Topper wrote:Skyo, FN reserves are a part of Canada. Idle Some More associates the policy changes with genocide. This is not the British attacking Culloden.
The environmental changes in the omnibus bills that the Idler are complaining about, in fact remove extra levels of red tape. Some of that red tape removal is at the request of the AFN. They do not lessen environmental practices.
Idle no more is a response to the close re-election of a moderate reformer, Sean Atleo, by the old guard welfare Wednesdays.
While Atleo is is going about reforms to progress FN communities. Traditional ways of being a hunter/gatherer do not work and have not worked for over a hundred years. It is why we have places like Attawapiskat. The site was a meeting place of an essentially nomadic hunter/gatherer culture.
The most recent data I can find is from Oct 2011. There are 630 FN communities in Canada. 67 of those had financial woes to the degree that Abo Affairs had put them under co-management. A bit more than 10% of the FN communities. This is the level that Attawapiskat was at a year ago when Chief Spence complained of her housing crisis.
A further 11 FN communities, nearly 2% of FN communities are under 3rd Party management because their finances are a disaster. This is the level that Abo Affairs put Attawapiskat at a year ago and it remained there until June.
That puts Attawapiskat, within the the bottom 13%. Near but not at the bottom 2%.
A year ago, when Spence raised the awareness of the housing crisis the Government imposed a 3rd Party manager but Spence and her boyfriend thrrew the appointed manager out and took Abo Affairs to court over the matter.
It strikes me as very odd that they would refuse help to get their finances in order while asking for more money. It certainly does not inspire any confidence that they are trying to do better for their community.
Attawapiskat returned to co-management after somehow winning their court date in June of 2012, here they are back asking for more.
Found this interesting article with a letter from a retired Doctor who served in the James Bay area. It highlights many of the issues and suggest remedies or at least directions forward. Some I agree with.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... -43-years/
Topper, as SKYO had mentioned this is not about mismanagement of finances or the Federal governments ineptitude since confederation. This is about a way forward that INCLUDES all the First Nations as stakeholders. They have to decide their fate.
The Federal governments change to the environmental regulations to allow the Chiefs to develop their natural resources is just a ploy to allow companies to exploit the First Nations. You'd have to be some kind of idiot to just allow it to happen
I feel I can speak of this as I have been in communication with one of the founders of Idle No More. Funny enough it was in regards to sustainable and resilient communities, as well as, developing buildings that are extremely efficient in their long term maintenance and harsh conditions.
My time at Birkenhead/Pemberton has given me an incredible insight into a native bands inner workings.
Those in the city have no idea what is to work with First Nations peoples.
This is about solutions. Yes, some may be control of resources by First Nations on their reservations but that is not enough.
It's extremely ironic that after Europeans kicked them off their traditional lands to remote isolated places that cost so much money and resources over all these years and it is now the resources that will save them.
Same thing is happening in Ecuador and Bolivia as I'm sure you are aware given your background and culture.
My partner is a Youth & Child worker and will be going into the Northern Communities this Spring. Being of European origin I had always warned her of Canada's great shame. Our Third World. And now, in the past year it is being exposed to the world at large. There is a lot of work to be done. By all.
My Western redneck background is in full bloom when I step of the plane the jokes of drunken lazy indians abound. I can't change my family or friends attitudes but I can ask them to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
Certainly the First Nations people I work with are some of the most intelligent and passionate people I have ever met.
The times are a change'n and it is fascinating how this will turn-out. The Harper Government™ has their hands full with this issue and can't blame foreign environmental donors for this one.
Forget about the media and the politicians and the Chiefs and come with some long term solutions....