With all of the help on the reserves today I question, “What are we being told.” The first nations people are a proud people that unfortunately are either being stubborn about adopting to what the white man feels they should do, or are smarter that we think.
Why should they learn to get up and go to work, be a benefit in society? Why would they not drink all the time, do drugs, lay around and just do nothing, if they have no incentive to do so? The government programs, that were set up many years ago, encouraged them to be lazy, (not that we know they were not lazy then), but when a paycheck comes to you every month and all you have to do is sit around and drink, do drugs, make babies, why not ride the horse until it is dead.
Do Indians pay any taxes on the reserve, to assist with the costs on the reserve, road maintenance, house upkeep, cost of the administration. NO, they pay nothing. They have never paid anything and have always been able to get the government to pay for everything. Why? Because the government will not back them in a corner and say you are on your own.
Also, when the natives want “self government” the Department of Indian Affairs try to tell them that the elected people are responsible for their actions. Has anyone heard of the bosses on the reserves, taking and squandering of the money, then cry because the there is none. When the government then turns a blind eye on the misappropriation of the funds, the Indian then knows he or she can do it again, without any consequences. With this type of program going, why would anyone want to change it.
I read in the Edmonton Sun today, on opinion that makes some sense.
Taken from the Edmonton Sun
LET RESERVES COLLAPSE
When it comes to native reserves, it is unfortunate that there are many entrenched factions with a self-interest in keeping natives in a hellish existence - from band chiefs lining their pockets to government civil servants wanting to ensure their own employment. Since native leaders and the government have proven themselves useless in helping natives, there is probably only one thing that individual natives can do to fix the problem. That is to take personal responsibility for their individual situations. When enough natives have abandoned the reserve system and joined society, the reserve system will collapse and we'll be rid of it.
JOHN PATERSON