Theresa Spence, whose hunger protest has fanned the flames of the Idle No More protest movement, will attend tonight’s ceremonial meeting with Governor-General David Johnston.
Does this woman have a clue who actually makes the decisions in this country?
Sounds like only Alteo, the FN chief from B.C. and the former head of the first nations showed up. Protesters tried to block them from meeting with the Prime Minister.
sounds like this is a waste of time and could be the end of Alteo.
Harper could actually come out of this in good shape pr wise, he agreed to meet with them, he bought in the GG's involvement. He's been one of the more reasonable PM's in terms of dealing with native issues in a long time.
At the end of this, nothing will come out of this meeting, even if an agreement to discuss changes to the Indian act occured it wouldn't get ratified by the other chiefs.
Right now the Natives are coming across as unreasonable, petulant, disorginized and confused. They're holding up what appears to be a con artist and parasite as a movement hero and they're following a whack job who lost the last election for the top spot in the FN's.
The only step left to completely destroy any good that the Idle No More protests and the good that it could do is for them to move to more direct and violent protests where they're stopping trains and destroying Canadian property.
I had nothing but disdain for a lot of the occupy movement, in a lot of ways Idle No More is heading in that direction where its going to get subverted by the radicals.
__________________
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Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Does this woman have a clue who actually makes the decisions in this country?
Hint, it's not the Governor General
They should lay out a scrumptious buffet table filled with all of her favorite foods and sit her right beside it, however, she's probably going to have a big mac before she goes.
If she doesn't understand that the GG has nothing to do with Canadian Policy and isn't going to communicate with the Queen about the demands of the First Nations, what's the Queen going to do, chop off Harper's head and order Parliament to do whatever the crazy lady says.
Stephen Harper and the government speak for Canada in all things, not the Queen.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
All of this was posted just today, by my sister-in-law, just within a couple of hours. She claims First Nations status but I haven't figured out how yet because my understanding from a couple of years ago is that she isn't correctly qualified?
(bolded is her comment) Everybody's support is needed, understanding is even more necessary!
Letter From a White Guy
#IdleNoMore has exploded on the twitterverse, so I thought, as a white guy, I'd write an open letter to anyone interested in #IdleNoMore and my own thoughts. I am not going to pretend I am an expert on the issues, just someone trying to understand and learn. Less so from the media, than by cultivating relationships with a wide range of indigenous peoples.
My life experiences and a mix of research and discussion have led me to support #IdleNoMore and I expect I will learn a lot more than even I could envision. At least I hope so.
I am not even going to pretend I have some kind of intellectual grasp of the many issues and challenges faced by First Nations in this country. I'm sure I am only scratching the surface, not because I don't want to know, but that the real truth of the history, treaties, abuses, and horrors lived every day by grassroots indigenous people are well hidden beneath centuries of lies and deceit, of deliberate attempts to eliminate the (please I find it disgusting to even repeat these words) "Native Problem", of governments and schools and media feeding the idea that our First Peoples were lazy and stupid and dirty and horrific, animal like beings who need to be exorcised from a civil society. It's difficult to try to find truth when so many are complicit in covering it up, and turning mainstream public opinion against people who did nothing but to welcome our ancestors and signed what they believed were honest treaties to share their bountiful resources with their new white friends.
They fought and died for us to be here, even before Canada was a nation. All we have done for them is cheated them out of their honest share of the resources of their nation which they have never given up their rights to it, never been defeated in a war, but we have screwed them, when we weren't attempting genocide by subjecting them to gifts of blankets infected with diseases they had no immunity to, we've been using up their resources as if we own them, and this doesn't even begin to address Residential Schools which existed in my lifetime. If you don't know what they are, do a bit of research. Better yet. Sit down, close your eyes, imagine the police coming and removing your children, taking them away to be beaten, raped, killed, and even tortured to remove their culture. Imagine your children being punished for speaking their own language. Now not even getting into conditions that exist today, has that ever happened to anyone in this country other than indigenous peoples? Absolutely Not. Attempted Genocide has only been a policy toward First Nations peoples in Canada. Whether you like it or not, if you don't admit that successive governments, in your name, have systematically been trying to eliminate native peoples and assimilate whatever is left, you have not yet faced reality.
