We pay while Indians live in luxury

[Drea]

Of course they wouldn't! They would have to give up their "white" privilege. We all know that this is the real argument against First Nations claims to rights and lands. It is also the same argument when it comes to immigrants and brown people, whom the "white" majority feel peck away at their higher status in the "system".

Those who claim to want "equality" never agree with "equity" which are intrinsically linked. So the point of the equality movement is to ignore all basic human rights and give control back to the Anglo-European western Christian white male majority. Very rarely do we ever hear of the Anglo-European western Christian white female ever make the same "equality" argument since they are one the other targets of the former even though they carry their status just below the men.

If you want equality get off the reserve, get a job, pay taxes. THAT is equality.

No one ever gave me anything. I come from "white trash" household and have managed to rise above it and become successful in business -- why can't you?

[Catchme]

Stats Canada reports that there are 976, 305 FN is Canada 2001. Metropolitan breakdown shows that almost 50% of FN reside OFF reserve. Having migrated to urban areas looking for a better living. Fact on the ground are, they are NOT being employed, and if they are, the majority are being employed at poverty levels. So, should the other 500k move into urban settings looking for work too? So they too can be disenfranchised and become street people or live in slums?

It boggles my mind how some think they have a right to come here and take from those, whose contracts have been consistently broken for 300 years for white settlers, and then the same white settlers or their ancestors, again are victimizing them.

Blame the victim not a pretty sight!

[guyser]

Stats Canada reports that there are 976, 305 FN is Canada 2001. Metropolitan breakdown shows that almost 50% of FN reside OFF reserve.

That is a lot of people.

Having migrated to urban areas looking for a better living. Fact on the ground are, they are NOT being employed, and if they are, the majority are being employed at poverty levels.

And that is a problem , in relation to all the other poverty level employees , how? Who's fault is that?

It boggles my mind how some think they have a right to come here and take from those, whose contracts have been consistently broken for 300 years for white settlers, and then the same white settlers or their ancestors, again are victimizing them.

Who had a right to come here? FN' came here and set up shop too. Who or what did they bump out?

Blame the victim not a pretty sight!

Especially when it is so much easier to just blame whitey.

Tell ya what, just grab all the casino money, pool it , and distribute among all FN people, all 900,000 of them.

Oh wait, some FN dont want to give to other FN. Right...... they are just being greedy keeping their own down.

Bet that is whitey's fault too?

[White Doors]

Who or what did they bump out?

I know I know!!!!

~hand raised frantically~

[stignasty]

If you want equality get off the reserve, get a job, pay taxes. THAT is equality.

No one ever gave me anything. I come from "white trash" household and have managed to rise above it and become successful in business -- why can't you?

Your statement implies that no natives have been successful. Is that what you're saying?

[Posit]

Actually native people are institutionally discriminated against by the very government we depend upon to look after our interests. Statistically aboriginal people have less access to health care, education and are more often sent to jail over issue that mainstream people would get off with a fine. Social programs, health and education are underfunded in comparison to the mainstream in some cases nearly 50% below the average mainstream community. That is what I meant by equity. As long as there is such a huge gap in providing equitable services to First Nations people there will be no equality. And don't believe that this is isolated to reserves either. The same inequity occurs as aboriginal people seek service sin the big cities and they are still discriminated against.

As far as hand-outs I would bet that you had access to student grants, bursaries or loans that are not available to aboriginal students, had a family doctor, had free books, pencils and erasers in some of your educational upbringing, or had access to clean water and communal sanitation. All of these privileges advantaged you compared to native people. While we are all to be commended for making good livelihood from our frail beginnings it is arrogant to suggest that you did not take advantage of the opportunities that were offered, including those that come with location. The difference is that many aboriginal people are not offered the same opportunities, having been oppressed, legally castrated by the ineptitude of government and blamed for not making better for themselves.

Equity must be offered before we can demand equality.

[Who's Doing What?]

Actually native people are institutionally discriminated against by the very government we depend upon to look after our interests. Statistically aboriginal people have less access to health care, education and are more often sent to jail over issue that mainstream people would get off with a fine. Social programs, health and education are underfunded in comparison to the mainstream in some cases nearly 50% below the average mainstream community. That is what I meant by equity. As long as there is such a huge gap in providing equitable services to First Nations people there will be no equality. And don't believe that this is isolated to reserves either. The same inequity occurs as aboriginal people seek service sin the big cities and they are still discriminated against.

