with the band's chief, Spence. But he has denied there is any conflict of interest.

Spence said the funding the community receives leaves residents “well below the poverty line.” She said the First Nation had “completed all of the necessary reporting requirements of [Aboriginal Affairs]…If the government of Canada wishes to re-examine the audits previously accepted by the department, the First Nation will welcome, and co-operate fully with the exercise, and the true costs to operate in a remote northern environment will be quantified.”

Spence noted the presence of a diamond mine located about 90 kilometres west of Attawapiskat on traditional lands, “the pride of the Canadian and Ontario governments, as well as De Beers Canada.…While they reap the riches, my people shiver in cold shacks, and are becoming increasingly ill, while precious diamonds from my land grace the fingers of Hollywood celebrities, and the mace of the Ontario legislature.”

I fully agree with accountability required for the First Nations leaders needing to be accountable for the funds they're given.  As it is there is little to no accountability when money is transferred to these communities, and in some cases you have rampant corruption.  I will not name names or lable communities, but there are some Council leaders that live in homes worth over $1million dollars in Thunder Bay while their communities suffer.  In other cases money is simply mismanaged and not used in the way it should be to help the community.  While this is not the case in all places, it is a systemic problem as every two years a new leader and council is voted in and it turns into a popularity contest.  It's commonly referred to as the "two year cash grab".

The last line sparks some outrage as many in the local communities have benefitted heavily from the mines being in existence.  They are given jobs and the communities do receive benefits from the mines being there, one of which is having their winter roads fully maintained by the company's that use them on a regular basis which is a large cost saver.

As for the housing issue, there have been incidents where a new home was given to residents in communities and they didn't like it for whatever reason so they refused to move in until given a better one more to their liking.  I wish I could provide you with concrete examples, but I don't want to implicate names and specific communities as it is a rather touchy subject.

Moving forward on fiscal responsibility is the way to go in the end so that the communities can receive the funding they require, and the government can have transparency with Canadians as a whole on how their taxes are spent.  All Canadians regardless of geographic location are entitled to certain rights.

- Mod edit to better reflect the overall subject of the thread -

 

[Bass ackwards]

First of all, this should probably be in Canadian Politics or some other such thread.
Secondly, this may well turn into a bun fight and get locked before very long.

Having said all that, you're absolutely right, Trucker.
In my experience, no one -absolutely no one- can screw over Indians better than other Indians. Custer, Sheridan et al would be envious.

Accountability ain't gonna happen though. They can freeze, starve, die of disease, commit suicide en masse, or just fade off the radar... the compassionate crowd in Ottawa Just. Doesn't. Care.
They care about not being accused of racism. They care about being in power. And if a bunch of sad, sorry, perpetually f*cked over people have to suffer for that..well, the ends justifies the means -doesn't it ?

I'll be blunt and admit that a decade and a half of living in places like Sioux Lookout and Thompson has seriously whittled away my sympathy for aboriginals, but yeah, they're getting screwed. They will continued to get screwed -by their own- and nothing will be done about it. Mr. Harper and his party may try - but they'll be hauled down by the CBC, the Libs, the NDP and the band chiefs.
More of yours and my tax dollars will be sent -that's the solution after all, isn't it ? And the cycle will continue.

Cynical, I know, but hey, there it is.     

 

[dapaterson]

The very existence of a department of "Aboriginal Affairs" is representative of the great national failing.  (I once read a rather telling suggestion:  compare the homes of the senior ADMs in that department with the average homes of those their department is intended to help.)


Indeed, the needs and concerns of first nations / Métis / Innu and other groups vary widely - the needs of the Dene differ from those of the Sto Lo which differ from the concerns of the Mohawks; within the Mohawks there are significant differences between largely urban Kanewake and trans-national Akwesasne.  There is no "one size fits all" solution.