Six Nations occupation at Caledonia

[Temagami Scourge]

Geoff:

The problem is that Indian groups have no money to provide these services, so they'd be back on the provincial welfare rolls quickly.

As I told Rene moments ago, this would not be an issue if your government merely rolled back their laws and lived up to their treaty obligations. Please, contact your MP and let them know that they need to roll back their law and just live up to the treaties they signed.

One of the only feasible concepts is to remove the reserves and have them become Canadians.

Well, actually Geoff, I disagree because you don't recognize Natives as Canadians. You keep saying "indians groups this" and "indians groups that". You don't show us you want us to be Canadian when you can't even refer to us by that term.

Land claims are a joke, all of a sudden you can make a claim on privately held land hundreds of years after your treaty?

Uhoh....you should a little jealous and flustered! Hundreds of years? Even if the land in Caledonia was lost in 1841, that would be 165 years, wouldn't it Geoff? Exaggerating a tad, are you?

If you need a hand counting, just let me know and i'll help you out.

Tough, should have mentioned it before in the treaty or original land claims.

Actually, I'm of the impression that this is exactly how the province of Ontario feels right now.

Here Geoff, let me help you write too:

But when Indians Canadians are off reserve, they have to obey by our Canadian laws and right now, they are trespassing. If white people Canadians were doing that to protest whatever, we'd all be arrested and charged. But instead, because they are Indians Canadians, they can protest and destroy local economies all they want with no repercussion. We need to kick them all off ourCanadian roads, put them on their reserves. This is the key problem in this thread, people don't seem to care that these Indians Canadians are breaking the law. That's all I need to know to go arrest them.

Canada needs some new leadership in dealing with the Indian Canadian problem in our country. Someone that will lay down the law that is good for Canadians first and not the IndiansCanadians like we seem to cater to at every step.

There...now it almost sounds like you want us to be Canadians too!

You're Welcome Geoffie!

[politika]

TS

The indians should have the same rights as the rest of us, same as the whites, blacks, Chineese, you name it and are entitled to Canad'as social programs. But on one condition, You are living in a main stream Canadian soceity like the rest of us, have a job and pay taxes. Also get rid of the treaties as well. Once thats done you have all the rights you want like the rest of us.

By the way my hat is off to you TS if you are a hard working citizen, who pays his taxes and doesn't rely on the government for help.

All my above comments on, booze drinking, grumbling and money guzling natives do not apply to you.

[Renegade]

Everything I've seen and read, shows that the government can unilaterally recind those benefits, save those which are explictly spelled out in the treaties.

Yeah...I've told you that too. That's why I'm not fond of the Indian Act and the plethora of amendments, because a group of non-natives can change it as they see fit, and without a whit of input from the people most impacted...the Indians.

Kinda makes a mockery of democracy.

Well that's is like saying that people in the developing world aren't fond of the way we allocate foreign aid because we can unilateraly change it at our whim, without imput from the people who are impacted... the foreign aid recepients. That's true, its our money and we can change who we dole it out to at our fancy.

Native groups get the same say as everyone else. One vote each.

Of course it is a perfect example of democracy, as the wishes of the minority will always be trounced by the whims of the majority. So if enough people in Canada vote in a government with the fortitutide to make changes to relations with Native groups, then I'm confident changes will happen.

[scribblet]

"Taxpayer Criblet:

I agree, and this thread is starting to degenerate into name calling.

Gee, i didn't see you saying this in the first ten pages, when people were gladly rhyming off myth after innuendo about Natives? Where were you then, taxpayer?

I'll tell you. you didn't care...hell no, you were an active participant in making anti-Native statements, but as soon as a Native got on this site and started myth-busting, NOW there is a problem with the thread degenerating.

That is also racist, but you cry whenever I point that out, so sorry for hurting your taxpaying feelings."