Bullsh*t.

Get your facts straight. Billions every year go to health, education, and welfare as well as job programs for less than 1 million FN's. Quit crying poor. FN's have it better than any other group in this country.

As far as hand-outs I would bet that you had access to student grants, bursaries or loans that are not available to aboriginal students, had a family doctor, had free books, pencils and erasers in some of your educational upbringing, or had access to clean water and communal sanitation. All of these privileges advantaged you compared to native people. While we are all to be commended for making good livelihood from our frail beginnings it is arrogant to suggest that you did not take advantage of the opportunities that were offered, including those that come with location. The difference is that many aboriginal people are not offered the same opportunities, having been oppressed, legally castrated by the ineptitude of government and blamed for not making better for themselves.

I wish I had access to the casino money. I wish I could get the Govt. to provide me with housing. I wish I could take a gun and occupy a piece of land and claim ownership without being tossed in jail or shot. I wish I didn't have to pay taxes. I wish I didn't have to buy a fishing license.

Equity must be offered before we can demand equality.

Equality?????

It is the rest of the country who are lacking in equal rights. Maybe one day when you can actually comprehend the fact that FN's are the ones who recieve special treatment you will see the light.

[Posit]

Maybe you need to do some research. Even the Senate recognizes the underfunding of aboriginal services.

As to the billions going to Indian Affairs that often gets cited here, more than 80% of INAC budgets get consumed by public employees, administration, and programs that have absolutely no benefit to First Nation communities. Many First Nation communities receive less than 50% of the transfers that equal size communities receive for administration and services and that does not include the aboriginal people caught in the vacuum in cities and towns remotely located from their home reserves.

While casino money has helped some communities build infrastructure, there is a limitation to what those funds can be used for. They cannot be used for the daily operations of the native community - which is at the heart of the underfunding.

On some more remote reserves where outside employment is not always available, there is a higher per capita rate of social assistance, but as a whole it is not more than similar places in Newfoundland. Welfare barely covers the food and housing and tax-free status to an over population of people living under the poverty level means squat.

If you think that First Nations people have it better, I think I could arrange a one year exchange for you to a remote reserve, give you the same opportunities and services and see if after a year you have the same opinion. My bet is that you wouldn't leave your privileged life to face that reality, nor would you survive given the same discrimination.

[Hydraboss]

Bullshit. I have Indians working for me that live on reserve. While most I hire last a day or two, the handful that actually get up in the morning and report for work are making a killing and are damn nice guys. So how come the ones making $80k per year can do it, but the others living down the block can't?

Laziness.

Oh, and don't get me wrong...I get a ton of lazy-ass white guys too. And they quit just as fast.

So there's your equality. Regardless of race, creed, color, etc, if you don't show up for work you lose your job. If you quit a job and sit and let the government pay you, you're a lazy-ass. No discimination required.

[Who's Doing What?]

Maybe you need to do some research. Even the Senate recognizes the underfunding of aboriginal services.

Like the senate has any relevance. I have done the research and I know bilions gets spent.

As to the billions going to Indian Affairs that often gets cited here, more than 80% of INAC budgets get consumed by public employees, administration, and programs that have absolutely no benefit to First Nation communities. Many First Nation communities receive less than 50% of the transfers that equal size communities receive for administration and services and that does not include the aboriginal people caught in the vacuum in cities and towns remotely located from their home reserves.

So teachers, doctors, nurses, hospitals, schools, job programs, housing etc. have no benifit to FN's?

Ok Give the Govt. back it's money if you don't need it and it isn't doing any good.

While casino money has helped some communities build infrastructure, there is a limitation to what those funds can be used for. They cannot be used for the daily operations of the native community - which is at the heart of the underfunding.

Daily operations?

You mean the kind of stuff the rest of us pay our municipal TAXES for.

On some more remote reserves where outside employment is not always available, there is a higher per capita rate of social assistance, but as a whole it is not more than similar places in Newfoundland. Welfare barely covers the food and housing and tax-free status to an over population of people living under the poverty level means squat.

Why would they want welfare?

IS not protecting their TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE what half this BS is about about?

