Happy May Day

The more things change the more they stay the same.

That said there are different ways of thinking & being ,on which we could build & learn from. In fact the seeds of future possibilities exist right here in Canada. For example, to name but one…

The Iroquois Confederacy…

And a wonderful constitution it is, this gentile constitution, in all its childlike simplicity! No soldiers, no gendarmes or police, no nobles, kings, regents, prefects, or judges, no prisons, no lawsuits – and everything takes its orderly course. All quarrels and disputes are settled by the whole of the community affected, by the gens or the tribe, or by the gentes among themselves; only as an extreme and exceptional measure is blood revenge threatened-and our capital punishment is nothing but blood revenge in a civilized form, with all the advantages and drawbacks of civilization. Although there were many more matters to be settled in common than today – the household is maintained by a number of families in common, and is communistic, the land belongs to the tribe, only the small gardens are allotted provisionally to the households – yet there is no need for even a trace of our complicated administrative apparatus with all its ramifications. The decisions are taken by those concerned, and in most cases everything has been already settled by the custom of centuries. There cannot be any poor or needy – the communal household and the gens know their responsibilities towards the old, the sick, and those disabled in war. All are equal and free – the women included. There is no place yet for slaves, nor, as a rule, for the subjugation of other tribes. When, about the year 1651, the Iroquois had conquered the Eries and the “Neutral Nation,” they offered to accept them into the confederacy on equal terms; it was only after the defeated tribes had refused that they were driven from their territory. And what men and women such a society breeds is proved by the admiration inspired in all white people who have come into contact with unspoiled Indians, by the personal dignity, uprightness, strength of character, and courage of these barbarians….

Quote taken from Frederick Engels ; Origins of the Family, Private Property, and the State 1884

On a side note this post has given me an idea for a series of posts.

That being an exploration,or a kinda of reconnaissance, of the relationship,from a left/progressive perspective, between Indigenous Peoples and ordinary/working Canadians/settlers. How can the two sides support each other, how does the discourse of the “left” , organized labor,etc…fit in with the Indigenous point of view. Indeed are they even on the same page ?

Personally I think not.. .

My reason’s for believing this will be the topic of my first post…stay tuned

A salute to Metis & Cree freedom fighters

Yesterday day ,April 24, marked the 125 anniversary of the battle of Fish Creek Saskatchewan (formerly part of the Northwest Territories).

1885, the Provisional Government of Saskatchewan was involved in an armed conflict with the Dominion of Canada. The urge to freedom prevailed  that day,but sadly in the end the rebellion was put down.

Some of the militiamen questioned the message sent by the government about the rebel Métis and aboriginals. There was a feeling among some of them that the Metis and aboriginals had been wronged, the government had been criminally negligent. Other militia had no compunction about looting and burning Métis homes, and driving off their livestock…@

The last surviving veteran, Honor’e Jackson ,one of the leader’s of the  Provisional Government,  died Jan 10 1952.

Read more on the Northwest Rebellion here

H/T Buckdog

In most places ones birth right is decided by birth ,in others it’s Legislated

There are many varieties of “Indians” as per the Indian Act…

There are status Indians ,sub-section 6(1) status Indians ,sub-section 6(2) status Indians, non-status Indians,Metis,halfbreeds,mixed race & urban Indians.

There are even belated Indians & temporary Indian.

And alas the definition of who is and who is not  Indian is about to change again. It should be said some of the changes in Bill C-3 are for the better. But that’s  not saying much,lol, when the very thing being changed (in response to the decades of activism by indigenous peoples & supporters) should never have happened in the first place. Never mind  having been allowed to continue till 2000 motherf@#king 10 !

Indeed the very idea ,that in this day and age &  in Canada of all places,that others namely the settler government/whites get to second guess indeed define  who is and who is not an Indian is just incomprehensible. Were talking birth-rights & people here,not inanimate commodities.

Indeed they the government/white people even have the nerve to call the “changes” a “New Entitlement“. Excuse me,”new entitlement” !

Hummm… if it walks like a duck ,quacks like a duck,self identifies as a duck, in all probability it is a duck , and always has been a duck, now there’s a “radical” concept for ya.

Has Canada no shame,no sense of fair play ! This type of shit never fails to blow my mind,my gawd the arrogance & racism  involved here , is truly astounding !

“Frogs,Chugs and Heebs”

Apparently Francophone Quebecers and Indigenous peoples are the least liked peoples in English Canada.

Indigenous peoples being the least liked of the two.

Also..

English Canadians have a more favourable view of immigrants and Jews than they do of Francophone Quebecers.

Yet despite this reality, members of the Conservative government ,assorted academics & the self-righteous , chose to raise fears and express concern over a non- issue,at least in the Canadian context…

Like as if antisemitism is a problem in Canada,yawn.