I havn't made any 'anti-native' statements, that is in the eye of the reader, or his/her bias. I stand by my belief that ALL CANADIAN CITIZENS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY', if that is racist in your mind, then you have a problem. Such inflammatory accusations only create more animosity and distrust, one of the main reasons there is little discussion of the issue. Playing the race card and calling people racist works.

Consider M. Coon Come's inflammatory words back in 2001 which did little to alleviate native problems, not only that they and others like them test patience of fair-minded Canadians who want to solve the a very intractable social problems.

Consider some of Coon Come claims:

"My own people, the James Bay Cree, have been virtually completely dispossessed of our lands and resources.''

In fact, the Cree themselves agreed to a $225-million deal with the Quebec government. They retained close to 80,000 square kilometres.

"When our people tried to obtain a moderate livelihood from the sea, white mobs burned our boats and beat our people.''

In fact, Mi'kmaq fishermen got into violent clashes with fisheries officials after they knowingly defied federal fishing regulations. Minor injuries resulted.

Half-truths such as these accomplish nothing. What is needed is an honest debate about why the billions of dollars Ottawa spends, i not improving aboriginal people's lives - where does it go? Native leaders need to examine their roles and objectives if they wish to be of more help to their people..

You might want to read this one:

http://home.earthlink.net/~rdmadden/webdoc...Triumphant.html

To rely upon a hazy or even nonexistent connection with men and women dead for thousands of years, however, in order to claim special privileges and influence today is morally and intellectually dishonest and despicable.

[Temagami Scourge]

Taxpayer Criblet:

I havn't made any 'anti-native' statements

A lot of times, you sit there and applaud while others do, but that's typical of people like you. No Crib, you don't use terms like wagon burner or timber nigger...instead, you just like to perpetuate sterotypes of Native people, and then say "Oh, but that's the truth".

like on April 26th: "The mayor tells it like it is but gets in trouble for it, just not pc you know to tell the truth about of taxdollars ". You agree with the Mayor saying that we are welfare bums? where is my cheque, then? The protestors down at the blockade are mainly steelworkers between jobs who are paid by the tobacco company on Six Nations to carry on with the protest. The majority of people, like me, rotate when we can.

But personally, my favorite Scribletism is:

"...simply encourage the "bad" culture of laziness and personal "unacountability". How can a young native person growing up on a reserve be expected to grow up with any self esteem at all? By being segregated on a "reserve" he is being told that he is not "worthy". How can he grow up with any sense of accomplishment when the govt has provided everything for his family? How can he grow up with a work ethic in this situation "

I have to let my 16 year-old, reserve-living, made the Rep team and has a solid "B" average at high school know that he is in for it. I have to blame it all on my dumb, steel-working, house-owning, SUV-driving brother-in-law for being such a bad role model.

but of course Crib, ALL res Indians are pathetic.

If this is the case, can I say that all euro-Canadian men are potential mass murderers and serial killers because all mass murderers and serial killers in canada have been white?

I stand by my belief that ALL CANADIAN CITIZENS SHOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY'

funny, I have yet to see you refer to Native people as Canadians. Do you have Geoffy disease?

Such inflammatory accusations only create more animosity and distrust, one of the main reasons there is little discussion of the issue. . .

Damn right its inflammatory...you trying to say that my reserve family are lazy and lacking self-esteem. Then again, it is easy to say pretty near anything, ain't it Crib?

Re: CoonCome: "When our people tried to obtain a moderate livelihood from the sea, white mobs burned our boats and beat our people.''

What are you talking about? White Mobs did burn their boats. French white mobs in particular, but mobs nonetheless! Are you trying to tell me white people can't be in mobs? Geez, you should come to Caledonia on a friday night. If it makes you feel better, indians can get into mobs too.

Indians just aren't serial killers and mass murderers.

In fact, Mi'kmaq fishermen got into violent clashes with fisheries officials after they knowingly defied federal fishing regulations. Minor injuries resulted.

yes...and that was when they set out their traps. The DFO attacked the Indians. The Indians didn't go after the DFO. Kinda the same as the OPP in Caledonia.

