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

Army.ca member and journalist David Akin has got a better idea upon which he expounds in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Ottawa Sun:

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/03/akin-more-teachers-not-warriors-solution-to-first-nations-crisis
More teachers, not warriors, solution to First Nations crisis

BY DAVID AKIN, PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU CHIEF

FIRST POSTED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 03, 2013

OTTAWA — The problem with the barricades, marches, protests and all the other trappings of the militancy associated with the growing Idle No More movement is that it encourages one dangerous idea while discouraging another more productive one.

The dangerous idea it encourages is a belief that there is a magic wand deep in some federal government vault and that, if only the evil prime minister would meet with First Nations leaders, he would produce that magic wand at that meeting, wave it, and all would be well for too many wretched First Nations communities.

But, of course, there is no magic wand. And while Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, Idle No More protesters and their supporters in the House of Commons and outside of it currently have Stephen Harper playing the role of the evil villain, it is worth noting that militants of other eras once cast Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney and Jean Chretien in the role now played by Harper and for the same basic reason: They were failing to wave the magic wand and make it all better.

Trudeau sparked the wrath of militants when, in 1969, his government proposed the abolition of the Indian Act and the transfer to the provinces of administrative responsibilities for First Nations. First Nations leaders who opposed this idea formed the National Indian Brotherhood, the predecessor organization to today's Assembly of First Nations.

In 1990, Mulroney was the villainous PM during the Oka crisis. And during his time as PM, Chretien was cast in the role and blamed for stalled land claims talks by the Dene of the Northwest Territories and the Innu of Labrador.

At the root of all these conflicts, as the current Assembly of First Nations Chief Shawn Atleo noted yesterday, is "a broken system that does not address long-standing disparities between First Nations and the rest of Canada, and address priorities in ways that will provide for long-term solutions and sustainability."

Now, Chief Atleo is not a radical and has some sensible ideas about "long-term solutions and sustainability." That fact, peculiarly enough, has been his political liability in First Nations politics where leaders, more often than not, must be have more in common with warriors than, as Atleo does, with teachers.

Though he won re-election as AFN national chief last summer, Atleo had to overcome a strong challenge from Pam Palmeter, who wanted a more radical, militant, warrior-like AFN. As she launched her campaign to unseat Atleo last summer, she quite specifically accused him of being too "nice" to Harper's Conservatives and made the bizarre claim that Atleo was taking Canada's First Nations down the path to assimilation.

Palmeter then - and now - would have First Nations go to the barricades as if that is all that it would take to fix the Crown-First Nation relationship.

Atleo has a different call to action: To the classroom.

In his own life (he has a master's degree), in his work as a leader of Pacific Coast First Nations, and now as national chief, Atleo has seen how poverty, violence, and despair in First Nations communities can be eliminated when men, women, and children are taught new skills and knowledge. But education takes time, hard work, and patience, and while it almost always produces results, they may not be seen for years or even decades.

Atleo's focus on education is the good idea that is being endangered by the false promise of quick change through militant protests.

Sending armies of teachers across the land, though, is not confrontational enough for too many First Nations leaders. Nor does it give protesters the satisfaction of venting one's anger at a far-off evil villain in Ottawa.

More blockades or protests or millions more from Ottawa's treasury will not solve problems too long untended. They can only be solved in the classroom.


Of course education is not the (whole) answer for first nations peoples living on remote reserves. There have to be jobs there - something of value about which young people can learn - or the young people have to leave. The status quo produces hopelessness which leads to substance abuse and shocking rates of suicide.

But David Akin is right: idle No More is obscuring the problem, not highlighting it.
 
recceguy said:
I wasn't implying anything. Just pointing out the obvious. That you seemed to have missed the previous part of the thread concerning your subject.

I guess in all my ignorance, I missed the part where you were right and I made no connection towards aggressive sects within the protest movement.

Scott said:
Is that cause and effect enough?

I don't think that anyone is claiming that unlawfully interfering with railway signals is either good, or that it can't result in grave damage.

Retired AF Guy said:
Things can spiral out of control very quickly. Remember, Oka started with a dispute over a golf course.

Of course it can. I've been deployed to several demonstrations or events in this province and seen it first hand.

All I have said, is that SO FAR, with the best available information, there has been criminality, but no overt acts that would constitute domestic terrorism. 
 
Baloo said:
I guess in all my ignorance, I missed the part where you were right and I made no connection towards aggressive sects within the protest movement.

How condescending of you. I try to play nice and you try make me feel guilty.  8)

You almost sound like you could give lessons to the protesters yourself. ;)
 
E.R. Campbell said:
Army.ca member and journalist David Akin has got a better idea upon which he expounds in this article which is reproduced under the Fair Dealing provisions of the Copyright Act from the Ottawa Sun:

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/01/03/akin-more-teachers-not-warriors-solution-to-first-nations-crisis

Of course education is not the (whole) answer for first nations peoples living on remote reserves. There have to be jobs there - something of value about which young people can learn - or the young people have to leave. The status quo produces hopelessness which leads to substance abuse and shocking rates of suicide.

But David Akin is right: idle No More is obscuring the problem, not highlighting it.

Excellent article and post.
If we were bowling, that would be a strike.
Knowledge Inspires Change.
 
>domestic terrorism

Fundamentally, there is crime for personal gain, and there is crime for political gain.  The latter is essentially all "terrorism".  It doesn't have to be more than an inconvenience to be terrorism.
 
And after a sympathetic show of support for Chief Spence, the CBC changes gears, and actually decides to report some real news on the subject of Attiwapiskat.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/01/07/pol-attawapiskat-audit-monday.html

Gee, it would be nice if criminal charges were filed.
 