Quit whining about not enough welfare money and go hunt a Carribou, or catch a fish.

You should be thankful "whitey" has to buy his hunting and fishing licenses so there is some conservation going on.

If you think that First Nations people have it better, I think I could arrange a one year exchange for you to a remote reserve, give you the same opportunities and services and see if after a year you have the same opinion. My bet is that you wouldn't leave your privileged life to face that reality, nor would you survive given the same discrimination.

Why would I go to a remote Reserve? I want the one where they get casino or Oil royalties.

Why are the wealthy FN people too greedy to help the other FN people?

Realistically, I know in some areas the poverty is rampant, (they stole my cousins clothes when he worked up north) but that is also from the FN own poor leadership. There is a history of corruption and mismanagement as well as plain old lack of skill. But the bottom line is before "whitey" came there was no concept of poverty. The FN's lived off the land. Perhaps that is what they should return to, if they are not happy living off the ROC's tax dollars.

[Posit]

"There is a history of corruption and mismanagement as well as plain old lack of skill."

That describes our government and the British government before them to a "t". The fact is the Band government system is modeled after our federal system (they are actually an arm of our government) and it stands to reason that if the parent is corrupt and has gotten away with it, then the children will turn out corrupt also. Band governments are the children of our federal government.

"But the bottom line is before "whitey" came there was no concept of poverty."

There was no concept of corruption either. That came with our colonial ancestors, as well.

Your research no doubt involves reading few tidbits on the internet - hardly valid research - more just propaganda than anything else. However, the Senate Committee, the UN and the numerous studies continue to deploy Canada's treatment of aboriginal people. I am more apt to rely upon their research than to take your feeble opinion as anything near accurate.

The remote communities receive their divide of that casino money just the same. You must be afraid to take on a real challenge. I do suppose that it is better to pretend and blame someone else than to take responsibility to learn from first hand experience.

Why are some greedy wealthy Canadians not helping Canada's poor people? When you find the answer to that you can then sit in judgment. I once visited a family of 8 native people and with very little to eat they still have the graciousness to ask me for dinner. From what I have experienced on visits to a number of reserves, most native people are more generous than Canadians, generally speaking.

[White Doors]

so no matter what, the Indians can't be blamed for their own mis-fortunes.

THAT right there, is the VERY reason for their misfortunes.

Ironic isn't it? The one's that feel all warm and fuzzy about themselves are the one's doing them the biggest disservice.

Posit. you are not savign the world and in fact, while you so smugly denigrate the rest of us for the FN's plight, you are the one making it worse.

sleep with that thought tonight.

[White Doors]

From what I have experienced on visits to a number of reserves, most native people are more generous than Canadians, generally speaking.

Oh, didn;t you mean to say 'racially speaking'?

Isn't that a racist statement?

I'd say it is.

for shame.

[guyser]

Posit, kudos for an informed post instead of a baiting one. Anyhow, I am not going to agree entirely with what you posted . Let me explain.

Actually native people are institutionally discriminated against by the very government we depend upon to look after our interests. Statistically aboriginal people have less access to health care, education and are more often sent to jail over issue that mainstream people would get off with a fine. Social programs, health and education are underfunded in comparison to the mainstream in some cases nearly 50% below the average mainstream community. That is what I meant by equity.

While I wasnt going to quote the whole thing but all points need attention.

Please do not make the mistake in thinking that the above is ONLY a FN problem. Many communities in this country have the same problems. Access to health care is a problem in the north ..period. I will concur that jail time is a problem for FN's, as it does seem many FN are jailed in comparison to the rest. I lived in Chapleau Ontario (fairly north I suppose) and saw different treatment when I was there. But I will have to agree with hydraboss , a shitty lazy worker is just that. I worked with many many Indians (thats what they wanted to be called generically) in a lumber camp who worked damn hard and damn long , side by side the "rest of us" . But perhaps a third of those workers would disappear if/when they started drinking. The bosses knew it, the bullcook (head of housing) who was a FN knew it, and he would shake his head as he cleaned out their rooms as they would be fired when they sobered up and came back. He called it the indian curse.

As far as hand-outs I would bet that you had access to student grants, bursaries or loans that are not available to aboriginal students, had a family doctor, had free books, pencils and erasers in some of your educational upbringing, or had access to clean water and communal sanitation. All of these privileges advantaged you compared to native people.