To rely upon a hazy or even nonexistent connection with men and women dead for thousands of years, however, in order to claim special privileges and influence today is morally and intellectually dishonest and despicable. .

What a minute. You said that the Caledonia land was legally sold in 1841 to the Crown and wasn't Indian land, and I disagreed and said there is still a question as to surrender. How come you can say your ancestors are in the right while I'm not allowed to? What seems to keep giving you the idea that you and your forebears are better than me and mine?

Again, I hope I haven't hurt your taxpaying feelings.

you don't mind me calling you taxpayer eh, or is that racist too?

[scribblet]

Oh boy, now we are getting nasty, spinning like crazy, and deliberately changing aliases. I don't mind if you correct the spelling though.

What treaty says "Natives will have a blank cheque to attend university for as long as they want" or "natives will not pay taxes"? These things all come about as a result of legislation, the only treaty specific items include matters related to the utilization of lands and natural resources.

I don't see the benefit or relation to the "true native way of life", that is, having a system whereby chiefs can give housing to whomever they want, where grants can be squandered without audits, where the operating grants per man, woman and child exceed $100,000 annually (and that doesn't include freedom from taxes and free education), and of course those Chiefly travel bills that have exceeded provincial cabinet ministers.

Canadians really do not want a racist system of giving over cash and benefits based on ancestry which does not seem to provide a decent standard of living for all natives. The feds want to make bands more accountable and rightly so, the chiefs, don't seem to want it, in the meantime there are instances of bands and reserves in financial receivership and the indians have no drinking water etc. etc.

Moving to a system of individual property rights on reserves along with transparent band governance ... would help Canadian aboriginal/natives/first nations/indians (or whatever nomenclature currently in use is) would be of far more help than rhetoric and name calling.

However, we are of course, not allowed to have an opinion on what is the best course of action for Canadians as a whole, including natives without the name calling and accusations.

Either way this isn't going anywhere, I'm not changing my mind that natives should be full and equal citizens, and your not going to change yours that accepting entitlements based on race is acceptable.

[Temagami Scourge]

Scriblet le Taxpayer:

"What treaty says "Natives will have a blank cheque to attend university for as long as they want" or "natives will not pay taxes "?"

All of them, in on shape or another. However, they don't quite put it the way you do. In some treaties, there is no description of medical care, but reference to the signatories having perpetual access to the medicine box.

now, I know someone like Rene will say "Hey...they said medicine box, not medicare!", but for some Nations, that is the manner they used to describe health care. It's just like oblique terms like "the reading of letters" meaning education etc. Many of the ncilliary promises...the ones that you guys seem to hate so much, were usually recorded on a list. The treaty document was used to record the surrender of land and some of the benefits. The Indian Act took all these lists and rolled them into the Act, so there are actually some promises made to certain bands that the government unilaterally decided to dispense to all bands through the Act.

However, find out the particulars is an impossibility now, and the government doesn't want to change the Act because it costs too much to attempt...especially now because the Indians are educationally on the same page.

"These things all come about as a result of legislation, the only treaty specific items include matters related to the utilization of lands and natural resources. . ."

bingo...some, but not all. and the problem lies with your government, not the indians. Bug them.

I don't see the benefit or relation to the "true native way of life", ,

Geez, buddy, don't tell me you expect to me to prance around the bush in skins making war cries! this is the twenty-first century! That's what kills me about some of my fellow "Canadians". they get on this "return to their roots" kick. Give me a break. how does electing my own Native government to represent me mean that I have to live in a wigwam? I don't expect Euro-Canadians to return to sailing ships and muskets, so why is it the expectation the other way around?

