Racism on the reserve

[g_bambino]

I'm surprised this hasn't been raised already; as it's a First Nations matter, I think it falls under the category of federal politics:

In modern-day North America, anti-racism has become ensconced as a dominant creed. Canada has a whole apparatus of human rights commissions ensuring that even the slightest public expression of racial animus is censured and punished. In our enlightened time... blatantly racist policy - or any set of rules segregating individuals because of their race - would be utterly unthinkable.

Or maybe not. This week, the Kahnawake native reserve on Montreal's South Shore sent out eviction notices to 25 residents - most of them whites involved in relationships with local Mohawks - telling them that their skin was the wrong colour. According to a spokesman for the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, the whites are fair game because "they are people with no native ancestry at all."

Canada turns a blind eye to First Nations segregation

The best part is, the so-called "Human Rights" tribunals have ruled this racism to be accepatble.

In 1981, the community announced a moratorium on mixed marriages, which meant that non-natives who married Mohawks after that year would no longer have the right to live on the reserve.

In the 1980s, some Mohawks contested the policy before the human rights tribunal, but lost. The courts have ruled that Mohawks can make any membership policy they deem necessary for their survival as a people.

Not native? Then leave reserve, Mohawks say

Ain't it grand?

[eyeball]

When I heard the term blood quantum laws my first thought was only a colonialist mentality could dream up something so sinister sounding.

The blood quantum law or "Indian Blood law" was a racially motivated law, created by European Americans.

I knew it.

[DogOnPorch]

When I heard the term blood quantum laws my first thought was only a colonialist mentality could dream up something so sinister sounding.

I knew it.

Uhhh...it isn't 1705 anymore.

[eyeball]

Uhhh...it isn't 1705 anymore.

No, but the terms and mentality of the 16th century are still alive and well.

[DogOnPorch]

No, but the terms and mentality of the 16th century are still alive and well.

16th century?

1705 is 18th century. See...you don't really know anything about 'mentalities' when it comes right down to it.

[g_bambino]

When I heard the term blood quantum laws my first thought was only a colonialist mentality could dream up something so sinister sounding.

The blood quantum law or "Indian Blood law" was a racially motivated law, created by European Americans.

Yes, European Americans; note where the concept originated and through where its history is tracked in the article you linked to.

Who came up with it, though, is of no importance right now. The real question is: why is it being adhered to in this country, today? Colonial minds of the 18th century can't be blamed for the actions of contemporary First Nations band leaders.

[LonJowett]

I've seen a native band build a play structure for kids on a reserve beside a regular town. They chase all the non-native kids off it. It's just for them.

[Smallc]

Colonial minds of the 18th century can't be blamed for the actions of contemporary First Nations band leaders.

Oh, but they'll always find a way. It seems like nearly everything that happens to aboriginals is the fault of non aboriginals some how. Now it's true, that the things that were done in the past may have some impact on some situations, but the idea that everything is the fault of everyone else gets tiring.

[dizzy]

I think the people of Kahnawake should read their history books with focus on the chapters covering Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe.

[Muddy]

There was this other guy who believed in keeping his race pure and wrote a book about it called Mein Kampf.

As long as we have reserves natives will be kept in poverty and ignorance by their leadership. Let my people go should be the rallying cry and scrap the Indian Act. It is a cruel failure.

[dizzy]

There was this other guy who believed in keeping his race pure and wrote a book about it called Mein Kampf.

As long as we have reserves natives will be kept in poverty and ignorance by their leadership. Let my people go should be the rallying cry and scrap the Indian Act. It is a cruel failure.

This is starting to happen, mostly in the west. The government will waste no time celebrating this point in the upcoming olympics. But it's not the case in so many other first nations like the mohawks of Kanesatake and Kahnawake, who haven't yet recovered from the Oka crisis.

I do agree, repeal the Indian Act and renegotiate all treaties toward an agreement for semi-autonomy within the framework of canadian society.

[Smallc]

The government doesn't celebrate the current condition on reserves. The Liberals tried to scrap the Indian Act at least once.....and they faced so much opposition that they had to quit.

[dizzy]

The government doesn't celebrate the current condition on reserves. The Liberals tried to scrap the Indian Act at least once.....and they faced so much opposition that they had to quit.

I'm talking about the end of the Indian Act. Like the Nisga'a Treaty and the formation of Nunavut.

[g_bambino]

Oh, but they'll always find a way. It seems like nearly everything that happens to aboriginals is the fault of non aboriginals some how. Now it's true, that the things that were done in the past may have some impact on some situations, but the idea that everything is the fault of everyone else gets tiring.

I wonder: does the fault always end up with everyone else? Consider the conundrum that an apologist like eyeball sets up in this example: the white people being evicted can place fault with the First Nations reserve leaders for their racist policies, but the First Nations reserve leaders can place fault with the white people for racist decisions people not even related to them came up with nearly three centuries ago. Ergo, people with a certain skin colour are always to blame, merely because of their skin colour, even for their own evictions!