Again, this is not exclusive to FN's. In fact they are available to anyone, but poor communications and ability to find these programmes is what differentiated the FN from the rest.

The bulk of the problem as I see it is in the land . And it is frustrating that far too many FN hold some inalienable right to land that for many generations people paid taxes on , made improvements to and so on, only to lose access from some percieved ( and real) slight that those owning/paying taxes on had no inkling about. The barricades go up, the anger gets jacked up and everyone digs in their heels. Why not barricade Queens Park or Parliament Hill ? Why must it always be the landowner (yea I know-in dispute )who has to pay the freight?

I get angry , and frankly have posted condescending bs on this very subject because I have no idea how to remedy the situation, yet my friends and their families are kept away from their cottage land over something they had nothing to do with.

I would go berserk if my cottage land was denied me. Absolutely bonkers.

Anyhow, the govt side has to come to some resolution, the FN' have to ratchet down the rhetoric, and frankly need to understand that for a better part of a century or more, the FN did nothing to change things, and land use bacame the property of others.

One should only allow one poke of a stick at someone, but if they keep on doing it then how can that person complain?

[Catchme]

Posit, kudos for an informed post instead of a baiting one. Anyhow, I am not going to agree entirely with what you posted . Let me explain.

The bulk of the problem as I see it is in the land . And it is frustrating that far too many FN hold some inalienable right to land that for many generations people paid taxes on , made improvements to and so on, only to lose access from some percieved ( and real) slight that those owning/paying taxes on had no inkling about. The barricades go up, the anger gets jacked up and everyone digs in their heels. Why not barricade Queens Park or Parliament Hill ? Why must it always be the landowner (yea I know-in dispute )who has to pay the freight?

I get angry , and frankly have posted condescending bs on this very subject because I have no idea how to remedy the situation, yet my friends and their families are kept away from their cottage land over something they had nothing to do with.

I would go berserk if my cottage land was denied me. Absolutely bonkers.

Anyhow, the govt side has to come to some resolution, the FN' have to ratchet down the rhetoric, and frankly need to understand that for a better part of a century or more, the FN did nothing to change things, and land use bacame the property of others.

One should only allow one poke of a stick at someone, but if they keep on doing it then how can that person complain?

Oh, gee, spoken for a position of priviledge eh, you would go bonkers if you were deprived of your "cottage land", but yet you expect the FN's who have been deprived of their land for much longer than you have had your "cottage land" to be real nice about it and rachet down their rhetoric. And they had nothing they could do about it either, as the Dept of Indian Affairs LEASED THEIR LANDS OUTS UNDER LEGAL CONTRACT FOR DECADES AND IN SOME CASES 100'S OF YEARS.

So, they got/get to sit back and watch others use "prime pieces" of their land for pennies, waiting for the time when these contracts ran out. Property use became the right of others not because of FN's but because of Indian Affairs.

Rental property users in the real world do not get to become owners just because they use(d) it, and the same applies here. The property does not become those who use it property, just because they use it. Get a grip, you are talking about what you believe your privilege should be and nothing more.

[guyser]

Oh, gee, spoken for a position of priviledge eh, you would go bonkers if you were deprived of your "cottage land", but yet you expect the FN's who have been deprived of their land for much longer than you have had your "cottage land" to be real nice about it and rachet down their rhetoric. And they had nothing they could do about it either, as the Dept of Indian Affairs LEASED THEIR LANDS OUTS UNDER LEGAL CONTRACT FOR DECADES AND IN SOME CASES 100'S OF YEARS.

Reading comprehension is needed .

Rental property users in the real world do not get to become owners just because they use(d) it, and the same applies here. The property does not become those who use it property, just because they use it. Get a grip, you are talking about what you believe your privilege should be and nothing more.

Oh thank you for telling me what I think. But the fact is, outside of Canada, in the 'real world" squatters rights do exist.

[Posit]

However, in Canada squatters rights do not exist. The "owner" of the land can have them evicted.

Very rarely in any assertion of land claims rights have First Nations targeted regular Joe homeowner and told him to vacate. Instead, First Nations have strategically targeted vacant or semi-vacant lands to halt development, tree cutting or resource extraction as a means to exercise those claims. Sure Canadians have been inconvenienced, but that does not compare (nor can compare) to the injustice of having the lands stolen, squatted upon, abused and polluted and having complaints fall on deaf ears.

