Native communities need more than protests (opinion)

[puckstopshere]

Protests create awareness. But real solutions are harder to come by.

Far too many aboriginal Canadians live in deplorable conditions, cannot gain access to the education they need to ensure equality of opportunity, and do not benefit from economic development, particularly of natural resources, to ensure the prosperity that is critical to their long-term success.

Centuries of colonialism, discrimination, abuse of treaty rights, residential schools and a suffocating paternalism still plague this country and our aboriginal communities. Solutions will only come from respect and cooperation among all governments, all political parties, aboriginal leaders and business.

The Idle No More movement, which has brought tens of thousands of Canadians together to protest for aboriginal rights, was born of understandable frustration with lack of progress. Through her hunger strike, Chief Theresa Spence is sacrificing her health in order to remind people just how dire things are, not only for her own community of Attawapiskat, but for many others.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s only response is to criticize back. His hypocrisy and political gamesmanship only rub salt in the wounds. We haven’t progressed at all — we’ve gone backward.

Mr. Harper’s apology for residential-school abuse in the House of Commons in June 2008 was impressive, emotional, and full of hope. I had a front-row seat. But it was all politics for Mr. Harper. He completely ignored the heavy-lifting groundwork for the apology done by others such as Liberal cabinet ministers Jane Stewart and Herb Gray. But worse, it was Mr. Harper himself who destroyed the ground-breaking Kelowna Accord, for which his predecessor Paul Martin and so many others had worked so hard.

The 2006 Kelowna Accord, negotiated between Canadian governments and all five major aboriginal groups, was groundbreaking — even more for how it was achieved than for the financial help it was to provide. The Harper government destroyed not only the accord, but the all-important sense of respect and cooperation that the accord represented.

Imagine what implementing the Kelowna Accord could have done, particularly if it had started in 2006: $1.8 billion for targeted investments in education and school systems, to train more aboriginal teachers, to raise the high school graduation rate of aboriginal Canadians, and to encourage more post-secondary graduation; $1.6 billion for housing and clean water; $1.3 billion for health services, targeting infant mortality, youth suicide, childhood obesity and diabetes; $200 million and $170 million for economic development and accountability, respectively.

Kelowna would not have solved all of the issues, but it would have been a great start. And it was critical that for the first time, First Nations, Métis Nation and Inuit leadership, and multi-partisan federal, provincial and territorial governments, all worked together in partnership. Mr. Harper, instead, has walked away from any form of cooperation, and has brought back a paternalistic attitude that others worked so hard to put behind us.

Economic prosperity is key. Over 400,000 young aboriginal Canadians will enter the workforce in the next 10 years — an astounding number. But far too many will not have finished high school, let alone university, college, or trade programs. Yet Canadian businesses need skilled workers, and are instead bringing in temporary foreign workers to fill the gap. The disconnect is extraordinary—but on the other hand, the opportunities are great.

The Canadian Council of CEOs, in its July 2012 submission to Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders entitled Framing an Energy Strategy for Canada, called for “a renewed and purposeful commitment from governme...

The council’s report also acknowledges that aboriginal peoples must be true partners in resource and energy projects. In calling for “new thinking,” it says that “there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the large array of resource development projects and the number of distinctive aboriginal communities. Yet we can learn from best practices currently being undertaken in some development projects and seek to employ them more broadly as appropriate.”

Action is needed — on everyone’s part. Protest raises awareness—but progress requires concrete solutions. Aboriginal leadership is trying; business is trying—but we have a complete vacuum of leadership from Stephen Harper and his government.

Martha Hall Findlay is a candidate for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/native-communities-need-more-than-protests/article6828405/

[valve37]

Oh no not another one so soon!

[bb_cool_stuff]

Action is needed -- on everyone's part. Protest raises awareness -- but progress requires concrete solutions. Aboriginal leadership is trying, business is trying -- but we have a complete vacuum of leadership from Stephen Harper and his government.

Agree & always have on this subject.

Lets don't leave out Provincial & Municipal Governments.

IMO. While some progress has been made it is sometimes hardly noticeable & always seem to move at a snails pace.

[bb_cool_stuff]

Oh no not another one so soon !

lol valve.

Hows the puppy doing?

[valve37]

Oh no not another one so soon !

lol valve.

Hows the puppy doing?

She's adapted to her new home very well considering she came from a kennel in bush country for the first 6 years of her life.

Wonder when posting pics will be fixed? 

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Photos seem to be working fine in this end

[bb_cool_stuff]

I like that, taking the ribbon off first. lol

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Ramona's dogs bought Abby some rawhide Christmas presents and Abby is taking on the rawhide wreath. She has developed a really good set of choppers and nothing lasts long.

The First Nations people need to plan their strategy across Canada like it was war. I don't mean war in a bad way, but they really need to get their plans between tribes working for all the people. They need to get more info out to the general public and especially in the media so that the average person can see that what the First Nations are trying to save, benefits everyone. They need to take their concerns and broken agreements to the UN for outside pressure. They need to bring the massive power of the First Nations in the US on board. Harper wants to 'play'?.........game on.

Whatever needs to be done....no more going back.....only forward. 

[bb_cool_stuff]

Idle No More Dance planned again for this afternoon, St James Area, lots of traffic.

Could this be happening too often ? Not sure. Last one was two days ago.

Don't want the message to be lost & the dances to just start becoming fashionable.

Opinions?

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

I have a 'tendency' to 'possibly' agree with you about 'too often'. I think they have to be strategically done. But then again....maybe they are and we just don't know it.  

[bb_cool_stuff]

Good point.