"that is, having a system whereby chiefs can give housing to whomever they want, where grants can be squandered without audits, where the operating grants per man, woman and child exceed $100,000 annually (and that doesn't include freedom from taxes and free education), and of course those Chiefly travel bills that have exceeded provincial cabinet ministers." .

hunh? Where does this happen? Every band I know has a housing list unless you can build on your own. Every band has to have an audit done and posted in public. Heck, all the audits for every First Nation in Canada is posted on INAC's website. Have you never seen them? Exceeding every man, woman and child? holy geez! Is this the Reserve from heaven or what? My nations has a total operating budget of around $5 million a year for 600 band members. That only works out to around $8500 a year, and that INCLUDES medical, housing and education! In fact, education actually was cut back a couple of years ago (nice of your government to live up to their end of the bargain!), so we would have had more to invest.

Canadians really do not want a racist system of giving over cash and benefits based on ancestry which does not seem to provide a decent standard of living for all natives. .

Bud...how many time do I have to say that the benefits flow because we were here first? When are you going to quit with this racist bullshit and talk to me like an equal. just because my skin is different and my hair is black doesn't mean squat. the simple fact is that my forebears signed legal agreements with yours that ensured the land was Canada's in perpetuity in exchange for certain rights and benefits.

geez..get back to me when you can be more coherent and get off this racist crap.

[Riverwind]

the simple fact is that my forebears signed legal agreements with yours that ensured the land was Canada's in perpetuity in exchange for certain rights and benefits.

Your claim on the these 'legal agreements' are based on your race which means these agreements are fundementally racist and have no place in our multiethnic society today.

Let me put it another way: proving something legal does not make it ethically right. Special status for a single racial group within our society is ethically wrong no matter how many so-called legal agreements exist.

[scribblet]

Bud...how many time do I have to say that the benefits flow because we were here first? When are you going to quit with this racist bullshit and talk to me like an equal. just because my skin is different and my hair is black doesn't mean squat. the simple fact is that my forebears signed legal agreements with yours that ensured the land was Canada's in perpetuity in exchange for certain rights and benefits.

How many times do I have to tell you it shouldn't matter who 'was here first', and personally I don't care. I don't care what colour your skin is or anything else, as far as I'm concerned we are talking as 'equals' except you don't seem to subscribe to 'all people should be treated equally' , so you can quit playing the race card and get over it . Apartheid doesn't work.

Have a great day .

[Temagami Scourge]

Scriblet:

How many times do I have to tell you it shouldn't matter who 'was here first',

What are you talking about? Everything matters on who was already here, for the simple reason that even the Crown realized that the Indians already had an overlying interest/title/recognized ownership or whatever you want to call it over every inch of the land here.

They could have taken the land through warfare, but they didn't. The Crown made a conscious decision to extinguish any Aboriginal right to this country through Treaty signings. Under no circumstances were the treaties signed solely because the Aboriginal were a different race. I would agree with you or anyone else who whines about race-based agreements IF the Treaties were signed solely to provide benefits and rights to another race for nothing in return.

But that is far from the case. If hobbits were here first, you'd still be whining about "what makes them so special".

In your case in particular Scrib, the problem you have is that you believe articles like the Redden one you linked because it makes you feel warm inside if you can say that Natives are immigrants to. However, to give you an idea of how ludicrous an argument that is, then we can technically argue that none of the Nations of Europe are entitled to their countries because they only moved in after the ice melted.

If we wanted to argue from Redden's perspective, then we should really be arguing over who owns what piece of Africa, since that is where Homo Sapiens developed.

you can have the Darfur.

and personally I don't care. I don't care what colour your skin is or anything else,

Bullshite. You say over and over that the benefits and rights are "race-based". You don't recognize the fact that the Natives were already here and controlled certain tracks depending on which Nation resided on them. From your perspective, you are saying that the race of the guy whose property you bought is more important that the fact that he owns it and is selling or renting the land in question.