Canada’s 350,000 Jews are one of the most privileged segments of the Cnd population,economically,culturally and politically. Hardly oppressed,hardly victims,hardly living with intolerance or racism.

Unlike the  racism & intolerance directed at Canada’s 1.2 million Indigenous peoples (4% of pop*) by a troubling & high percentage of whites ,whether Anglo  or Francophone.

Sadly… nothing new ,having many native friends some  like family I have heard many,many stories over the years. In fact have witnessed it myself when hanging with my friends.

That said I am still shocked & saddened by just how blatant and in your face this racism can be.

So while the media and government make political hay using antisemitism as cover. The one issue that needs to be forcible brought  into the light of day is ignored and allowed to fester.

Indeed it is something hardly ever discussed. Then again according to the common narrative it’s just part of that supposed greater problem,i.e “the Indian problem”.

From where I sit,it’s more like… the white problem !

….let us not befuddle the underlying cause of the unique and serious position in which Native people find themselves today. The underlying cause is racism, and as Richard C. Powless states in the opening article, “Canada’s history and systems of government and behaviour have institutionalized this racism into current reality. [ @ ]

The more things change the more they stay the same.

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…[*] 4% and fast growing, Indigenous peoples being the fastest growing segment of the Cnd population. What white people refuse to do now ,even though it is the right thing to do,they will be induced to do in the near future. The days of sidelining native peoples are fast coming to an end. Hopefully this time Canada will get it right.Acceptance of diversity & other ways of  being/living is a beautiful thing.

Injun Olympians;Some people just never get it…

I had to do a double take when the above picture, of Russian world champions Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin,first  came to my attention. In fact they will be bringing their ”Aboriginal dance” to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics . Should go over good with the local “aboriginals”…lol

But then again after VANOC’s public display of cultural “respect” its  fitting in a kinda, some-white-people-will-just-never-get -it, way.  Yes indeed VANOC just oozes respect .

Bizarrely enough ,Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin are not the only Russians performing such an act. An act that is sure to remind folks,although evidently not everybody, of the infamous blackface acts of 19th century America.

Below we have Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov ,stereotype of the month award winners,doing their bizarre routine  “Last of the Mohicans”.

And so it goes…’the more things change, the more they stay the same’.

Its always about the money ; Dependent-ungrateful-conniving-welfare-addicted-incompetent- Indians”

What’s up with the the Globe & Mail …

Do they do  any homework before publishing ? Indeed is the Globe & Mail on some kind of mission to tell half-truths,confuse or  just insult Indigenous Peoples in general ?

Damn…

First Margret Wente then Christie Blatchford and now Gary Mason, although to be fair the Mason piece is  not quite as bad. None-the-less his piece; ‘It’s always about the money:VANOC & the aboriginal torch relay’ is confused, insulting,predictable  & irritating to read. Particularly given  the Globe’s reach &   influence,being one of Canada’s only national newspaper,yikes.

Mason start off..

Dependency spending doesn’t work,as some native leaders understand

After all everybody knows that Indigenous Peoples are all on welfare, well not all.Why can’t they all be like … (I’ll come back to the who,the predictable who, later)

First the gist of his piece…

From the day organizers of the 2010 Winter Olympics began their planning, the role that Canada’s aboriginal communities would play in the Games was interwoven into virtually every discussion.They would be full partners, VANOC chief John Furlong insisted, not guilty-conscience afterthoughts. The Games were to reflect the rich, cultural influence Canada’s first nations have had on the country.

VANOC would choose the inukshuk, an Inuit landmark, as its symbol. It would make sure that aboriginals got Games-related jobs and positions on Olympic-related committees and boards. The Olympic torch would travel to remote aboriginal communities in the Far North where the flame had never been before. Olympic tickets would be made available to first nations communities.

And those were just a fraction of the efforts VANOC was making to ensure that Canada’s aboriginal communities didn’t feel left out.

So you might have imagined VANOC’s surprise when a group of B.C. native leaders announced last week that they were going to use the Games to protest against their people’s miserable lot in life.

Yes indeed surprise,surprise hey Gary,damn Indians,imagine even after all that good-will they still want more. Imagine, trying to take advantage of VANOC’s  “generosity & obvious respect for First Nations cultures” my,my. Or should that be,’it’s all about the money VANOC‘.

The group represented the B.C. First Nations Forestry Council. At a news conference, its spokesmen said that, since there were going to be 14,000 journalists in Vancouver during the Games, it would be a perfect opportunity to tell the world how horribly treated Canada’s native people were. And, oh yeah, they were upset that the B.C. government hadn’t coughed up $6.2-million in funding to help aboriginal forestry businesses. The insinuation was that if the group got the money, the protests might not happen.

Damn them “dependent-ungrateful-conniving-Indians” .