I'm unsure exactly where #IdleNoMore got its start. That's not for me to debate. My understanding is it began as a movement to educate young First Nations people that they need to learn to embrace who they are, and to understand they have inherent treaty rights that it is important to know those rights. I've been told it was started by four ladies in Saskatchewan. I could be totally or partially wrong, I'm unsure, at least I'm trying to learn.
What I am positive of, is that is has become much more, and is growing. I understand Stephen Harper is the final straw that has broken the proverbial camel's back. It doesn't really matter which Prime Minister it was, this one, the last one, any previous one, our entire history is one of Canadian Government (and the British Crown before that) oppressing indigenous people in ways that, when exposed, should horrify any sane human being.
What I do want to say to the many showing leadership, and to the grassroots everyday person standing up for your rights, I apologize I have never been able to elect a government who would represent my personal wish to be an honest treaty partner with you. I am horrified at the ugly, racist, misinformed comments being hurled at you. I don't know what I can do, other than provide a voice of support, other than share my words with the world, and be there for you if you need me.
I'm not going to pretend to know your experience. I just want to make clear you know I can share one frustration with you. People we have put our trust in to lead us, have failed miserably. May we find our common goal and may you have unending strength in your struggle.
I am a white man. I am sick of my people getting ahead of everyone else because of a total lack of ethics.
THAT is why I support #IdleNoMore
@bigpicguy at 17:01
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18 comments
Anonymous5 January 2013 20:08
YOUR OPENESS AND INTELLIGENCE IS REFRESHING
Anonymous5 January 2013 21:31
Thank you so much! Your words and thoughts come from a kind heart & an open mind. Again, thank you soo much, I appreciate you!
Anonymous5 January 2013 21:35
thank you young man ,,,,meequetch oshkiinigii,,,,,I respect your words and continue to walk in PEACE on MOTHER EARTH,,,, wish the rest would at least make an attempt to try ,,,good luck in your life I wish you many ,many yrs of productivity,,,,,,
Anonymous5 January 2013 21:41
Thank you so much! Your sincerity, and humility are definitely refreshing! Made my day.
Anonymous5 January 2013 21:43
Tiniki, tapwe moyasin
Terri Larry5 January 2013 21:45
I really appreciate your letter of support and I applaud you for putting yourself out there in the midst of this movement! Thank you!
Anonymous5 January 2013 22:09
Thank you.
Anonymous5 January 2013 22:22
Shared on my facebook, hopefully your post will help some other people really look at Canada and what we need to all do.
Anonymous5 January 2013 22:48
Thank for taking the time to say these things and having the courage to face the pain of our horrible shared history. I shake hands with you, my brother!
Anonymous5 January 2013 23:23
Humbled and brought a tear to my eye. Thanks for being so caring and showing your support and concern. God Bless You!
Anonymous5 January 2013 23:52
welalin (Mikmaq for thank you.)
white.turtle5 January 2013 23:53
I thank you for the open, honest and courageous act of putting your thoughts out there, at a time when all words get skewed. I am proud of you doing this and join with you in educating the rest of Canada. Kitchi Meegwetch!
Anonymous6 January 2013 00:12
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. We need more people to be educated on First Nation issues. Being First Nation I felt a big lump in my throat as I thought to myself, "someone is getting it." Never feel responsible for our tragic history and the genocide that still continues today faced by my people. I've always been told, it is the SYSTEM not the people. At least that's what I learned in First Nation Studies. I still find it hard to look at in that perspective, but doing my best. It is up to us to educate those who are ignorant no matter where we are, store, restaurant, gas station etc etc. With that, I'm going to "Share" your article and hopefully it will help others understand.
Anonymous6 January 2013 00:26
Good for you and good for all of us, that you are opening your mind and your heart. We all benefit from from good words spoken and good energy shared.
Anonymous6 January 2013 00:39
wonderful words!!
Anonymous6 January 2013 00:46
Don't be surprised to find many Blessings will come your way for sharing your Voice and support thank you for your kind words.
Michelle6 January 2013 01:41
Reading this gave me the shivers... in a good way. Thank-you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts and most of all, for speaking from the heart.
Spoiler!
