Crime stats in Saskatoon

[Creeman]

I am not 100 per cent convinced of this. If my tax dollars are funding your communities, I want my representatives (government) ensuring our money is not squandered.

Also, when it was revealed that the government was going to begin sending out cheques to survivors of residential schools, a Chief made a public statement requesting the government help to ensure those receiving money are not taken advantage of. I was like, huh? What about self-government? You cannot expect it if you cannot handle a little bit of money on your own!

I have no problem with your government representatives, but they are not mine and have never been mine.I will not support any native government that is dependant on its colonizing government for funding. The process of decolonization will require much more time. and it may not be for a long time that natives are able to successfully govern ourselves. I do pay taxes just like everyone else, so don't try pull that one me. I don't live on reserve and not all native people are tax exempt either. it's extremely funny that you say that. urban aboriginals pay every single tax out there and not all have indian status.

I do not agree with the governments compenastion plan for residential school survivors, too. I would rather more language and cultural programs be started. essentially, it was cultural genocide. and schould be restored by the government. seeing that it was the fault of the government. of course, the survivors are not healthy. giving them money will not solve any of their problems. i see it as hush, hush money.

 

[Creeman]

The bottom line is this: cities in this country with higher crime rates, and the cities with the downtowns that are struggling are the cities with the highest Aboriginal populations: Edmonton (although this is changing) Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon.

When a crime is reported in Winnipeg, 9 times out of 10 it will involve an Aboriginal person.

So, what can be done? Is it a matter of increasing funding for education and training? If you move to the city from the reserve, will you have a place to stay? In Winnipeg for example, our former CP Rail station in downtown has been transformed into an Aboriginal Centre. The centre has bought a few properties around it, and will be converting one--an autobody shop--into a training centre for such. The other piece of land is now being developed for housing for the students. This is a step in the right direction I think because if there is hope, then there can be prosperity.

Funding has to be strategically dispersed into areas such as this.

I have no problem building more prisons, and locking up anyone who committs crimes; if more are Aboriginal, so be it. I do not care what ethnic group you belong to. Tougher sentences are needed, especially for young offenders!

will sending everyone to jail solve anything though?

 

[Creeman]

this is my last one until someone has a better argument for me.

The bottom line is this: cities in this country with higher crime rates, and the cities with the downtowns that are struggling are the cities with the highest Aboriginal populations: Edmonton (although this is changing) Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon.

When a crime is reported in Winnipeg, 9 times out of 10 it will involve an Aboriginal person.

So, what can be done? Is it a matter of increasing funding for education and training? If you move to the city from the reserve, will you have a place to stay? In Winnipeg for example, our former CP Rail station in downtown has been transformed into an Aboriginal Centre. The centre has bought a few properties around it, and will be converting one--an autobody shop--into a training centre for such. The other piece of land is now being developed for housing for the students. This is a step in the right direction I think because if there is hope, then there can be prosperity.

Funding has to be strategically dispersed into areas such as this.

I have no problem building more prisons, and locking up anyone who committs crimes; if more are Aboriginal, so be it. I do not care what ethnic group you belong to. Tougher sentences are needed, especially for young offenders!

I see vancouver streets like main and hastings and damn are there lots of non-natives that are addicted to crack, herion and all sorts of drugs. i bet you people that have replied to this blog have not taken that into account. it's not just native people that have issues in this country. why can't people understand that. and ask yourself the question: why is it that native people have so many problems in their communities? once again, it is not like we are inherently bad people. there is tonnes of dysfunction that has stemmed from colonization. it has been said that first nations people suffer from truama: both post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and secondary trauma that is effecting this generation and probably will effect the ones that are not even born yet.

 

[Winnipegger]

it has been said that first nations people suffer from truama: both post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and secondary trauma that is effecting this generation and probably will effect the ones that are not even born yet.

Interesting theory; I have never heard of this, but there may be something to it. The part I have a hard time with is the last part of the quote. If you have not experienced a situation/environment/trauma, I find it unacceptable that you would suffer from this. I think that is a total cop out, and extending a ligimate disorder like this to those "not even born yet" is not reasonable.