What the group’s representatives failed to mention was that they hadn’t given the B.C. government any type of business plan that showed how they were going to spend the millions. The government said it wasn’t prepared to hand over the money with no questions asked.

Damn them “dependent-ungrateful-conniving-presumptuous-Indians” . As if  anyone with a clue, would just handover a pile of money without first seeing a plan.

And further more, just when are all those “dependent-ungrateful-conniving-presumptuous-Indians” going to get with the program.

Gary Mason “gets it” , white-people “get it” …

The problem with a certain sector of the aboriginal leadership in B.C. – and much of Canada, for that matter – is that it’s always about money. There’s never enough of it from government to address aboriginals’ many problems. And I don’t say that disrespectfully.

We all know about the horrific situation that exists in too many aboriginal communities. And it persists despite the billions of dollars that have been spent over the decades on a wide array of (mostly failed) programs aimed at addressing the problems.

Let’s face it: Dependency spending doesn’t work. That’s surely been proved by now. And many of the more enlightened native leaders in Canada understand that. The way to halt the cycle of welfare addiction, with the societal and health-related issues it promotes, is through the stability provided by economic independence.

Damn  “dependent-ungrateful-conniving-presumptuous-welfare-addicted-incompetent- Indians”, and I don’t say that disrespectfully,really I don’t.

Thank god for small “miracles” hey Gary i.e…that handful of “enlightened native leaders” who finally understand that “dependency spending” does not work. Unlike all those other “dependent-ungrateful-conniving-presumptuous-welfare-addicted-incompetent Indians”…

There are a growing number of first nations communities, most notably the Osoyoos and Westbank in B.C., that recognize this. Many of these groups, led by young, smart, charismatic leaders, aren’t waiting to sign treaties – an agonizingly slow process. They’re just moving ahead, building wineries and housing developments, and leaving their grievances with the government for the courts to sort out.

Yesiree why bother with them pesky treaties. Like figured it out already geez, the government has no intention of seriously negotiating treaties . One might as well get what one can, while the pickings are good.

Why bother with the fundamental  questions that go to the very core of  one’s very existence and long term survivability as  peoples/nations. Hell there’s “nothing wrong” with  being seen as just another  ethnic minority/hyphenated Canadian ?

Indeed , its much easier to just  assimilate, incorporate  your communal properties &  nation and let the settler government’s courts & laws sort out the important stuff. For example who is and who is not native,who actually owns native lands,now there’s a “mystery”.,etc ,etc…

Hell I say put the white-man’s two favorite Indians- Chief Clarence Louie* & Robert Louis- in charge..

They’ll  show  those ,”dependent-ungrateful-conniving-welfare-addicted-incompetent-its always-about-the-money-Indians” how to do things the “right-way” ,i.e incorporate your people’s communal lands & resources then sell off or lease  said  lands for 99 years to white-people/developers .

The question that should be asked is, why do so many ;

… think that structuring band assets and Indigenous nation assets in the individual hands of an Indian Act chief or of Indian Act councillors is a good thing? Why do so many serve to transfer collective assets such as to become de facto private assets of a few who thus no longer even need to be elected by band members? Why would lawyers ever think it correct to be the facilitators?

Why,indeed !

Can you imagine the righteous outrage, if the Prime Minister of Canada attempted to incorporate Crown lands & resources(i.e the nation) and then install himself as head CEO .Creating a situation that even if he were to lose his position as PM he still remains in control/charge of the nation’s lands and resources.

So quit “whining” about the “past”  , develop some of that white-man’s…can do spirit /  pull-your-self-up by-the-boot-straps-claiming-other-peoples-lands.

Imagine you too could also have a $400,000 Mercedes Maybach sitting in your garage. Indeed you to could be held up as the poster-boy of assimilation.

See it doesn’t always have to be about the money,by the way I have a bridge I am trying to sell,are you interested ?

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* It’s kind of  telling  don’t you think , that when it comes to Chief Clarence Louie , who is also the Band Manager & CEO of the Band’s Economic Development Corporation, not one of his fawning white-admirers  raise any alarm bells about his mixing of politics and business. Indeed this obvious & blatant conflict of interest should be a warning sign that perhaps all is not quite peaches & cream.

Uhhmm for some “strange”reason,the words banana & republic keep dancing in my head.

Let the games begin ; B.C v First Nation

Or should that read ,’let the games resume’….

Environment minister Barry Penner and rural development minister Bill Bennett gave an environmental assessment certificate today to a landfill project run by a well-connected company that has made significant donations to the B.C. Liberal Party. @

Seems like it was only yesterday when the B.C government announced, with much pomp and ceremony, it’s commitment & intent to forge a new relationship with  B.C ‘s Indigenous Peoples.