Quote:
It is important to research both sides of a story. Listening to the media is not educational!(this accompanied the following):
Quote:
It is so important that people research both sides of a story, a lesson we all learn young. I am sad that I have many friends on facebook that are so against Idle No More. I am a proud First Nations woman! I am not nor are my people looking at creating any animosity with the people we share this land with. That's right I said SHARE! I am not nor are my people looking for handouts. What we are looking for is the same rights that the other people share as a Canadian. Safe, clean drinking water for my fellow brother and sisters. Safe building areas for living. Saving the land from money hungry foreigners. And the right to get mortgages, will out our land, yes, we cannot leave our properties to our children. Anyways, if anyone is interested in knowing more about Idle No More, please research it before posting. Education will only come from your own abilities, the media and the government will not educate you. They will continue to pollute, not just the environment but the mind!
I don't think that ending this segregation is a bad thing. Give them the same rights as Canadians and if 100 years from now, most reserves are non existence then i think everyone is better off.
This has been done with some success in BC but it was always initiated by the individual bands. I think the desire for change has to come from within the native community. We can't force new contracts on them or force them to renegotiate existing contracts.
A lot of these comments sound like the arguments coming out of Newfoundland with them being upset about giving their hydro electric power to Quebec at terrible rates. The fact is that their government signed the contract and now has to honor it. The fact that the leadership has changed does not nullify the contract.
All of this was posted just today, by my sister-in-law, just within a couple of hours. She claims First Nations status but I haven't figured out how yet because my understanding from a couple of years ago is that she isn't correctly qualified?
Why so upset? Alot of her arguments seem to be on the right track. Research the Navigable Waters Act(which to me is good enough reason to protest). Bill C-45 would scrap this 150 year old bill that protects the waterways of Canada.
Why so upset? Alot of her arguments seem to be on the right track. Research the Navigable Waters Act(which to me is good enough reason to protest). Bill C-45 would scrap this 150 year old bill that protects the waterways of Canada.
Why would the Navigable Waters act protect the waterways over the Environment Protection Act. The Navigable Waters Act is there to make sure that nothing is built to block people from navigating the waterway...
So sick of this whole story. These people need to look squarely at their own band leadership, not the PMO. They're getting robbed blind.
__________________
"For thousands of years humans were oppressed - as some of us still are - by the notion that the universe is a marionette whose strings are pulled by a god or gods, unseen and inscrutable." - Carl Sagan Freedom consonant with responsibility.
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This has been done with some success in BC but it was always initiated by the individual bands. I think the desire for change has to come from within the native community. We can't force new contracts on them or force them to renegotiate existing contracts.
A lot of these comments sound like the arguments coming out of Newfoundland with them being upset about giving their hydro electric power to Quebec at terrible rates. The fact is that their government signed the contract and now has to honor it. The fact that the leadership has changed does not nullify the contract.
The Government of Canada has to what is the best interest of all Canadians - last time i checked all natives are apart of this great country. Being wards of the state just isn't sustainable -
Why would the Navigable Waters act protect the waterways over the Environment Protection Act. The Navigable Waters Act is there to make sure that nothing is built to block people from navigating the waterway...
Yes I understand that but it could undermine environmental protection don't you agree? If this is scrapped, it will strip First Nations right to consultation to future projects, etc.
I don't think it undermines environmental protection, it just means that there aren't two governmental bodies in Environment Canada and Transport Canada studying the same proposals. The bill is removing redundancies not changing the intents to do environment studies and waterway studies.
Its removing unnecessary departments.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Yes I understand that but it could undermine environmental protection don't you agree? If this is scrapped, it will strip First Nations right to consultation to future projects, etc.
There are some dangerous words in your post. I think it is all a great idea in principle but dangerous none the less.
The argument has been made that the reserve land is for all band members including future members. If you allow ownership by individuals then you allow them the ability to sell it. If you allow it to be used as collateral then you open up the possibility that said collateral will be collected. It is possible that entire bands could be purchased by mining companies leaving the band spread out and essentially non-existent.
It was a long time ago, but at least one state had a policy to loan natives as much money as they asked for against the value of their property. Once they were sufficiently indebted they called in the loans and took the land.
If property owners want to sell, they should be allowed to sell. The fact that you don't think aboriginals deserve the same rights as other Canadians is incredibly appalling.
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thank you for your kind words.