I hear lots of people complain "why now?" Up until about 1956 Indians were not considered human beings. They were prohibited from voting, from obtaining lawyers to fight land expropriations and could not even walk into a bar for a social evening. It has taken them about 5 decades to recover from the mal treatment, educate themselves and become knowledgeable about the same Canadian law they were told was preventing them from participating in society. Certainly a rational person could agree that 5 decades is a remarkable time for aboriginal people to advance themselves despite being held back by archaic laws, institutionalized racism and bigoted bureaucrats. In the last 20 years or so First Nations have researched the thousands of lands claims and found many of the dealings with the government less than honourable.

I acknowledge your point about inaccessible and remote communities suffering from the same ills. However, First Nations living adjacent to large centres still suffer from the same inequities, while the larger centres prosper. That is racial disparity. There should not be a water quality issue with a First Nation living close to our mainstream technological centres except the large towns and cities usually find a way to dump their sewage and garbage away for their own homes and upstream of a First Nation community. Until 20 years ago no one listened to their complaints, or recognized the diseases and early cancer deaths could be attributed to pollution that was outside of their control.

Something did change 20 years ago. Along with finding culturally sympathetic lawyers and university schooled natives, the aboriginals started to complain by blocking roads, posting information pickets on vital bridges and holding bulldozers and backhoes from destroying woodlands. The fact that we notice their plight (at least some of us who are willing to see what our history has done to aboriginal people) is directly related to the active protests and stand-offs First Nations people have had to take. I once heard this one native guy say "that they didn't like to use civil disobedience, but it was a necessary and effective way to bring the government to the table and that was where these issue would be solved" to paraphrase. We know the government doesn't listen to us and are only our friends when the election rolls around. How do you think they would treat as insignificant, sub-human, lazy bums living at their teet? And yet these myths prevail and are perpetuated ignorant xenophobic and entrenched in laws and attitudes in government that make it impossible to get their attention about misappropriated lands and money.

The Senate Sub Committee on Aboriginal Affairs warns us that native people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the pace at which their grievances are heard and ignored. They warn that violence could erupt as generations of aboriginals lose patience with decade of incompetent and expensive challenges to their claims. So far we have survive the relatively peaceful protests but I am concerned that we could be heading towards a civil uprising by native people. As citizens we have managed to stay out of the ruckus for the most part but should their concerns not be addressed we could very well become the reluctant targets of a bomb, drive by shooting or gang assault by youth that neither have the patience or the understanding of the complexity of the issue that our government refuses to acknowledge and correct.

[Who's Doing What?]

That describes our government and the British government before them to a "t". The fact is the Band government system is modeled after our federal system (they are actually an arm of our government) and it stands to reason that if the parent is corrupt and has gotten away with it, then the children will turn out corrupt also. Band governments are the children of our federal government.

YA one person in the federal govt.. stole or mis-used all the money meant for the entire country.

When you have leaders who are basically running a mafia as band leadership you have problems.

There was no concept of corruption either. That came with our colonial ancestors, as well.

Bullsh!t. Natives respected people who were good liars. Now you are going to tell me there was no corruption or underhanded trickery in a society where being a good liar is considered a quality trait?

Your research no doubt involves reading few tidbits on the internet - hardly valid research - more just propaganda than anything else. However, the Senate Committee, the UN and the numerous studies continue to deploy Canada's treatment of aboriginal people. I am more apt to rely upon their research than to take your feeble opinion as anything near accurate.

No, my research includes Native propaganda sites, natives I know, Govt sites, news organizations etc.

What you are spewing here is close to the crap I have seen on the Propaganda sites. Which to me is easily dismissable, as self-serving garbage.

The remote communities receive their divide of that casino money just the same. You must be afraid to take on a real challenge. I do suppose that it is better to pretend and blame someone else than to take responsibility to learn from first hand experience.

Where does the money go then? If these remote reserves are recieving a portion of the millions that is generated by the casinos why is sthere such abject poverty. Maybe they should stock up on food instead of buying each other new trucks and ski doos.

