Ex-chief calls reserves 'concentration camps' on Iran TV
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We used to go drinking on the reserve in Quebec just over the border from where I grew up-godalmighty I don't know how anyone could stand it-and I've lived in Mexico & Central America-poverty is one thing but conditions on most Canadian reserves beggar belief.
Seen lots as bad here in BC too.
Seen lots as bad here in BC too.
This guy is nothing less than a Nazi sympathizer 70 years too late. He thought Hitler was right, he hates Jews (not really sure why) oh wait they control everything. Idiots like this should be refused entry back into the Country after a stunt like this. He's so stupid he doesn't even realize he's being used by the Iranians. Maybe he'll choke on some Iranian cuisine and they can keep him.
I know I'm wasting my time Wizard, but:
This is a concentration camp
This is a Canadian Jail
and this is your brain.
I know I'm wasting my time Wizard, but:
This is a concentration camp
This is a Canadian Jail
and this is your brain.
This is what a Canadian concentration camp looks like.
No Jews, no "Indians", no terrorists and no ****ing logical explaination.
No Jews, no "Indians", no terrorists and no ****ing logical explaination.
The problem is this fellow Canadian was given a lot. And took it. As giving Canadians we do...give and give...say sorry a lot and give some more and then we continue to bend over and take it up the ass as more and more from the takers. The guy has a history and was asked to step down from being chief as he could not handle his own financial community on one reserve. It is just sad what this person just did. Hope he stays there for a long long time and tries to get on Iran's known for equality welfare system as an imigrant. Canada might not look so bad after all.
He has a Chippewa on his shoulder? So how do you balance the books when leading the fasting growing population in North America?
Yes, true. but telling the pot about the blackness of the kettle? could he have not taken this to the International court of Justice or the UN instead? Iran TV has no need to make stuff up; just the truth itself is shocking enough. Just read "A National Crime", available in most bookshops right now. But still, Iran?! Did he mention that some indigenous Canadians are Baha'i? And if so, did that part get aired?
The reason crime, drugs, alcohol, etc. are so prevalent among Aboriginal Canadians? Just read up on the experience of the residential schools? Over 80,000 survivors still today. It lasted well over 100 years. Many suffer from PTSD and pass that on to their kids. We seem to sympathise with PTSD in soldiers who started suffering from it as adults, yet give not one thought wbout the impact it has on kids who suffer from it all their lives, on a mass scale.
And as for the reserves, we put them there to begin with, took their land, etc. Yes, they can leave and even be "enfranchised". But just consider the historical context for that. And let's not forget the Indian Act.
"Concentraion Camp" is not an accurate description but rather an emotional reaction, but there are plenty of other equally nasty things he could have said with truth and accuracy.
When people go on about the conditions on reserves, I can only relate to those at Elsipogtog, the one where I've spent time. Drugs are rampant, poverty is widespread, but those connected to the chief have an abundance of riches.
People live in houses full of mold, with holes in the walls, yet I can only wonder: how do the holes get in the walls? Why is the house moldy? Why do people who live in a house take no responsibility for maintenance?
It's fine to whine about everything being 'the white man's fault', but I'm pretty sure white folks aren't coming to your house and kicking holes in the walls, or refusing to allow you to open the windows to get fresh air.
People live in houses full of mold, with holes in the walls, yet I can only wonder: how do the holes get in the walls? Why is the house moldy? Why do people who live in a house take no responsibility for maintenance?
It's fine to whine about everything being 'the white man's fault', but I'm pretty sure white folks aren't coming to your house and kicking holes in the walls, or refusing to allow you to open the windows to get fresh air.
And that undermines his position. He really wasn't thinking here. Had he done his reasearch, he could have pointed out all kinds of historical crimes of this nation, including attempted genocide (there is in fact evidence of that), though that does not quite apply today. He could have pointed out that there are still 80,000 survivors of the residential school system today, many suffering from PTSD as a result, often passed on to their children too. The government has apologized for this though, and it would be fair to mention that. The government is also making at least some efforts to redress this wrong. He could point out there is some debate as to whether it's doing enough on that front, but clearly there are some crimes money alone can't fix. So to be fair, he should acknowledge that some of the wounds only time can heal.
Now, as for contemporary issues, he could point out continued treaty violations, constitutional and legislated discrimination in favour of the dominant cultures, underfunding for on-reserve schools for children, etc. but that's a far cry from "concentration camps". Had he donse some research, he could have torn strips off the government in a legitimate fashion while still maintaining solid arguments. Now, opposition will prove him wrong on that point, thus undermining his credibility on everything else, even things that might be quite true.
