The AFN (Assembly of First Nations) has proclaimed a National Day of Action, an event meant to draw attention to what University of British Columbia history professor Arthur Ray has called "Canada's biggest unresolved human rights issue."
Though Canada ranks among the wealthiest nations in the world and is often touted as one of the best places in the world to live, Canada's First Nations communities continue to live in third-world conditions in our own country. Indeed some, such as the Center for World Indigenous Studies, realizing that the plight of indigenous peoples is often worse because they are largely invisible, prefer the term 'fourth world' — "Nations forcefully incorporated into states which maintain a distinct political culture but are internationally unrecognized."
A National Post article I came across yesterday left me feeling truly disturbed and angry. In "Indian give and take", Peter Shawn Taylor writes that, though "there have been some dark corners in Canada's relationship with the First Nations... a fair assessment of the entire legacy requires at least some recognition that most government policy in Canada has been motivated by the urge to protect and improve the native condition." He claims that at one "time the British Crown of Canada was a refuge for North America's natives," and that the Royal Proclamation of 1763 by King George III "deserves as much attention from Canadians as the Declaration of Independence gets from Americans." He goes on to paint Canada as a benevolent safe harbour for beleaguered American natives. And furthermore, Canada vastly outperforms the United States in negotiation and abiding by treaties. The gist of the article seems to be that Canada's indigenous peoples need to stop whining about 'past injustices', stop ignoring Canadian governments' 'good faith efforts', and to stop asking for so much — "It's all take, no give."
I would not have been surprised to hear Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, or even radio personalities like Rush Limbaugh spew this kind of insensitive, hot-headed, and, quite frankly, racist drivel. But I suppose I'm not quite used to this kind of unsympathetic, elitist, imperialist and utterly arrogant stance printed in one of our major newspapers. That the peoples whose land was invaded and forcefully wrested from them, whose populations were decimated not only by overt acts of war, but also by germ warfare and systems of forced assimilation, economic dependence and ethnocide, and whose treaties and land claims continue to be largely ignored or neglected, should learn to be quiet and give more is outrageous and unconscionable.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Doug Hunter
Who cares about this lame crap? Sure, if I was of a special protected race of whiny victims I'm sure I'd sign up for some free reparations too. Thanks to kowtowing by effiminate liberal pussies their trapped in a permanent poverty stricken victimhood status begging for crumbs to fall from the masters table. Keep offering them the mirage of additional help and 'special' third world inside first world status and they'll remain the way they are. Now that's something only a real racist [Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor] would be proud of.
2 - Shelley
I read that story with dismay as well. What these people that say "get over it" it's in the past don't understand is that it's not in the past, we continue to feel and live the effects of the past each and everyday! Our communities didn't get dysfunctional on their own, but only after years of abuse suffered at the hands of residential schools, which is cyclical, not to mention the shame and anger that goes along with it! Generations that suffered abuse and genocide in the name of assimilation, we still live it today: why you may ask??? Because the assimilation process has never stopped! When will Canada realize we choose to be who we are and not Canadians who conform to the norm?????
3 - Indigent vagabond
If you are sincere about getting to the root of problems ask the grassroots at www.newtfn.com!
We have been asking nicely for a forensic audit on our finances for years now to no avail because it will expose the truth about everything.
4 - moonraven
As someone who belongs to the Mohawk Nation, I can say that NOTHING is in the past and that nobody has any inclination to "get over it".
The fact that I do not even live there--nor in the US where apartheid is also still alive and well--in some very real aspects speaks for itself.
Perhaps the obvious racism displayed by some posters on this site is nothing but a symptom of guilt.
5 - Christopher Rose
Do you actually have a Mohawk hair style?
6 - moonraven
No, kid, I do not.
No one over 13 wears a Mohawk, giggles and says chill out.
Busted again, pipsqueak.
7 - Christopher Rose
Whatever you say, Gran'ma.
8 - moonraven
I am not a newspaper in Cuba, either, zitface.
9 - moonraven
How much are you paying blogcritics to be able to call yourself a monitor/censor and post your silly Brit pibble?
10 - Clavos
"I am not a newspaper in Cuba, either, zitface."
A newspaper which was named for a POS boat, which was named for TA-DA...
A granma!
11 - Christopher Rose
But Granny, there is no such word as pibble...
12 - moonraven
Chris,
I am glad that you saw my point--that what you write does not exist in the common reality plane called linguistic space.
A baby step out of ignorance, but better than nothing.
13 - moonraven
Clavos,
Not being a specialist in trafficking Cubans to south Florida, I do not know what a POS boat is.
However, Granma was a yacht.
14 - Christopher Rose
Linguistic space is a common reality plane? Only when you think pibble is a word!
15 - moonraven
I DON'T think pibble is a word. Nor have I ever. Lewis Carroll I am not (I hate brits).
But YOU had to look it up.
So, how's that new zit remedy working for you?
16 - moonraven
I can see that you have contributed SO much knowledge of First Nations cultures to this thread.
Congratulations!
17 - Christopher Rose
I'm amazed that someone so addled can see at all. As to the zit remedy, it's working as well as your industrial strength exfoliating cream!
18 - Clavos
A POS is a Piece Of Shit, mr.
And it was more submarine than "yacht;" they barely made it to Cuba before she sank.
Just because Fidel calls it a yate doesn't make it so, mr.
19 - Clavos
"...the common reality plane called linguistic space."
Classic pretentious academic gobbledegook.
20 - zingzing
moonraven: "I can see that you have contributed SO much knowledge of First Nations cultures to this thread."
um... you haven't added any either. and really, all you ever do is insult people and take offense at everything. you rarely make any constructive additions to any threads. well, it's far less rare than you just going around insulting people and calling this place a "shithole" or whatever. strange that you even bother to come by, much less find yourself atop the leader boards.
21 - moonraven
I come by precisely to insult you.
22 - moonraven
Clavos was there and saw grandma with his own beady little pigeyes. Right.
23 - Clavos
"Clavos was there and saw grandma with his own beady little pigeyes. Right."
Didn't have to be.
Che (an eyewitness who rode on the old tub) wrote about it.
And, actually I HAVE seen it, in it's cute glass display case.
24 - zingzing
moonraven: "I come by precisely to insult you."
me, personally? because you're not doing a very good job of it. as far as today goes, 75% of my comments have been about you... so it looks like i come by just to get on your ass. take that how you will.
if the "you" in your statement was more general than just me, well, i think you speak the truth for once.
i do stand by my statement that it's funny that you spend more time on this site than just about anyone, and yet you claim to hate it. you must be getting something out of it.
25 - zingzing
but i must admit that there have been several lengths of time where i refuse to engage you in any conversation or debate because i know you will just try to insult me.
so go ahead, because i KNOW you love it, sick lady.