Why are some greedy wealthy Canadians not helping Canada's poor people? When you find the answer to that you can then sit in judgment. I once visited a family of 8 native people and with very little to eat they still have the graciousness to ask me for dinner. From what I have experienced on visits to a number of reserves, most native people are more generous than Canadians, generally speaking.

UH wealthy canadians do help the poor. They help the natives too. The wealthy pay their TAXES which in turn provides money for services such as healthcare and welfare and subsidised housing.

[Ontario Voter]

delete

Edited October 7, 2007 by Ontario Voter

[Catchme]

However, in Canada squatters rights do not exist. The "owner" of the land can have them evicted.

Very rarely in any assertion of land claims rights have First Nations targeted regular Joe homeowner and told him to vacate. Instead, First Nations have strategically targeted vacant or semi-vacant lands to halt development, tree cutting or resource extraction as a means to exercise those claims. Sure Canadians have been inconvenienced, but that does not compare (nor can compare) to the injustice of having the lands stolen, squatted upon, abused and polluted and having complaints fall on deaf ears.

I hear lots of people complain "why now?" Up until about 1956 Indians were not considered human beings. They were prohibited from voting, from obtaining lawyers to fight land expropriations and could not even walk into a bar for a social evening. It has taken them about 5 decades to recover from the mal treatment, educate themselves and become knowledgeable about the same Canadian law they were told was preventing them from participating in society. Certainly a rational person could agree that 5 decades is a remarkable time for aboriginal people to advance themselves despite being held back by archaic laws, institutionalized racism and bigoted bureaucrats. In the last 20 years or so First Nations have researched the thousands of lands claims and found many of the dealings with the government less than honourable.

I acknowledge your point about inaccessible and remote communities suffering from the same ills. However, First Nations living adjacent to large centres still suffer from the same inequities, while the larger centres prosper. That is racial disparity. There should not be a water quality issue with a First Nation living close to our mainstream technological centres except the large towns and cities usually find a way to dump their sewage and garbage away for their own homes and upstream of a First Nation community. Until 20 years ago no one listened to their complaints, or recognized the diseases and early cancer deaths could be attributed to pollution that was outside of their control.

Something did change 20 years ago. Along with finding culturally sympathetic lawyers and university schooled natives, the aboriginals started to complain by blocking roads, posting information pickets on vital bridges and holding bulldozers and backhoes from destroying woodlands. The fact that we notice their plight (at least some of us who are willing to see what our history has done to aboriginal people) is directly related to the active protests and stand-offs First Nations people have had to take. I once heard this one native guy say "that they didn't like to use civil disobedience, but it was a necessary and effective way to bring the government to the table and that was where these issue would be solved" to paraphrase. We know the government doesn't listen to us and are only our friends when the election rolls around. How do you think they would treat as insignificant, sub-human, lazy bums living at their teet? And yet these myths prevail and are perpetuated ignorant xenophobic and entrenched in laws and attitudes in government that make it impossible to get their attention about misappropriated lands and money.

The Senate Sub Committee on Aboriginal Affairs warns us that native people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the pace at which their grievances are heard and ignored. They warn that violence could erupt as generations of aboriginals lose patience with decade of incompetent and expensive challenges to their claims. So far we have survive the relatively peaceful protests but I am concerned that we could be heading towards a civil uprising by native people. As citizens we have managed to stay out of the ruckus for the most part but should their concerns not be addressed we could very well become the reluctant targets of a bomb, drive by shooting or gang assault by youth that neither have the patience or the understanding of the complexity of the issue that our government refuses to acknowledge and correct.

Excellent post, you are quite correct FN's were NOT humans until the 1950's. That they have come so far in 50 years is amazing. Then there is all these misconceptions and lies being fostered to again try to cheat FN's out of their land and the money lost from resource extraction and from a bloated Aboriginal Affiars that took resources that should have been theirs.

People seem to have this idea that ALL FN's are 1 nation, they are not. For example, just because one band has casinos it does not me alll have a share in that money.

Apparently some also think, that because they read somewhere that some FN's thought lying was a good thing, they think all do. A lie in itself to support their xenophobia.

Much like the lie they were savages.

[Posit]

"When you have leaders who are basically running a mafia as band leadership you have problems. "

I agree. When are you going to focus on the corruption of our institutions in Ottawa who siphon money and offer privilege appointments to their mafia friends? Harper joined the club last year an all ready is shooting for God Father.

