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So should the G8/G20 spending in Tony Clements riding, the cost of the omnibus crime bill, the election fraud, etc. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

   

Agreed. And for the record, I'd like Clement to get some very special attention for his efforts.

   

You're hearing from people via the news and even on here about how bad corruption and waste is on these reserves.

Why are you defending them so strongly?

   

Can't run their reserves? Fear not the Manitoba Government is handing, yes free and clear, over Manitoba housing units (units not on reserves and of the bands choice) to reserves to administer themselves as they feel fit.

I'm counting on that going over real well!

   

We are not hearing that about BOTH reserves, only the Manitoba one. Nor am I defending both reserves. So far there has been no serious, credible accustions about Attawapiskat, just "angry white man" logic that says all Band leaders steal, and therefore any Band's financial problems must be entirely attributable to Band leader theft.

NOW PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION HERE >>> I am not saying that there is no corruption in that Attawapiskat. In fact, I would be surprised if there WASN'T any misappropriation. Reserves with living conditions like that are third-world countries and people who live in third world conditions steal, abuse drugs and alcohol, have little respect for laws, authority figures and the 'the system'. Its' just a fact of human nature.

What Im saying is that in the case of Attawapiskat, the town's debt is so large, it can't possibly have been due to stealing. You just can't hide that much money. Even if I thought the band council at Attawapiskat was the must corrupt organization in the country, I couldn't assume the housing and budget crisis was due to theft. Specifically, the band's expenditures are approved and monitored by the Dept of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. The band's assets are largely held in Trust. The idea that someone in the band could just write a cheque to themselves or make a withdrawal for millions of dollars just doesn't fly. Sure there are plenty of ways that a few people could skim a few dollars here and there from an approved contract for example but in order for it to work, it would be for small amounts relative to the town's budget.

I would expect that the crisis in Attawapiskat (and probably most other reserves, even if there is substantial corruption going on) is probably mostly attributable to a combination of sheer incompetence of the Band leaders and government funding that doesn't meet the Bands needs anyway.

   

It's time to cut off Native Bands in Canada once and for all.

   

So if you and I enter a contract where you gave me land in exchange for my promise to pay you a fee in perpetuity, and I then unilaterally decide to cut off your payments "once and for all," do you think you'd get your land back, or can I just keep it?

   

How long should the contact still be honored at the cost of Billions?

They've received Billions over the years and they're still suffering because of their own incompetence, corruption and sense of entitlement.

We're almost at 2012 the 21st Century, it's time the contracts are voided and they are cut off financially and learn to take care of themselves without sucking on the Government tit.

   

I'm not asking whether the Crown would be within its right to terminate the treaties, I'm asking if you understand the consequences of doing so.

Under these treaties, specific parcels of land were transferred to the Crown on the condition that the government would make these funding payments in perpetuity. If the treaty is terminated and NEITHER SIDE has to honour its provisions, it would seem that all land that was trasferred to the crown should returned to the original owner, correct?

   

It's the only way they'll learn.

-J.

   

That's an unrealistic option and it's those kind of attitudes that have done more damage to the Native community than anything else because they've become addicted to relying on the Government to bail them out.

   

No argument there.

   

What is that fee? What is the exact amount due to them? And exactly what land did we get for it?

In BC there have only been 2 or 3 treaties ratified. Land claims cover more than 100% of the province because of overlap, so the contract for land for a fee doesn't apply there.

What treaty does the band at Attawapiskat have? Exactly what does it say? There are presumably hundreds of treaties with different bands/tribes/nations. What do they each say?


A native apologist wrote in the Vancouver Sun that Prince George has the economy it has because it is surrounded by forest land that generates revenue. He said natives need access to their own resources. But, Prince George has a decent budget to run the municipality because the residents go and work in these forests (or on the prducts derived from them) and then pay taxes to Prince George to support the city. Why can't the people of Attawapiskat do that - go to work and pay taxes, rather than expect tribute? In fact the nearby Victor mine: Where did that money go? Why is none of that money flowing into the community coffers?

   

It'll never happen as long as there is one left wing apologist for the past alive in Canada.

It'd be better to tell them that their subsidies are incumbent on them allowing regular independent audit's of the Bands, Chiefs an Councils.

Oh yeah and tax free status is over. They can pay it like the other people on welfare, EI, disability and Government pensions do.

   

The only way to end the corrupt regimes of the chiefs and their cronies is through education. People need to find out that they can do better, but often when band members find this out, they never return to the reserves because they are tired of the bullshit that goes on there.

Part of the problem with the corruption on reserves is also the fear of retaliation, if someone complains about the corrupt chief and or council they usually get screwed over and intimidated into silence...some are just bought off. But it sounds like things are changing. The people are discovering that if they band(no pun intended) together and confront the corrupt individual(s) in power, that there is strength in numbers. I still think that until reserves are given municipal status(or it's imposed), the problems will continue.

   

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