...as far as I'm concerned we are talking as 'equals' except you don't seem to subscribe to 'all people should be treated equally'

hey, if you want to be raped by priests in your quest for equality, be my guest. However, If we are going to speak on equality, was there a system in place where your forebears were open to systemic abuse? Have you ever been declined for a job because of the way you looked? Have people ever crossed the street because you happen to walking on the same side as them? Do the police ever stop you just to run "a quick check on you" because you are non-white, but driving an expensive car? How often are your family and friends taken out to the edge of town and beaten by the police on a cold wintry night? There are over 500 missing Aboriginal women in this country. Some have most likely become pig feed. Do you care, or do you know? Why are GTA police sending around autopsy pictures of Native women with "final solution" captions? Is that funny? Does it make things easier when you dehumanize people?

Show me the equality, Scriblet. Calling me Canadian is one thing, but acting like I am is something totally different. Are autopsy photos of white women making the rounds? I'd love to see some equallity in this country, but I have a hard time when people still ask ignorant questions like "are you a full-blooded Indian".

I have yet to see someone say "So, are you a full-blooded white man?" the day I do is the day I'll beleive we are "equal".

[Temagami Scourge]

Scriblett, Riverend:

Hate crime unit investigating

By Paul Legall

The Hamilton SpectatorCALEDONIA (May 4, 2006)

The OPP hate crime unit is investigating a poster inciting Caledonia citizens against natives occupying the Douglas Creek Estates.

"Citizens of Caledonia Town Meeting Tonight. Agenda: discussion the Indian Proplem (sic). What is the Final Solution?" the poster states.

A photo of Ku Klux Klansmen figures prominently on the poster.

Constable Dave Meyer said the local OPP has received one copy of the poster, which was turned over to the hate crime unit. He said the lack of a time or date for the supposed protest suggest it may be a hoax.

Police don't know the origins of the handout.

Figures things would come to this sooner or later.

[Riverwind]

Hate crime unit investigating

Live by the sword - die by the sword. The natives in Caladonia have no one to blame but themselves. As long as Natives demand special treatment because of their race/ancestors/forbearers they will be the target for racism. That is why I feel that all native land claims are ethically wrong and deserve to be tossed in the trash bin of history with slavery, state sponsered religion and any other racist institution developed by people living hundreds of years ago.

[Michael Hardner]

Live by the sword - die by the sword. The natives in Caladonia have no one to blame but themselves. As long as Natives demand special treatment because of their race/ancestors/forbearers they will be the target for racism.

Riverwind:

Sorry, but the poster is clearly advocating genocide which is not acceptable. Nor is it acceptable to blame a race that is targeted by one of these groups. If we rationalize these types of acts even a little bit, then it will help to usher in violence and it's pretty hard to get that genie back in the bottle.

[Riverwind]

Sorry, but the poster is clearly advocating genocide which is not acceptable. Nor is it acceptable to blame a race that is targeted by one of these groups. If we rationalize these types of acts even a little bit, then it will help to usher in violence and it's pretty hard to get that genie back in the bottle.

The issue is not black and white. I agree that the racism expressed in that post is deplorable, however, you should at least acknowledge that this racism did not come from no where. It is a direct response to the illegal occupation by the Natives and the refusal by authorities to enforce the law. Trying to pretend that there is no connection is intellectually dishonest.

[Temagami Scourge]

River:

"I agree that the racism expressed in that post is deplorable, however, you should at least acknowledge that this racism did not come from no where. It is a direct response to the illegal occupation by the Natives and the refusal by authorities to enforce the law. Trying to pretend that there is no connection is intellectually dishonest"

True, but as Mike said, initially supporting the hate poster is going a step too far in your zeal. I must point out that I agree with you about this racism not coming from nowhere. I am a firm believer in the reality that once your back is turned and you are out of hearing, then people will make jokes about you amongst themselves. In Caledonia's case, it appears that this latent racism has always been there, just unspoken, and now that a catalyst has been found to vent racist tripe, the non-Native people of Caledonia are showing their true colours.

That, in turn, is certainly reflected on this board, considering the commentary.