Many Indigenous Peoples & non, greeted the government’s announcement with guarded enthusiasm. Welcoming this seemingly  180 degree policy turn  on part of the Liberal government, led by Gordon Campbell. Considering that this was the same arrogant government which launched a referendum back in 2002, asking the majority (settlers) to vote yea or nay on the most basic & inherent rights of Indigenous People ,i.e aboriginal title/ treaty rights.

A skeptical person might can not but point out that this push for a ‘new relationship’. Did not come from some need on part of Gordon Campbell as an individual,nor the government to finally do right by Indigenous Peoples . But rather by the realization,promoted by  Supreme Court ruling(s), that no longer  will they be able to blatantly ignore aboriginal title, perceptions of democracy/rule of law  and all.

The courts ruled that the Crown “must” consult and reach accommodation with “aboriginals”, before any development on lands in dispute or not covered by treaty,can take place. Although the threshold of what exactly  ‘consult & accommodate’ entails  was/is set very,very low.

The province’s announcement said the Bonaparte Indian Band and the Ashcroft Indian Band participated in the environmental assesment and expressed support for the project. “The B.C. government is satisfied the Crown’s duties to consult and accommodate First Nations interests have been discharged,” it said.

The announcement neglected to mention that the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council’s chief Robert Pasco announced in December that the tribal council is already challenging in court an earlier August, 2009, decision to extend the life of the landfill until 2012. @

The Lower Nicola Band has also said it opposes expanding the landfill.

Or to put it another way,and as the above illustrates,consult and accommodate does not exist in any meaningful sense of the word never mind in law.  It along with the proposed Recognition & Reconciliation Act are but toothless exercises in political gamesmanship.

It’s  about the perception…stupid.

On one side you have the likes of Gordon Campbell representing the B.C government/settlers/industry  and on the other same-side…

the First Nations leadership council  (funded by the settler government)*  and the  Indian Act chiefs and councils  (funded by the settler government)* are not the proper title and rights holders and have no right to negotiate about aboriginal title

Everybody knows what’s really needed,that is, real negotiations  that will once and for all settle land-claims and work out jurisdictions and ownership.

But of course, as ordinary band members and others have been stating for years. This can not be accomplished at least not democratically, unless & until Indigenous Peoples elect/appoint their own leaders. Leaders  independent of  the settler government & it’s institutions, rather deriving their legitimacy & authority solely from the peoples they represent,not in word but in actuality.

Yes sirree, let the games resume…

*(brackets mine)

Christie Blatchford the scowling munchkin

Well look at her ,you tell me what she reminds ya of…

Particularly when you put that face beside the articles she wrote regarding the Caledonia land-claim.  Articles designed to do one thing, pump up the already rampant anti-Mohawk /Indigenous feelings around this issue ,and in Canada in general.

Silly me,and I thought the purpose of the media when covering highly emotive issues,was not to add fuel to the fire further inflaming emotions, but to provide the facts  so as to explain the underlying causes.

You know so reader can make an informed opinion.

The latest from the blathering munchkin,hopefully the last we will have to bear. Talks about  the   “suffering” of a white couple at the hands of the “lawless Indians”,and how their “suffering” is finally over.

“The shit we’ve seen out these windows and doors,”

I feel for ya brother,I can just picture the “dancing savages full of blood-lust”,and right outside your window !

The fact they bought a house on land that was in dispute (going back not years,but decades), from a developer (Henco-since bought out by the government) who knew this,is besides the point. In fact the developer was warned by Six Nations leaders that if they went ahead and developed the site, the chance for trouble was quite likely.

Damn them Indian…

Also according to the munchkin, “there’s  one law for  Indians and one for the rest of us”,surely she jest’s ?

After all it’s not like white people grabbed all the land,only 99%…what’s another 40 hectares here and there ? Damn “law-less Indians” ,will they ever be satisfied ?

Christie…if your reading this may I suggest a different hair-dresser,dang.

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Update : Apparently my hope that this would be the last from the blathering munchkin was a bit premature…

On she blathers this time round,of … “unprecedented tales of fear and distress”.

O my goodness what did those “Indians” do now…yawn, time for my nap.

I wonder if she will ever be able to  figure out the real story behind Caledonia ,i.e Six Nations people are the real victims ,yes a handful of white people were caught up in the middle ?  Blame the government not the Six Nations  people. That said it should also not be forgotten, that  many other citizens openly sided with the developers against their neighbors. Many of whom used  the opportunity to express just what they thought, about those “Indians”. San  facts,reasonableness or respect.

The highly charged atmosphere that surrounds many  out-standing land claims,  is a direct consequence of  decades of government inaction and  a total unwillingness to show leadership. Or even talk with Indigenous Peoples, before things have a chance to go sideways.

So if you happen to be reading this Christie,write about that injustice,write about the  suffering & distress of the real victims here,Indigenous Peoples.

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