Aboriginal group to file human rights complaint against Ottawa

[stignasty]

Aboriginal group to file human rights complaint against Ottawa

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/02/05/...-complaint.html

Last Updated: Monday, February 5, 2007 | 10:31 AM ET

CBC News

The Assembly of First Nations is set to file a human-rights complaint against the federal government, Chief Phil Fontaine said Monday, adding that Ottawa must end its "systemic discrimination" of underfunding aboriginal child-welfare services.

"Our children need action now, so I am announcing today [Monday] that we are putting governments on notice that a lack of action should be viewed as putting children at risk," Fontaine said to the International Congress on Ethics in Gatineau, Que.

One in 10 aboriginal children is in foster care, compared with one in 200 non-aboriginal children.

As well, the assembly says, child-welfare agencies for First Nations get 22 per cent less money than those that deal with non-aboriginal children.

Fontaine said that because child-services agencies are underfunded, agencies are instead spending their resources on taking children away from their parents.

[jbg]

While identity preservation may once have been a good idea, now, it should be integration. The social problems on the reservation are too profound. Now, instead of culture, you're preserving slow death.

Current policy is now unethical or criminal. The reserves should be closed, the land given as parcels to individual tribe membes, and made freely alienable.

[Who's Doing What?]

This is so wrong. The dept of Indian and Northern Affairs had 5.9 billion dollars in it's budget last year. If the natives are having trouble maybe thay should be looking at how to redistribute the money.

[jbg]

This is so wrong. The dept of Indian and Northern Affairs had 5.9 billion dollars in it's budget last year. If the natives are having trouble maybe thay should be looking at how to redistribute the money.

Yes, away from the band leaders.

[margrace]

Evidently there has'nt been an Native Claim settled in the last 10 years and some of them are over 100 years old. So I propose that we just give them back their land. Its calle s**t or get off the pot.

[scribblet]

Evidently there has'nt been an Native Claim settled in the last 10 years and some of them are over 100 years old. So I propose that we just give them back their land. Its calle s**t or get off the pot.

Let me know when you step up and give them yours first.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Let me know when you step up and give them yours first.

c'mon what are the odds he has any land to give?

It's always easier to make a call for magnanimity and sharing when it doesn't effect you personally.

[scribblet]

Let me know when you step up and give them yours first.

c'mon what are the odds he has any land to give?

It's always easier to make a call for magnanimity and sharing when it doesn't effect you personally.

Isn't it always the way, those who espouse socialism are quite happy to give away other people's mone and land, not their of course.

I believe Fontaine said at an an Assembly - "We want to be real contributors to Canada's prosperity. We never ever wanted to be dependent on someone else. Any suggestion that we are happy with our current situation is so completely wrong."

In that case, I'd like to suggest that Mr. Fontaine requests the Feds. to dissolve the Indian Act. This act costs the billions, and no accountability required. This way they certainly would not be dependent on the taxpayer.

[White Doors]

Evidently there has'nt been an Native Claim settled in the last 10 years and some of them are over 100 years old. So I propose that we just give them back their land. Its calle s**t or get off the pot.

Not true. The Conservatives just signed one this past summer.

[Wilber]

Evidently there has'nt been an Native Claim settled in the last 10 years and some of them are over 100 years old. So I propose that we just give them back their land. Its calle s**t or get off the pot.

Actually there was one settled last month in BC with the Tsawwassen band and another a few years back with the Nishga. The question open to debate is what exactly is their land.

[geoffrey]

When are the various Indian groups going to be made accountable for their own welfare?

Essientially, if transfers for child welfare increase, we're going to see Chiefs with bigger trucks, more casino developments and the children are going to be in the same state.

It's difficult to understand why Canadians endorse these blank cheques to the Indian groups all the time. Don't you agree it's about time to see some REAL results?

Here's a proposal. Cut all funding to the bands. Instead, send the money to individual Indians. Have the band tax them (could even be a 'payroll' type tax to ensure they don't spend it on beer before taxes). Then that makes the council accountable to the people they serve.

It's just impossible for Indians to live the way they do with the money we give them. It's on average $10k per Indian if we were to divide up all the transfers and the budget from Indian Affairs. That's $40k a year for the family of four in transfers.

It's not only a massive burden on taxpayers, but it's ridiculous because we see the least results per dollar when dealing with these people.

So maybe it's time for Ottawa to file some human rights complaints against the band leadership that are subjecting their members to such suffer, while accumulating at times massive wealth for themselves. I think it's time we open up council books to the Auditor General.

[Wilber]

A good start Geoffrey, followed by a concerted effort to settle land claims. It might cost a bundle up front for compensation but it would be better than bleeding for eternity and possibly we could get rid of the Department of Indian Affairs once and for all.

[geoffrey]

A good start Geoffrey, followed by a concerted effort to settle land claims. It might cost a bundle up front for compensation but it would be better than bleeding for eternity and possibly we could get rid of the Department of Indian Affairs once and for all.

I don't agree with land claims. It's relatively impossible to prove settlement areas of certain Early American groups. Especially the plains dwellers, who had really no permenant areas of establishment.

Let them dividie up their current reservations, then convert them to fee simple ownership. That's it, that's all.