Maybe you should apologize again, to Native people like myself. That would be manly.

[Riverwind]

In Caledonia's case, it appears that this latent racism has always been there, just unspoken

So where did this latent racism come from? I believe it has be created by a legal environment that gives special rights people based on race. This, in turn, leads to resentment and racism among people who feel they are being screwed by this legal environment. The only way to eliminate the problem with racism is to eliminate the legal distinctions between Canadians who happen to trace their ancestry back to native groups and those who don't.

[scribblet]

Hate crime unit investigating

. That is why I feel that all native land claims are ethically wrong and deserve to be tossed in the trash bin of history with slavery, state sponsered religion and any other racist institution developed by people living hundreds of years ago.

Agreed. From what I've read, there is no indication that those posters actually came from any Caledonian. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if its a setup.

[Michael Hardner]

The issue is not black and white. I agree that the racism expressed in that post is deplorable, however, you should at least acknowledge that this racism did not come from no where. It is a direct response to the illegal occupation by the Natives and the refusal by authorities to enforce the law. Trying to pretend that there is no connection is intellectually dishonest.

I agree, but even with fuzzy issues, a line has to be drawn.

Racism doesn't come from nowhere, it comes from somewhere. A way to NOT deal with it is to suppress debate and discussion to the point where one or both sides form their own bubbles of discontent, and it all eventually explodes. For more on how that approach works, see Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union and Iraq.

The authorities are clearly letting the situation slip away, and they need to act on this immediately to prevent a worsening of the situation.

[Temagami Scourge]

river:

So where did this latent racism come from?

from moms and dads across Canada, sitting at the dinner table in front of their children and talking out loud about how their taxes have to pay for useless, alcoholic, glue-sniffing redskins.

How do I know this? When my oldest boy was in kindergarten in Temagami, one of his white peers called him a "nigger". I know the kid's Dad, and it didn't surprise me. He avoided talking to non-whites as much as possible.

Too bad his son couldn't get the race right, but I can't help but think that that kid is about the same age as Politika, and that kid has made a number of racist comments too. Heck, he even told us how his mom knew all about the "big cheques" the Indians got.

That, river, is where kids learn to be racist. I'm glad I could help point this out to you and increase your learning. it is my pleasure.

"The only way to eliminate the problem with racism is to eliminate the legal distinctions between Canadians who happen to trace their ancestry back to native groups and those who don't.'

Well, get elected federally and get at it!

Are you going to apologize and show us how manly you are?

[Riverwind]

That, river, is where kids learn to be racist. I'm glad I could help point this out to you and increase your learning. it is my pleasure.

Kids grow up and form their own opinions based on the world they see around them. If your theory was correct then we would be still living in age where slavery exists and every race sticks to their own. For the most part racism has disappeared from Canadian society, however, it still persists between Natives and non-Natives. I believe it is a direct result of the legal framework created by native treaties which institutionalize racism. Eliminate this institutionalized racism and you will see that in a generation or so that racism disappears among the population at large.

However, if you insist on preserving the institutionalized racism then you can't really complain about experiencing racism. You can't have it both ways.

[Michael Hardner]

For the most part racism has disappeared from Canadian society, however, it still persists between Natives and non-Natives. I believe it is a direct result of the legal framework created by native treaties which institutionalize racism.

So there isn't racism against other races ?

I don't think that Natives have ever been targeted more than other groups have they ?

[Temagami Scourge]

River:

For the most part racism has disappeared from Canadian society,

Hey...quick, look out the window. Are you sure you are in Canada or LALA-land?

however, it still persists between Natives and non-Natives.

Uh oh, I don't think someone gets off the farm too much.

I believe it is a direct result of the legal framework created by native treaties which institutionalize racism.

Yes, and that is why I've often asked you and others to go after your MP and ask them to initiate change. Don't say you want to, just do it.

Eliminate this institutionalized racism and you will see that in a generation or so that racism disappears among the population at large.