If they are well organized with the dances planned in advance, you're probably right.

Just reported on the News that the dance, with about a hundred partaking, is underway with the police diverting traffic. No incidents reported.

Numbers seems to be dwindling but a lot of Aboriginals could be back at work today.

[puckstopshere]

While some progress has been made it is sometimes hardly noticeable & always seem to move at a snails pace.

If you delay it long enough, it becomes someone elses problem.  We can blame Harper, but governments have chosen not to deal with this issue for a hundred years.

[bb_cool_stuff]

We seem to be in agreenent on many points.

Could this end being like the Occupy Movement which dwindled out quickly as many did not take them or anything they said seriously.

Using a template that would favour all racial groups, what would you do ?

There has to be some program or winning formula we can all buy in to. We seemed to have bought into strategies our sports coaches instilled in us.

Keep in mind we need a chance to handle the ball, but what do we do with it ? Confusing.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

The First Nations people have problems with their goals.....

- Reservations spread out across the country.

- Poor communication.

- Tribal differences.

- Natives on Reserves and those off Reserves.

- No real leader.

- Poor media help.

Just to name a few.

What they need is a big Bang! Something that makes both the government and the people of Canada to sit up and take notice.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[brandeentertainment]

I think they need to give a little to get alot..

We all have different outlooks many base opinions on history many base opinion on where they live and there surroundings and Experience "ME"

One thing is for sure they don't know how to go about making changes ..

First of all anything you do that will cost the Goverment money Like stopping trains or whatever it maybe will not help you ...

Starving yourself Makes you look desperate and nothing more..

My opinion is to give a little to get a lot ..Show the Goverment how your helping your own people before you ask for help from them ...

Sitting there living of liquids is not going to do anything every second person in hollywood does this every other movie roll they get ..

Saying give me give me give me will not help ..

Maybe saying look what we have done to make changes will you help might work a little better ..

All I know is Every penny given to them should be accounted for ..Was it put into Education or Creating jobs on the reserves where is it going ..

I sometimes Wonder though ..

I once saw a Liquor store on a reserve locked down like a jail that doesn look good..

I used to work the railways and in my 6 months on the job 3 natives passed out on the track 1 of which we saved by about 45 second the other 2 died ..

Are the bad ruining it for the good ... Do the younger generations carry any belief ...Not on the Northern Ontario reserves

Also I have notice in my time Most Native American Men are like Male lions if you get what I mean.,..

Doi they need to help themselves before they ask for help ...

I don't know and I am done with these forms all the best to everyone and hopefully a few more jobs will be had this year and a little bit better of living coindition for those families struggling Natives and any other culture ..

Canada is Desperate for workers maybe Natives can fight for that and have alot more employement  .. I mean they might have to move but boooohooooo everyone has to do what they have to do to feed there families..

[brandeentertainment]

ok one last thing ...

About the moving thing before anyone says they shouldn't have to .. History says they have been moving to survive sense the beginning ...

[puckstopshere]

What they need is a big Bang!

My fear is that the big Bang will come in a tragic form - totally unintentional.  Such as an entire band being wiped out because of bad water. 

A big Bang of their own making is a problem.  As you point out, many things are against them.  It is difficult to develop a united front when you are challenged in so many ways.

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Starving yourself Makes you look desperate and nothing more.

Bobby Sands MP - 5th May 1981- 66 days
Francis Hughes - 12th May 1981- 59 days
Raymond McCreesh - 21st May 1981- 61 days
Patsy O'Hara - 21st May 1981- 61 days
Joe McDonnell - 8th July 1981- 61 days
Martin Hurson - 13th July 1981- 49 days
Kevin Lynch - 1st August 1981- 71 days
Kieran Doherty - 2nd August 1981- 73 days
Thomas McIlwee - 8th August 1981- 62 days
Mickey Devine - 20th August 1981- 60 days

Nothing more? Their sacrifice changed everything.

Show the Goverment how your helping your own people before you ask for help from them

They are trying to help their people….but they get beaten down by the governments.

 Saying give me give me give me will not help

Do you even understand what the protests are about?

I once saw a Liquor store on a reserve locked down like a jail that doesn look good. I used to work the railways and in my 6 months on the job 3 natives passed out on the track 1 of which we saved by about 45 second the other 2 died

Ah, eventually the real agenda comes out.

Here’s another bit of info. I had a buddy who worked for CPR for many years. He drank like a fish. He beat his wife up. We took him to get help. Another friend at the time…just by coincidence he too worked for CP. Drank like a fish. Died of cirrhosis of the liver. The councillor we took the first fellow to told me an interesting fact at the time. What line of work in Canada was the most prevalent for the workers to become alcoholics? People who work on the railroads.

I am done

Kitchen ….heat.                          Adios

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

It is difficult to develop a united front when you are challenged in so many ways.

I think they will get a unifying force. The same happened to other races of people who were under the heel of tyranny ….India, the Black people of the USA, Cuba, even the USA itself during the revolution….and many other histories of the world.

It’s coming for the First Nations people.....and no one can say they weren't told again and again and again and again.

[femmefan1946]

They need to take their concerns and broken agreements to the UN for outside pressure.

Well they already have that- the UN has had a lot to say on the subject of Aboriginal rights around the world. At AANDC we see a couple of letters a month referencing the policy as well as requests for meetings with the Minister from UN officials.
Numbers seems to be dwindling but a lot of Aboriginals could be back at work today.
Thank you for mentioning that. Although aboriginals have a very high unemployment rate, it is always worth noting that the majority are employed (fewer on reserve than in the general community, but then most aboriginals now live within the general community).