Winnipeg Most Racist City in Canada - Maclean's

[karl262]

Serious question - How would Canada go about abolishing the reserve system?

[polak]

Originally Posted by karl262

Serious question - How would Canada go about abolishing the reserve system?

Payment.

[fatso]

Originally Posted by polak

They certianly deserve the same treatment as everyone else, but how do you stop a population from fearing and therefore hating a certian group that is responsible for a staggeringly disproportinate amount of crime in their province? It's all well and good to say "treat everyone the same", until you consistently see the same easily identifiable group (race is the first thing you see when you look at someone) repeatedly fulfilling these violent, disorderly and unfavorable stereotypes.

You dismiss anecdotal evidence like it doesn't mean anything but guess what, when it's YOUR anecdote, it means everything. If you get mugged by a group of natives and your walking down the street and see another group of natives, are you going to think "Ahhh, I shouldn't treat them any differently" or are you going to think "#### that, I'm going to walk another way". Even if it's just someone you know that got mugged, you will probably think twice.

You know what would fix the racism and unfair treatment of native people? Going after the root cause that creates these stereotypes instead of trying to get people to ignore their deep rooted and statistically substantied fears.

Fix the the stereotype.

I'm sensing you don't want to read the article. But if and when you do, would your answer to Tina's mother (of the article) be, "there is a stereotype. If people like you fix it this won't happen". Do you think that's right in a society?

Or what about this:

The problem is far more insidious than childish taunts. A few years ago, the federal government investigated claims that indigenous Winnipeggers were being denied housing due to discrimination. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation pulled together a random survey of Aboriginal renters. The results were damning. One in three told the CMHC that after showing up to visit an available suite they were told it had “just been rented.”

Even if stereotypes are properly acted on, is this ok with you? Is it fair to you that a law-abiding First Nations individual may be denied housing because of the renter's reasonable (in your view) stereotypes of all aboriginal people? How can you advocate fair treatment and think this is acceptable?

I'm not disputing that people develop stereotypes of groups based on their interactions with them. I'm also not holding out the answers. But it is damned sure more complicated than "fix the stereotype" and I think the article does a good job of explaining why (and why there is hope for change).

[ricosuave]

^ they wouldnt

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by karl262

Serious question - How would Canada go about abolishing the reserve system?

You can't. Any politician who tried would be committing career suicide. It will never ever happen.

It's a shame people are possibly that frustrated in Winnipeg - I know Prince Albert was the same way. It's all you see and it's all you hear

The other issue that concerns a lot of people is the drain on social services. Lots of money spent on the Native population for health care, justice, schooling and none of it or very little is paid for by them. It can cause a lot of resentment.

I worked at a Uranium mine for a couple years - the only white guy on the crew and it was a great time. Good, honest, hard working people, many of whom are just as critical of the stereotypical Native. It's a sad state of affairs - wish someone had the balls to tackle it head on. The treaties and reserves need to go.

[jayswin]

I think that this has to be the world record for posters not reading the actual article, instead just seeing the topic and launching into the standard debate around natives, lol.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I think that this has to be the world record for posters not reading the actual article, instead just seeing the topic and launching into the standard debate around natives, lol.

I read the article - it's heartbreaking. It's also shaming because every word of it is true - I've heard these remarks uttered by people I know - even my parents would utter things like this when frustrated during trips to the city. I also understand how jaded people are when confronted with the stereotype proving itself "true" over and over again. I can see why they begin to believe it and ultimately accept it.

No answers though - no one has them. It's easy to drop articles like this in the forum, highlight the nasty bits and run off. Both sides have takeaways from this but nothing will change.

[Reggie28]

One of my family members is a corrections officer in rural Manitoba. Mainly people from the nearby reserves are in his care. He said most people that come in are young guys (-40) who have alcohol and addiction problems. By the time the leave they are clean and sober and in good physical shape. With the revolving door legal system we have, they will be back in a week, a month or a year, and will generally look like death warmed over, back on the bottle or whatever else they use.

One of many stories that stick in my head is three or four people got ahold of a case of beer on a dry reserve, and were going to split it. The one woman drank an extra beer, so her brother stabbed he in her face as punishment. The Native who stabbed his sister in the face, still thinks it is acceptable to stab your sister in the face if she drinks one if your last beer.

Treating everyone as equals is the only solution to this problem. This means abolishing the reserve and treaty systems and treating all Canadians as equals.

Always earned, never given.

