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I was so angered by the events described in this article that I typed the whole thing in here, as I could not find an electronic copy.

As I was typing the older guy from the office beside me stopped in and I asked him about his residential school experiences. The guy is 57 and he said at the age of 6 he was taken to a residential school which was across the creek from his home. Yet he could not visit home, not for birthdays, funerals, Christmas or anything. Later in life he asked his mother why she did not come to visit him or get him. She said that the priests told her they would burn in hell if she tried to interfere with the churches obligation to teach these children.

And we're still suffering today. This dispute resolution process was set up to deal with these claims quickly and fairly. If this 85 year old woman dies before she gets her $1,500 then I guess the government is off the hook.

For those of you who have a 15 year old or know a 15 year old...

For those of you like me who have a 6 year old...

Imagine the pain these small people suffered through because of Canada and its churches. Imagine the pain you would feel having one of your children gone for one or two weeks...never mind 10 YEARS!

This is what our people are still suffering through. The pain of losing their families, their roots. Being taught how to abuse and neglect little people instead of care for them and nuture them. No wonder our people are so FUCKED UP!

Canada might kick ass in your world...but in my world Canada has alot of fessing up to do.

Give the old lady her $1,500 and let her leave something to her little people when she goes.

   

ta'n(i)si

I know how you feel most of my people were driven out of Their homes, off their land, and finally off their content.This was done at about the same time. It was called the clearance and it was a horrible thing to do to people.
There is really no GOOD amount of money that can be given.
Although they might trying to move that decimal point to the right a few times,The cheep bastards.
It is always the ones in power that take advantage of the weaker.
They are pigs.

   

a lot of native elders went through abuse, sexual abuse, cultural abuse and so much more when they were forced to be put in a residential school. Residencial schools are every where in canada. Some of them still exist as community buildings and schools themselves.

There really should be some kind of compensation in regards to the people that suffered during their time in residential schools. Our cultures were almost lost and our elders suffered a lot of pain that cannot be healed. Not only aboriginal people were treated unfairly but in some situations we still are being treated unfairly.

   

Didn't the gov't just announce a SURPLUS of revenue? They mentioned asking Canadians what should be done with this money.

Maybe have a look on the fed site and see if there is a place to say. Then pass the word.............................?

   

meh..the official and unofficial handling of native issues continues to be a ddisgrace...there comes a time though when natives must themselves take ownership of thier plight and futue.....will they ever again stand tall and proud...?not until they become masters of thier own destiny...as long as there prepared to accept financial aid from ottawa they will remain what they are today...a faltering shadow of there former selves..there is no need for that

   

This is not financial aid. This is compensation for being treated unfairly. Why is it OK for white people to launch lawsuits when they have been wronged, but when Natives try to get justice they are "accepting financial aid" and "getting handouts".

The sad fact is that Canada and her citizens do not recognize that she has a legal and moral responsibility for its actions. Treaty entitlement and residential school abuse settlements are not aid, they are legal obligations that the government has not choice but to honor. The Canadian government has a shameful record of treating Natives unfairly (i.e. Native Veterans of the 2 world wars did not and have not received the same benefits and pensions as the non-Native vets). Most of these guys who fought for YOUR freedoms dies without ever seeing anything from the Canadians. In the meantime their white brothers who fought beside them got land, grants and cash.

Don't blame the victim here, blame the people who are responsible for these tragedies.

   

the victim is partly to blame..how long do you think this financial aid should go on...?forever?..the corruption on most reserves is enough to curl your hair...why dont the victims stop it?..there pride will return when they stop accepting handouts although the sums involved are anything but paltry its understandable the desire to keep there hands out...its time to move on

   

You are in Ottawa and you can say this to me with a straight face? Now if there were ever an example of the pot calling the kettle black lets look at the Canadian government, you ask us to "do something" about your perceived corruption of our governments, yet you re-elect a bunch of thieves yourself!