Now we are back to dreaming again. Did you read any of these political threads when Michaelle Jean was made GG? that was depressing.

However, if you insist on preserving the institutionalized racism then you can't really complain about experiencing racism. You can't have it both ways.

Buddy, there is nothing I can do about it. the ball is entirely in the governments hands on this, not mine or any other Native...which makes me wonder why you like to blame us for this state of affairs?

Plus, much of the racism I experience is personal, not institutional...you know, white guys calling me timber -nigger or wagon-burner, glue huffer or alcoholic...you know, that kind of thing.

In ending, are you ready to apologize to Native folks for what you said about the Caledonia hate poster? I'd be glad to accept your apology on behalf of all the Natives in Canada. I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

[Riverwind]

I don't think that Natives have ever been targeted more than other groups have they ?

Natives do seem to be targeted more than other groups. I have noticed that Chinese or East Indians do not face anywhere near the same level of racism. TS is right to point out that crimes against natives do seem to taken less seriously than crimes against people of other races. There was quite a difference in media coverage about the Chinese girl that was abducted out of home in T.O. and the coverage of a native girl that disappeared in Saskatchewan.

The difference tells me that addressing the problem of racism directed at Natives requires more thought about what it causing it and cannot be simply written off as 'people being afraid of people who are different'.

[Riverwind]

Did you read any of these political threads when Michaelle Jean was made GG? that was depressing.

Almost all negative comments directed at the GG were about her 'seperatist' leanings. The comments that were racial were a result of years of 'affirmative' action programs that have undermined the credibility of any qualified minority person appointed to senior positions. I object to affimative action programs for the same reason I object to native treaties.

Buddy, there is nothing I can do about it. the ball is entirely in the governments hands on this, not mine or any other Native...which makes me wonder why you like to blame us for this state of affairs?

Makes me wonder why you were blaming all non-Natives for residential schools a few posts back.

Plus, much of the racism I experience is personal, not institutional...you know, white guys calling me timber -nigger or wagon-burner, glue huffer or alcoholic...you know, that kind of thing.

Institutional racism creates an environment where those kinds of people feel they are justified in making those comments.

Vancouver has had a influx of wealthy Chinese immigrants in the last 20 years. This influx has created tensions and cultural conflicts with the existing residents of Vancouver. The fact that the Chinese migrants are so much wealthier than the average Vancouverite is a source of resentment for many. However, these resentments have not turned into the type of virulent racism that is directed at Natives. There are many reasons for the difference - one of them is the fact that these Chinese migrants have to pay taxes like everyone else.

[Temagami Scourge]

River:

...negative comments directed at the GG ....that were racial were a result of years of 'affirmative' action programs that have undermined the credibility of any qualified minority person appointed to senior positions.

a) River, you never cease to amaze me. You can pin the blame for racism on anything.

"Affirmative Action" is a yankee term. In Canada, we used "Employment Equity".

I object to affimative action programs for the same reason I object to native treaties.

Because of all the non-whites involved?

Institutional racism creates an environment where those kinds of people feel they are justified in making those comments.

If you want to blame racist commentary on Institutional racism, then be my guest. I prefer blaming it on poor parenting and poor role modeling myself.

Vancouver has had a influx of wealthy Chinese immigrants in the last 20 years. This influx has created tensions and cultural conflicts with the existing residents of Vancouver. The fact that the Chinese migrants are so much wealthier than the average Vancouverite is a source of resentment for many. However, these resentments have not turned into the type of virulent racism that is directed at Natives. There are many reasons for the difference - one of them is the fact that these Chinese migrants have to pay taxes like everyone else.

Again, I don't quite agree with your assessment. I think that it is easier being racist towards a poor minority person than a rich one. however, I'm sure that there are plenty of virulent statements made against the rich Chinese by their non-Chinese employees who are jealous of the wealth of their employer, but I bet that is usually said behind closed doors.

Cheers