[polak]

I didn't read the article cause I don't need to read a public shaming article.

[CampbellsTransgressions]

"I'm not racist, but..."

I'm in the "screw public shaming" boat. Good to see the obviously Vancouverite author tried to absolve Ontario, Quebec, and BC of blame. Good on the author to diverge from the real issue by segregating us all into provincial sports teams instead of addressing the issue of racism in Canada. But hey, the people of Vancouver clearly aren't racist as a whole since their mascots wear Aboriginal attire and their police cars have cultural implications. Top notch thinking.

[FlamesAddiction]

I used to live in Winnipeg and also lived for several years in remote northern areas, including for a time in an area where the white man was the minority. The aggressive racism comes from both sides of the spectrum.

[Hugh Jahrmes]

Originally Posted by Neeper

I think reserves are the problem. It's segregation at it's finest. That probably causes animosity and makes it difficult for kids to assimilate into Canadian society. I mean I can't imagine if us "Asians" were separated like that. I certainly would be pissed and feel like the "outside" world didn't want anything to do with me and feel oppressed. Either I try to deal with it or rise up.

Anyone who has grown up around reserves will agree (some for the wrong reasons of course).

Corruption runs rampant. Funds are siphoned away from community projects, instead feeding personal interests of the controlling groups. ####ty parenting begets ####ty kids, and being isolated from society / the support systems we all have access to only makes it harder to break the cycle.

I grew up in a small town right next to Maskwacis (previously Hobbema), and I'd love to hear the arguments of anyone who wants to keep the current system after seeing the daily struggles of people born into it.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

the part about reserves that has always bothered me is how some of the chiefs will take large salaries for themselves, and members of their families - while otehr members live in squalor. although i guess in some ways that is not very different than the CEO of a mjor O&G company making millions - or is it?

No this is more like sending aid to the starving people of North Korea and Kim Jong Un uses it to buy Swiss watches and caviar for himself.

The reserve system has to change in how aid is granted and distributed to remove the element of corruption and to ensure responsible individuals are actually reinvesting into the community and economic development instead of graft. The problem is that the First Nations chiefs and councils who are used to having their coffers lined from this process will simply decry any effort as impugning their right to sovereignty, self-governance, and autonomy as a nation.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by polak

I didn't read the article cause I don't need to read a public shaming article.

Cool. So you probably don't read articles about native crime rates and drug problems either. Public shaming.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by CampbellsTransgressions

"I'm not racist, but..."

I'm in the "screw public shaming" boat. Good to see the obviously Vancouverite author tried to absolve Ontario, Quebec, and BC of blame. Good on the author to diverge from the real issue by segregating us all into provincial sports teams instead of addressing the issue of racism in Canada. But hey, the people of Vancouver clearly aren't racist as a whole since their mascots wear Aboriginal attire and their police cars have cultural implications. Top notch thinking.

The article clearly outlines studies and surveys that support the idea that racism (against natives) is a big issue in those provinces.

Don't worry, keep your head in the sand. Better to pretend Vancouver is just as bad.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Cool. So you probably don't read articles about native crime rates and drug problems either. Public shaming.

No not really.
I remember the staggering statistics I was exposed to from a university course a couple years ago and have only heard that the situation is deteriorating. No need to read more depressing crap when there is nothing we can do to fix it cause no one will have the balls to pull the plug on the reserves.

A race war might be the only thing that drives change... At least we seem to be well on our way to that.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Neeper

I think reserves are the problem. It's segregation at it's finest. That probably causes animosity and makes it difficult for kids to assimilate into Canadian society. I mean I can't imagine if us "Asians" were separated like that. I certainly would be pissed and feel like the "outside" world didn't want anything to do with me and feel oppressed. Either I try to deal with it or rise up.

I thought we made you guys live in Richmond?

[Muta]

Racism is a two-way street. I've met many wonderful aboriginals in my life, but some of the most racist people I've met in my life have been aboriginals too. Is that two-way racism mentioned in this article, or is this an article really just about racist non-aboriginals?

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Muta

Racism is a two-way street. I've met many wonderful aboriginals in my life, but some of the most racist people I've met in my life have been aboriginals too. Is that two-way racism mentioned in this article, or is this an article really just about racist non-aboriginals?

I don't know, why don't you read it and find out?

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I don't know, why don't you read it and find out?

I read most of it. It seems to be about racism against aboriginals in Winnipeg. Racism isn't just limited to non-aboriginals, though. The article doesn't mention that.