Furthermore, when you talk about corruption at the band council level, who is giving you numbers that is making your hair curl? Let me give you some facts my ignorant friend. The amount of corruption at the band council level is very minimal, due to the fact that we have stringent controls over the flow of money into and out of our bands. But, there is a high level of waste and mismanagement in many of our bands.

1) INAC and the Canadian governments have strict control over the money that is provided to bands. For example, if money is provided for housing then that money can only be spent on supplies from agencies that the government approves. Instead of us going to our neighbors to buy cheep lumber, we must adhere to these guidelines and spend these dollars on more expensive material from these businesses. Now thats a waste.

2) Our band councilors and chiefs are generally elected from the communities. We have had problems keeping skilled and educated people in our communities. This all started back in the late 1800's and early 1900's when, if you were to become educated as an Indian you would be forced by the Canadian government to give up your status as an Indian person and "enfranchise". Therefore, only in the last 30 or 40 years have we had the ability to build the capacity of our people on reserve. Many of our elected officials, though well meaning good people, are making important decisions that may be affected by their lack of education. The Canadian governments’ policy of assimilation and destruction of our culture has lead to this and many other problems in our people.

However, we have many, many good examples of bands who have been successful and highly accountable. Bands that a few years ago were destitute and poverty ridden have become economically viable, setting up businesses and casinos to employ people and create wealth for the band. Its funny, that people like you who tell Indians to stop taking government handouts are usually the same ones voting against Indian run Casino's and businesses being set up in your areas.

Take Saskatoon for example, we get told every time we walk down the street to get a job (though many of us are highly skilled professionals). We wanted to set up a major casino within the city limits and the citizens voted against it? How does that make sense? Damned if you do and damed if you don't.

However, we have many, many good examples of bands who have been successful and highly accountable. Bands that a few years ago were destitute and poverty ridden have become economically viable, setting up businesses and casinos to employ people and create wealth for the band. It’s funny, that people like you who tell Indians to stop taking government handouts are usually the same ones voting against Indian run Casino's and businesses being set up in your areas.

Take Saskatoon for example, we get told every time we walk down the street to get a job (though many of us are highly skilled professionals). We wanted to set up a major casino within the city limits and the citizens voted against it? How does that make sense? Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

   

What a convenient position to take. Move on? Let me give you a history lesson. Many of the payments that go to our bands are moneys owed to us based on treaties that guarantee you the right to live on our land.

Let me ask you this, how long after you stopped paying the rent on your trailer do you think your landlord would evict you? You have a legal obligation to live up to the terms of your tenancy.

Perhaps you own a home that you bought with a mortgage. How long after you stopped making your mortgage payments would the sheriff show up to repossess your house? Is that fair? Maybe not, but it is legal. The money that we are receiving for our infrastructure, development, education and whatever else is money guaranteed to us by your government when my great grandparents agreed to share our land with your grandparents.

So why don't you quit ignoring your promises and make sure you and your people live up to the guarantees you gave us when you came to live on our land. It’s funny that you criticize us for accepting handouts, when in reality it is you who is in arrears for the land you call home. Let me remind you, that treaties are agreements between two parties, and not only am I a Treaty Indian, but you as a Canadian are also covered under the same Treaty.

Also, the money we receive is a legal obligation of the Canadian governments, not free handouts. Welfare and healthcare is something provided to any other Canadian who fits the criteria. Land claims are lawsuits against the government for stealing or cheating Indians out of land, resources or money, and should there lawsuits end up in court would end up costing you ten times what we are settling for...so you should be happy that these claims are settled and not brought before a judge. Same with our residential school abuse claims...how about we take one of your kids and suffer them through what half of our people went through for 125 years or more. Once you kids are raped, abused and reprogrammed, let's see how quickly you want to forgive and forget.

Do you realize that if we had not been cheated, if we had not been left in poverty to rot on our reserves for over 100 years that we would not be going through this right now. If we had been allowed to trade, farm and create businesses like every other person then most of the major western cities would be built around Indian Reserves, and not only would we be participating in the economy at the same level as everyone else, we would be the mayors, MLA's, MP's, judges and leaders of this country.