Your Vancouver reference does not really hold much water when you think about it. No one said caucasians are exempt from social ills, but when the Aboriginal population of Vancouver is very small, and the majority of the population is still caucasian, of course you will see "white" people in East Vancouver. Who else would be there? Also, many of those caucasian people have come from other parts of the country.

will sending everyone to jail solve anything though?

Well, letting criminals back out has not worked, as the vast majority of offences are committed by repeat offenders. I think as far as public safety is concerned, putting these criminals away from law abiding citizens is just. We want to enjoy our lives, and if you cannot straighten out your life, then do not join the rest of us.

 

[ledanz]

Can't believe what I read

Well, letting criminals back out has not worked, as the vast majority of offences are committed by repeat offenders. I think as far as public safety is concerned, putting these criminals away from law abiding citizens is just. We want to enjoy our lives, and if you cannot straighten out your life, then do not join the rest of us.

Sometimes I just can't believe what I read. Why not bring the firing squad instead and get it over with? It's really making me angry. And I'm not native myself but I understand why some just don't want to participate in this society. Creeman, if I were you I would just put my energies elsewhere, people like Winnipegger and other people in this forum are clearly not worth it.

 

[Winnipegger]

You are an idiot, which is why crime is out of control. The research is there: the majority of crimes are committed by people either on parole, or who were released early.

I have no time for wimps like you. Go cry somewhere else, and leave the law to those with a set of balls who must do what is right for the majority of the population.

 

[Creeman]

Ledanz,
Shunning the rest of society will not help our cause, but I understand where you are speaking from. our people have been put through so much but we must continue the fight. Martin Luther King once said " our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter". I think that the day we stop speaking out against racism and injustice, that is when people will find it acceptable and we will lose our fighting spirit because we won't stand up to anyone.

 

[McDonald]

The line connecting inner-city natives with crime in Canada is the same line connecting inner-city blacks with crime in America, namely poverty. Attack poverty and hunger and you're attacking crime as well. Natives aren't criminally minded people who are driven toward and away from crim based on what the supposed penalties are... they're just poor and they have broken family units that have been destroyed by any number of factors from cultural destruction through forced assimilation effforts to the ravages of alcoholism. People who are doing financially well and who have a solid social net, including family, friends, neighbours they know and can rely on, do not commit crimes no matter how light the penalty. We need to heal these communities before we just lock everyone up and throw away the key.

 

[Creeman]

"The line connecting inner-city natives with crime in Canada is the same line connecting inner-city blacks with crime in America, namely poverty. Attack poverty and hunger and you're attacking crime as well. Natives aren't criminally minded people who are driven toward and away from crim based on what the supposed penalties are... they're just poor and they have broken family units that have been destroyed by any number of factors from cultural destruction through forced assimilation effforts to the ravages of alcoholism. People who are doing financially well and who have a solid social net, including family, friends, neighbours they know and can rely on, do not commit crimes no matter how light the penalty. We need to heal these communities before we just lock everyone up and throw away the key."

Very well put.

 

[Winnipegger]

After spending a few days in Florida (Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton), what I saw was a large number of blacks employed in the service industry (fast food, hotels, etc). Every establishment I visited, the majority of staff were black. Here, on the other hand, I see virtually no aboriginals in such occupations; considering the shortage of labor, aboriginals are not participating in the job market as they should. Service jobs are good enough for black Americans, so why should aboriginals continue to get the proverbial free ride here when there are many jobs available?

 

[L Gilbert]

Wally, education is key. You're right. And parents and band elders aggressively supporting it is the only way native children are going to get the message: there is a way to lead a better life and it starts in your school.

lol That's scary. I've seen some scary results of school educations. These days if I were a parent of kids at school age, they'd be privately taught or home-schooled.