True enough, but drugs, alcohol, depression, etc probably affect one's behaviour too, including putting holes in walls and neglecting responsibilities. Remember, there are over 80,000 Survivors of the residential school system still alive today, and sex, physical, and other abuses and neglect are also much higher on reserve, even among women sex offenders, mainly as learned behaviour from the residential school system. I'm not saying I have all the answers, but the first step to a solution is to understand what might affect their behaviour, but certainly the idea that irresponsibility is just in the genes doesn't explain it.
It's not in the 'genes', it's in the culture.
That's what needs to change. The whole system is predicated on a complete lack of responsibility for one's personal circumstances.
Right. But according to the Indian Act, modified but still in force today, Indians can't own private land on reserve, etc. The Assembly of First Nations wants it scrapped, but Harper defends it. Also, seeing that a significant percentage of indigenous Canadians over the age of 40 spent most of their childhood separated from their parents, you can't blame their parents for not having taught them responsibility since they never learnt to be parents themselves. The PTSD that many suffer is a direct result of the residential school experience. They weren't like this before the residential school system was established or before we arrived, so what caused this?
Also, consider that, especially in more isolated communities, they don't speak English or French as a mother tongue, meaning that they must struggle harder at school to learn a second language. If we fail to learn one, no big deal; if they fail to learn English or French well, the economic consequences are more significant.
There are other factors contributing to their poverty too, but this is just a start.
So as for the "culture", they had no chance to learn it since their own parents never learnt it in rez school.
I get such a kick out of those that claim to understand the problems of Natives (or Métis), who have absolutely no knowledge of what has gone on, and what is still going on.
In fact, most reserves WERE set up to be concentration camps, to corral the Indians and deprive them of the lands they had used for thousands of years. The white man wanted those lands, and they used force to take what they wanted.
As late as the 1980's, the government of Canada stripped an Indian (or Inuit) woman of her native status if she married a non-native. To this day, the Government determines who is, and who is not an Indian, and of those that they consider to be Indians, who has "Status" and who does not.
The Government has done everything possible to totally destroy all Native cultures, destroy all Native languages, and to utterly and completely destroy all traces of the Métis.
They gave them MUCH less in educational resources than non-native got; they have consistently provided far less in medical care than non-natives get; they have refused to allow natives to manage their own land, and they have essentially treated all native peoples as stupid children.
You jerks that bleat about how the Natives have it made, how about living on a reserve, under EXACTLY the same conditions that the natives have to endure? I wonder what your opinions would be then?
In fact, most reserves WERE set up to be concentration camps, to corral the Indians and deprive them of the lands they had used for thousands of years. The white man wanted those lands, and they used force to take what they wanted.
As late as the 1980's, the government of Canada stripped an Indian (or Inuit) woman of her native status if she married a non-native. To this day, the Government determines who is, and who is not an Indian, and of those that they consider to be Indians, who has "Status" and who does not.
The Government has done everything possible to totally destroy all Native cultures, destroy all Native languages, and to utterly and completely destroy all traces of the Métis.
They gave them MUCH less in educational resources than non-native got; they have consistently provided far less in medical care than non-natives get; they have refused to allow natives to manage their own land, and they have essentially treated all native peoples as stupid children.
You jerks that bleat about how the Natives have it made, how about living on a reserve, under EXACTLY the same conditions that the natives have to endure? I wonder what your opinions would be then?
I wasn't aware that the natives in New Brunswick went to residential schools, or that they don't speak English or French.
I have a friend that went to a residential school and got his "arse money" for it. Crazy thing though. After residential school he went on to university and took education and got a job at the residential school. Go figure eh?
Very well put. Bear in mind though that the idea of concentration camp is still not quite accurate for today. That said, what you say there is essentially bang on. There is historical evidence that the government was planning the reserves and residential schools and did not intend to honour treaties before it even signed them. Some of the reserves and residential schools were part of land grabs for the transcanada railroad.
I'm just saying his choice of wording was not quite accurate, but what we've done was just as bad.
Canada's borders do extend beyond New Brunswick. Most in Nunavut know at least one of our official languages, but about 15% don't according to Statscan 2006.
Some had positive experiences of sorts, and of course the situation had improved somewhat near the end of the system, but still many had suffered abuse and neglect on a large scale over a number of generations.