   

meh...must be a real sore spot..when you stop paying the subsidized government sponsored rent on your teepee what happens...?we have no arguement with regards to the treatment of natives in this country but when will they get over it...?they sould there souls and land for a few coloured beads and jars of fire water...thats the way it is..my point is this...there is no pride among the natives..few opportunities and poor education...naturally where a beaurocracy is involved with huge amounts of cash there is bound to be corruption...having been to, driven thru and spoken with many natives, on reserves i have some knowledge and definite opinions based on my own observations...for the most part it is nothing less than disgusting....by that i mean the treatment of natives by thier own leaders...its dismal with no apparent hope or light at the end of the tunell...ive seeen the drunkeness, assorted drug abuse, lacklustre people wtihout hope of a future and its frightening that a nation so once proud has been reduced to what many see as the epitome of defeat..the government is largely to balme but the bulk rests with the natives who without incentive or controls of the billioins handed over annually line their pockets, take expensive trips, build themselves fine mansions, pad expenses, drive the best cars...while thier own people go without and live in near shantytowns...you cant keep blaming the white man..or perhaps you can in your effort to divert the true responsibility...time for you and your people to pick yourselfes up by your bootstaps and move on...the world is not waiting...btw, although you may like to think of yourselves as unique, your not...this has happened to other groups and races throughout history...not surprisingly they moved on..go get your pride back

   

Let me refresh your memory, your whole country is built on Indian land. Why would I have to pay rent on something that has always been mine?



First of all, we have signed treaties outlining the obligations of each party.

Second of all, us Natives have in part lived up to our end of the bargain by sharing our land with immigrants from elsewhere in this world.

Next, we hold you and your government legally responsible for these treaties. the Supreme Court of Canada and the Constitution concur with this viewpoint.

Also, many treaties that were signed under coercion or fraudulently for whatever reason. The government is also responsible for these actions and is again accountable.




There is lots of pride among Native people. That is why we choose to be identified by our nations. That is why we defend our treaties and our rights to this land. You perceive that we have no pride because you place no value in people who are different from you. If we have an inferiority complex its because ignorant racists like you say stuff like:


My kids go to school and come home after hearing things like this from their friends, the kids of nearsighted racists like yourself, and we have to explain to them where these prejudices come from.



Like, talk about a backward racist comment! So, just because I do well and earn shitloads of money I'm a thief? So we can't live our own way, yet once we succeed in your world we are seen as dishonest.

Give your head a shake; sure there are some shady people in our system, but no more or less then in the white society. Labeling and stereotyping us all because of your misconceptions is pure and simple racism.


And finally, your bigoted, opinionated comments serve no purpose other then to rally other xenophobic, racist people to your cause. What, you don’t think we know what we are dealing with? You don’t think we know the level of poverty, abuse and addiction that we come from?

We have thousands of our own people working toward a better future for our children. We get up every day and make plans to ensure that the generations to follow us will have better lives then we do. So we don’t need your lectures or your “get over it”s. Why not promote some positive change and teach your kids and your communities about the real history of Canada.

   

Oh, and by the way, I know what your about to say...that your friend is a Native or your grandmother was part Iroquois.

Who cares, I feel sorry for the Native friends of racists like you...because not every Indian knows what to say when confronted with these bigoted points of view...so they sit there and listen while you deflate their ego.

   

(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

misiwe ininiw tipenimitisowinik eshi nitawikit nesta peywakan kici ishi kanawapamikiwisit kistenimitisowinik nesta minikowisiwima. e pakitimamacik kaketawenitamowininiw nesta mitonenicikaniniw nesta wicikwesitowinik kici ishi kamawapamitocik.

Everyone !

   

   

That is over 3 reports per week. Some of these bands can't afford to keep up. And when they are late INAC starts imposing penalties.

   

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