I think that's the point the National Post was trying to highlight: the glaringly evident hypocrisy of people who always claim to be victims of racism making others the victims of racism and a system that allows such racism in the name of forbearance. How people can function with such contradictory notions in mind is beyond me.

[+]

Edited February 5, 2010 by g_bambino

[bill_barilko]

It's been my experience that whites who live on reserves come from the lowest social stata-IOW chavs and worse.

Can't blame Band Councils for trying to clean up the rez.

[Griz]

Let's see of doggieonporch etc can even grasp these terms:

• Bill C-31 Non-Status, Status, Blue Card, Enfranchisement, off-reserve/on reserve, treaty etc etc
  

Before you blabber on about historic wrongs define these and try to say it has nothing to do with the past? Some of you can't even comprehend the word precedence and how all the laws etc pertaining to aboriginal people originated from commonwealth laws that also came in a boat from Europe font

[charter.rights]

First of all the announcement that Kahnawa:ke will be evicting certain people from the reserves is not racism or prejudice. It is part of a procedure of enforcement under a community sanctioned membership code. Secondly we here in Canada have a similar code called the Canadian Citizenship Act which prohibits citizenship and residency on the the basis of various criteria. Lastly, the Indian Act prohibits non-native people from living on, buying, renting or converting property on reserve.

Your hysteria over nothing is unbecoming to us as Canadians. You are an embarrassment.

Edited February 6, 2010 by charter.rights

[M.Dancer]

First of all the announcement that Kahnawa:ke will be evicting certain people from the reserves is not racism or prejudice. It is part of a procedure of enforcement under a community sanctioned membership code. *

So in other words no different from community sancioned laws in Georgia in the 1930s....

Thanks for cleraring that up. The georgians were worried they were racists and woul;d be mistaken for mohawks.

[Bugs]

So in other words no different from community sancioned laws in Georgia in the 1930s....

Thanks for cleraring that up. The georgians were worried they were racists and woul;d be mistaken for mohawks.

It's a policy of 'ethic cleansing'. That's all. Same thing at Caledonia. Fantino helps them.

[charter.rights]

So in other words no different from community sancioned laws in Georgia in the 1930s....

Thanks for cleraring that up. The georgians were worried they were racists and woul;d be mistaken for mohawks.

Of course you haven't a clue and I never expect much more of you than a straw man argument. That seems all you are capable of. Maybe it is wet brain?

The Code is based on their matrilineal society, and the rules surrounding their Great Law. A pretty good system as far as I am concerned.

Few people are capable of determining 100%, who their fathers are. However, it is fairly simple to identify their mothers, if they have been with them since birth. So according to Haudenosaunee law, anyone may claim to belong to the Confederacy, if they can establish their matrilineal line. Those who can't must undergo an application process where they might be examined of their worthiness of being considered for entry into the Confederacy under Haudenosaunee law.

Kahnawka:ke residents apply the same Code. They are requiring proof of citizenship and under their Membership Law, residents are required to either prove their line through their mothers, or complete the other application criteria set out to determine residency qualification.

This is not different than the Canadian Citizenship Act which requires that certain criteria be proven, and condition not met must undergo rigorous scrutiny. The CCA actually refuses citizenship on a number of points. This is no different than than the Kahnawa:ke Membership Law.

The media has made a big issue out of this by using terms such as "non-native" and "blood quantum", neither of which are accurate and misrepresenting the issue.

People are refused residency on the basis of solid membership criteria. And all of it is consistent with the Indian Act which prohibits non-members, non-Indians etc from residing, owning law, renting or leasing property or converting lands or resources.

[charter.rights]

It's a policy of 'ethic cleansing'. That's all. Same thing at Caledonia. Fantino helps them.

What a stupid statement.

[DogOnPorch]

It's a policy of 'ethic cleansing'. That's all. Same thing at Caledonia. Fantino helps them.

Sounds like ethnic cleansing to me, as well.

[cybercoma]

First Nations reserve leaders can place fault with the white people for racist decisions people not even related to them came up with nearly three centuries ago.

Western expansion and the Canadian imperialist theft of not only land, but an entire peoples culture and way of life, the broken promises of agricultural aid and government assistance, which almost caused an extinction of First Nations people, and the horrifying abuses of residential schools all took place in roughly the last 100 years. You say decisions people came up with three centuries ago like everything has been just wonderful since then, and that's certainly not the case.

[cybercoma]

Sounds like ethnic cleansing to me, as well.

You're right. If we don't move to protect our central European cultures, we'll be wiped out of the history books forever. [/sarcasm]

[DogOnPorch]

You're right. If we don't move to protect our central European cultures, we'll be wiped out of the history books forever. [/sarcasm]

So...you'd be OK with the Mohawks kicking you out of your own home due to skin colour?