CBC News is reporting that a recent audit of the $100M in emergency assistance provided to Chief Spence's Attawapiskat First Nation between 2005 and 2011 finds "no evidence of due diligence". Over 60% of transactions (payments) had no supporting documents at all.

When I worked in the private sector one of my duties, as the senior manager, was to authorize payments. I can assure you that every single payment was supported by documentation reflection why, how and who. Had they not been properly documented my employers (the board of directors) would have been duty bound to call the police because undocumented payments are, generally, an indicator of fraud, a crime.
 
The star has a similar report, though the emphasis is on the political fallout.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1311314--federal-government-audit-severely-critical-of-attawapiskat-chief-theresa-spence
 
E.R. Campbell said:
When I worked in the private sector one of my duties, as the senior manager, was to authorize payments. I can assure you that every single payment was supported by documentation reflection why, how and who. Had they not been properly documented my employers (the board of directors) would have been duty bound to call the police because undocumented payments are, generally, an indicator of fraud, a crime.

I work in the Municipal sector, same thing on this side. If we had the same poor accounting practices where millions of dollars were unaccounted for, not only would heads roll, but someone would be in handcuffs by the end of the business day.....

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Whether charges will be laid or not due to political climate, and perceptions. It is interesting to see the media switch gears and start spinning.
 
Not so fast. When Spence shows up at the meeting and collapses due to "weakness" the CBC will be banging the drum for her once again.

Wait for it.
 
Scott said:
Not so fast. When Spence shows up at the meeting and collapses due to "weakness" the CBC will be banging the drum for her once again.

Wait for it.

Sadly, as humourous as your post is......you might just be right.

Or she's going to be admitted to hospital for stress related issues, so she can conveniently duck any of the tough questions that will be asked.
 
Just did some research as this 110 million being given to just over 1500 people and very little of it accounted for has me concerned.
Canada gives about 10 billion dollars each year to the Native communities through grants assistance etc. The military is given about 22.3 billion. The total budget for the country is about 276 billion. So we give 10 billion away to the native communities and we receive no benefit from it besides having protests and such against us. On top of this they do not even pay taxes so this is completely funded out of everyone elses pocket. Just some info I picked up quickly from google searches. Its kinda nice to put this in perspective though.
 
Eaglelord17 said:
Just did some research as this 110 million being given to just over 1500 people and very little of it accounted for has me concerned.
Canada gives about 10 billion dollars each year to the Native communities through grants assistance etc. The military is given about 22.3 billion. The total budget for the country is about 276 billion. So we give 10 billion away to the native communities and we receive no benefit from it besides having protests and such against us. On top of this they do not even pay taxes so this is completely funded out of everyone elses pocket. Just some info I picked up quickly from google searches. Its kinda nice to put this in perspective though.

I hope you are being sarcastic.  110 million, given to 1500 people who don't pay taxes, not being accounted for, has me extremely concerned.  My taxes keep going up.  I have worked hard for what little I am able to save.  Why am I working hard in the hope of a descent living in my later years, while my taxes are being freely given away to people who do not pay taxes, who do not want to work, who do not respect what is given to them and who complain when more is not done for them?  I would say that the numpty who started the topic on Male Haircuts being against the Charter of Human Rights, instead fight that NO Canadians pay taxes and those on the Reserves, Welfare, etc. get NO freebies.  How is that for discrimination?  Harm is being done to us Tax Paying Canadians, as we are emptying out our wallets to support Aboriginals, Welfare Recipients, etc.  My quality of life is gravely affected supporting none taxpaying idle people who demand handouts.
 
Scott said:
Not so fast. When Spence shows up at the meeting and collapses due to "weakness" the CBC will be banging the drum for her once again.

Wait for it.

Thanks for making that suggestion.  I am sure that one of her many followers, parusing topics on her, will soon make that very suggestion to her.  (No conspiracy here.)
 
Then I'll have made the call, eh? MSM can peruse the same topics as her handlers can.
 
Either way -- MSM or handlers -- you're losing the MilPoints if she does.  ;)
 
I am reluctant to say too much about the whole FN thing because I am:

1. Ignorant; and

2. Devoid of anything like a useful, much less good idea.

But, this report in the National Post makes for sad, head shaking reading.

I have no idea what the right answers (and I'm pretty sure there's more than one, mor than ten, probably even more than 100 answers) might be, but I'm pretty sure that firm, steady, leadership, in Ottawa and in First Nations, is part of them.
 
Beat me to posting the article. One thing that struck me is that this was over a year old, yet received nothing like the frenzied, day in/day out coverage the CBC gives to the various faux "scandals" allegedly perpetrated by the current government.

There is one fault I can attach to the government, based on that report. Since the various facts were known or at least knowable to bureaucrats in Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, why didn't they spring into action with forensic audits and third party management much, much sooner? Perhaps this is the real lesson of the entire affair.
 
E.R. Campbell said:
I am reluctant to say too much about the whole FN thing because I am:

1. Ignorant; and

2. Devoid of anything like a useful, much less good idea.

But, this report in the National Post makes for sad, head shaking reading.

I have no idea what the right answers (and I'm pretty sure there's more than one, mor than ten, probably even more than 100 answers) might be, but I'm pretty sure that firm, steady, leadership, in Ottawa and in First Nations, is part of them.

That is AWESOME!

Journeyman said:
Either way -- MSM or handlers -- you're losing the MilPoints if she does.  ;)

Ah, but my hope is that some of the smart media (everyone at CBC excluded) might see right through the ruse, if it comes to pass.
 
I'm now stuck in a class, with a professor that had a bobble head when someone mentioned Spence's 'hunger strike'.

It might be a long semester.
 
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