Truth and Reconciliation - Moving Forward

[drummindiver]

Treating people "equally" can violate people's rights when equal treatment would create serious disadvantages for specific groups of people. White people have the benefit of not facing disadvantages over their names on a resume or their skin colour when they walk into an interview. When an employer has two equally skilled people and one's resume shows they recently moved to the country and have a hard to pronounce name and the other resume shows the person has lived here all their life and has an anglo-saxon name, they pick the latter far more often than not and for no other reason than the latter is more likely to look and talk like the employer. The opportunities are not equal and that's why they need to be addressed with affirmative action laws.

If they have the same skill set, what is wrong with hiring someone who comes from Canada before someone who comes from xyz?

Edited June 23, 2015 by drummindiver

[eyeball]

If people are treated equal by everyone, it shouldn't be possible for that to result in disadvantage.

The trick is to treat people the same way you'd like to be treated. It's not rocket science.

[jacee]

If people are treated equal by everyone, it shouldn't be possible for that to result in disadvantage.

Perhaps it's better to think of it at treating everyone's rights with the same respect, including language, cultural, religious, land rights, etc.

Respecting the different histories in the makeup of this country and respecting the legal rights of people's that pre-existed Canada and evolved through our history.

.

[Smallc]

Perhaps it's better to think of it at treating everyone's rights with the same respect

That's a nonsensical statment. sing that logic, slavery would still exist.

[Canada_First]

Everyone should be treated equally. No special programs or grants or opportunities based on ones race, gender, ethnicity or religion. Real equality. That's what Canada is supposed to be.

[Michael Hardner]

So we have about five posters that want to end any special status from FN. As I have said, it's not politically tenable, and I don't think it would work .... but that's speculative.

Any other ideas ?

[Canada_First]

So we have about five posters that want to end any special status from FN. As I have said, it's not politically tenable, and I don't think it would work .... but that's speculative.

Any other ideas ?

I don't see why that having the FN people having the same status as citizens as the rest of us. I don't understand why they should get a free ride in a lot of things. If we ate all equal and treated equally many of these problems will go away. The FN won't feel special and entitled.

[Michael Hardner]

I don't see why that having the FN people having the same status as citizens as the rest of us. I don't understand why they should get a free ride in a lot of things. If we ate all equal and treated equally many of these problems will go away. The FN won't feel special and entitled.

Yes, I think I already characterized the substance of your post here in my last post. I have nothing more to offer that opinion: it is an end point.

Any other ideas out there ?

[Canada_First]

Yes, I think I already characterized the substance of your post here in my last post. I have nothing more to offer that opinion: it is an end point.

Any other ideas out there ?

I don't think any other options are available. Either they have some form of special status or they do not. I'd also be interested on hearing an alternative to those options Michael.

[Smallc]

I think that everything we do should be geared towards no longer treating aboriginal people as the other. That doesn't mean equal rights today, tomorrow, or even in 10 years. It does mean an end to the us vs them mentality though.

[Michael Hardner]

http://www.timescolonist.com/business/capital/projects-designed-to-improve-lives-of-first-nations-people-1.1830193

A stunning strip of East Sooke waterfront is where a small First Nation and its private partners hope to build an economic future for its struggling members. But to leverage their greatest asset, the land, they’ve had to get creative to overcome what some are calling an institutionalized barrier to aboriginal development.

Two years ago, Sc’ianew (Chenuh) Chief Russell Chips and Shoal Point developer David Butterfield unveiled a plan to build a housing and business development called Spirit Bay.

The Beecher Bay First Nation has 51 per cent interest in the $300-million project, which would see hundreds of homes sold for about $269,000 to $1 million on 1,000 acres of reserve land with 99-year leases. There are also plans for a gas station, general store and spa resort. Chipps said the vision for the project came from the band members, who met over weekly barbecues for months to discuss a future for their community.

“It’s the community, all of us working together,” said Chipps, noting there are 253 band members, but only 120 live on the reserve. The area is remote with no bus service to town, which makes it difficult for members to access services, social programs and activities like sports for youth.

“My hopes are that my children, their children and membership’s children will have some kind of base to carry forward and not struggle like we did.”

The revenue from the project would help lift band members out of poverty, create jobs and a secure a self-sustaining economy for future generations away from the stifling federal government transfer payment system.

- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/business/capital/projects-designed-to-improve-lives-of-first-nations-people-1.1830193#sthash.KbLPCSol.dpuf

http://www.vicnews.com/news/241729211.html

Welcomed by a series of traditional house poles and a centre statue from master carver Butch Dick, the Songhees Wellness Centre is now open to the community which built it.

The large building at 1100 Admirals Rd., officially opened on Wednesday, is the culmination of more than 30 years of planning and a financial approach that required little help from outside governments.

Eight years ago, then Songhees chief Robert Sam and the band council asked that a committee be formed to come up with a location, design and plan for a new community gathering place. The intention was to amalgamate the seven or so administration and health and education buildings in the community.

“The end result has been above and beyond what we fully envisioned as a nation,” current Chief Ron Sam said.

The resulting centre is home to an elders centre, a youth centre, after-school training programs, adult education programs, a fitness gym, administrative offices and a conference centre/convertible gym, complete with a professional kitchen and room for 500 people.

The centre’s health services, overseen by the First Nations Health Authority, will provide ongoing checkups for those with health concerns and houses a home-care service.

Healthy lifestyles and prevention are also a focus, with events and education surrounding healthy eating, active lifestyles and prevention of diseases such as diabetes.

The centre is kicking off services with a 12-week health challenge, which is already filled to capacity.

“Now that we have this facility, we have an opportunity to bring our health-care practitioners together with the sports and recreation people, and just start talking about the full healthy person,” director of operations Christina Clarke said. “Really, it’s mind, body, spirit and heart.”

“For our people to have their own space to focus on health is huge,” Sam said.

The facility will serve the band’s 530 members, along with the 2,000-odd tenants living on reserve land. It will also be open to everyone on a drop-in basis, with all sports groups having a chance to book time. Longtime Songhees soccer and canoe clubs will be housed at the facility, along with other sports.

“We see ourselves as part of the region, the greater region of Victoria,” Sam said. “Opening it up to everybody benefits us, benefits the region and shows people can accept each other and work together.”

The centre is also being touted as an example of what First Nations communities can accomplish through hard work and sound financial planning.

Funding was initially sought from the federal and provincial governments, which expressed great interest. When the economic collapse happened in 2008, however, the offers of funding were not quite so forthcoming.

“We hit a crossroads where we weren’t sure whether we were going to be able to continue,” Clarke said. “But we met with our membership and essentially what they said was, ‘Let’s do it anyway.’”

Total cost on the facility was $24 million – within five per cent of the project’s budget. Of that, $18 million was borrowed, partially through the First Nations Finance Authority. The rest came from capital funds, property taxes and other sources.

Here are some promising sounding projects. The wider Canadian public doesn't know about these, and these articles are public relations pieces. Does anybody know any details on this, or if there are other sources of information and discussion on these initiatives ?

[GostHacked]

I don't think any other options are available. Either they have some form of special status or they do not. I'd also be interested on hearing an alternative to those options Michael.

Maybe we should treat them like Palestinians.