Natives respected people who were good liars.

Wrong again. Making such generalizations makes you appear below 72 on the intelligence scale. In fact if you HAD studied and researched you would have found that the to the Iroquois lying was once of the greatest crimes. In a system with a participatory democracy, trust and honour are important traits and when they are violated, you discredit not only yourself but you harm the entire community.

The monies received from the Casino pact can only go to projects that benefit the community as a whole. Go to any of the bands that are partners in the Ontario pact and you will find new health centres,, community and recreation complexes and sports fields all built partially from the Casino money. However the operations of these centres must come from general revenues and so many of these impressive buildings remain under utilized.

Still the Ontario government receives over 50% of the revenues from casinos, that they do not opening account for. Sure the Trillion Foundation doles out small amounts here and there for community capital projects but our politicians also take the liberty of granting themselves a 30% increase in salaries. On the other hand the big black trucks you see on the occasional reserve are bought and paid for by the Chiefs and Councilors who are earning a steady wage as band politicians. And while many on the reserves are impoverished, it is the result of underfunding, poor education and crappy health services because the federal government keeps their community begging for simple basic necessities like clean water and effective waste treatment.

Wealthy Canadians pay proportionally less taxes then the rest of us middle income Canadians. We carry the bulk of the tax load, while the rich control the loop holes and tax rebate schemes to their own benefit. As well in many instances where there has been a political choice between say setting minimum wages and providing funding for a new art gallery that only the rich will enjoy, we all know where the politicians have turned in the past. What you don't seem to realize that the taxes aren't yours. They belong to the government long before you ever earned the income your employer donates on your behalf. That you can use some magic math to snivel back a few bucks is admirable, but you never really earned the money in the first place. It is just a trick of corporate wizardry that by taxing you the companies you work for get to write off all sorts of employment expenses and save their tax cream from floating into the toilet with yours and landing in their pockets instead.

[Who's Doing What?]

People seem to have this idea that ALL FN's are 1 nation, they are not. For example, just because one band has casinos it does not me alll have a share in that money.

And why should "whitey" tax payers be footing the bill for Poor reserves, when FN's are raking in millions in profits from casinos? Why not spread the wealth? Warriors are willing to travel the country for a good fight to get some disputed land back. So why not send some money to the poor FN's who aren't lucky enough to live close to the border so they can smuggle smokes and booze, or close enough to a large population so they can rob them blind with their casinos.

Apparently some also think, that because they read somewhere that some FN's thought lying was a good thing, they think all do. A lie in itself to support their xenophobia.

That FN's, or SOME FN's used to hold good lying in high regard is not a lie. Perhaps you need to do some research.

Xenophobia eh? You have no clue what so ever. How is it xenophobic to want these people to be equal with the rest of Canadians? Is pointing out the fact that they are given special rights and status xenophobic? Seems like simple observation to me.

Much like the lie they were savages.

No they were a bunch of peacefull, well educated, earth loving people who never waged war, or killed one another. FN's were just as savage as anyone else. Or do you forget that alot of North Americans to some degree come from people once called Barbarians.

[Catchme]

Hey who is doing what, I need some money going to give me some? Of course not, bit unreasonable to think you would, eh?

What about casinos whitey's own, eh? Feel the same way about government run Casinos?

They are equal they just need to have their contracts recognized, and their rights as nations within a nation.

[Who's Doing What?]

Hey who is doing what, I need some money going to give me some? Of course not, bit unreasonable to think you would, eh?

I pay my taxes. If you need money the welfare system is there for you.

What about casinos whitey's own, eh? Feel the same way about government run Casinos?

Please enlighten me to all these Govt. and "whitey" owned casinos, and don't say Vegas, Reno or Atlantic City. I'll make sure to tell everyone I know to only go to them.

They are equal they just need to have their contracts recognized, and their rights as nations within a nation.

They are not equal. They are treated specially and given rights other Canadians don't have.

[Posit]

Aboriginal people are not "given" any rights over and above Canadians. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms "recognize" the pre-existing rights of aboriginal peoples. That means they cannot restrict native people by law or otherwise where a practice or treaty right existed before Canada became a crown corporation. There is a huge difference.