 

[L Gilbert]

The line connecting inner-city natives with crime in Canada is the same line connecting inner-city blacks with crime in America, namely poverty. Attack poverty and hunger and you're attacking crime as well. Natives aren't criminally minded people who are driven toward and away from crim based on what the supposed penalties are... they're just poor and they have broken family units that have been destroyed by any number of factors from cultural destruction through forced assimilation effforts to the ravages of alcoholism. People who are doing financially well and who have a solid social net, including family, friends, neighbours they know and can rely on, do not commit crimes no matter how light the penalty. We need to heal these communities before we just lock everyone up and throw away the key.

Good point.

 

[L Gilbert]

I can't see how anyone can expect to be treated equally when the gov'ts seem to abhor treating anyone equally. Everyone seems to want special privileges. I can understand, accept, and respect that, but I can't see how that will lead to anything but grief. It's one of the reasons why I think BC would be a helluva lot better off without Ottawa sticking its nose in everything. I'm sure a lot of Kebek people think that as well. Same with Aboriginals.
Even the federal electoral system treats everyone differently. We each have a vote, but that's quite irrelevant considering PEI and the territories are overrepresented relative to the rest of the country. Want evidence? Look at how many reps each province and territory has and then divide that into the populations of each. It's screwy.

 

[tamarin]

Canada is an extremely poor example of a democracy. Said it for years - it's crappy. We should bolt the doors of parliament and dare the mounties to undo them. A civil war fought to free a people of the grip of club democracy, where parties fight primarily to gain favours for their membership, is a worthy cause. And might in the end give this people a chance to be proud again.

 

[Albertabound]

. it has been said that first nations people suffer from truama: both post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and secondary trauma that is effecting this generation and probably will effect the ones that are not even born yet.

Sorry but I have to agree with winnipegger on this one.

If you have not experienced a situation/environment/trauma, I find it unacceptable that you would suffer from this. I think that is a total cop out, and extending a ligimate disorder like this to those "not even born yet" is not reasonable.

it is not a disorder. It is passed from generation to generation to think this way

 

[Creeman]

Thus the term secondary truama

 

[temperance]

This is not directed at an one group
The feelings of your society become overwhenming ,it cant be helped the "projected feelings "what can be help is the outcome


I think if you continue to tell your offspring that "we are poor, we are no good" then what to expect

instead the message could be the truth of what happen ,how the people are healing themselves ,and the ways to continue to heal ,you cant leave out the wrong doing and you cant just tell of the wrong doing ,its apackage deal ,Im speaking of anyone rape victims ,abuse suvioviors

Like women on social assistance ,given child care ,oppurtunity to learn a skill (college ) upgrade the outlook of sitting on social assistance is bleak and not promising or even appealing ,the taste of self worth and breaking the cycle is real ,its the tools to get to the self worth

 

[vinod1975]

This is not directed at an one group
The feelings of your society become overwhenming ,it cant be helped the "projected feelings "what can be help is the outcome


I think if you continue to tell your offspring that "we are poor, we are no good" then what to expect

instead the message could be the truth of what happen ,how the people are healing themselves ,and the ways to continue to heal ,you cant leave out the wrong doing and you cant just tell of the wrong doing ,its apackage deal ,Im speaking of anyone rape victims ,abuse suvioviors

Like women on social assistance ,given child care ,oppurtunity to learn a skill (college ) upgrade the outlook of sitting on social assistance is bleak and not promising or even appealing ,the taste of self worth and breaking the cycle is real ,its the tools to get to the self worth

Ya you are 100% correct , I am agreed , when there is fire in your own house you should not attention to others house instead of that need to take care of your own.

With all due respect.

 

[L Gilbert]

Like women on social assistance ,given child care ,oppurtunity to learn a skill (college ) upgrade the outlook of sitting on social assistance is bleak and not promising or even appealing ,the taste of self worth and breaking the cycle is real ,its the tools to get to the self worth

Yeah. Oppression is no fun at all. (Had a Lebanese girlfriend for a while. Some of the crap that Muslim women have to put up with is f'n deplorable and I can imagine oppression here hasn't completely disappeared either).

 

[vinod1975]

No offence please.... only respect for all