tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post6086177554211327065..comments2024-02-14T09:29:11.576-07:00Comments on Michael's Meanderings: What is Canada?Meandering Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00464355148386507875noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post-67993684497801284292008-07-04T08:52:00.000-07:002008-07-04T08:52:00.000-07:00I love Kenny!I love Kenny!Speakahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09568859860496466371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post-66953886204734732042008-07-03T11:57:00.000-07:002008-07-03T11:57:00.000-07:00Good post - lots of good points from everyone. Th...Good post - lots of good points from everyone. There are a bunch of rabbit trails we can chase down on this. First of all let me say that it is absolutely a fact of history that Canada has been despicable to the First Nations people and their certainly do continue to be issues today concerning treaties and the interpretations thereof. <BR/><BR/>So if I get this right - oil is found on treaty land - gov't wants it and is bullying their way into getting it. We're pissed because we all thought we were past this nonsense as Canadians. <BR/><BR/>Here are a few points. In this world we live in with the current crisis - if the oil is economically accessible it WILL be had by somebody at some point - get used to it. If it's not this gov't it will be the next one. It will happen though. Next point - what way would this project be made acceptable to the First Nations people involved? Not doing it at all is probably not realistic so what WOULD work for them? Have they considered that or simply cried out against the injustice of it all? (it is unjust - but it is also GOING to happen if the almighty dollar says it should) Third point - what can we do about it other than not be proud of Canada. <BR/><BR/>I realize I sound quite jaded here but it does seem futile to me to simply talk about what should be idealistically when it just isn't going to happen. It would be nice to be able to "give all the land back" to the First Nations people and allow them to return to a land based culture. That isn't going to happen though no matter how much we want it to so it becomes moot wishful thinking but without any practical value. Canada has evolved beyond that and there is no going back to what was. Some things are facts of life. We can wish all we want that there would be peace between Muslims and the West and that the warring factions in tribal Africa and the Middle East would be nice to each other and live peacefully. Good luck with that. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps we all have to accept some of these things as reality and find solutions that will work for everyone. It is unfortunate that these people are in the way of the bulldozer of progress and "colonialism" as one of you put it but they are - and it is pretty tough to push against a bulldozer that's coming at you at full speed. Rather find a way to make the bulldozer do some work for you that you want done.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03893884702630058841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post-25946010096391415322008-07-03T08:45:00.000-07:002008-07-03T08:45:00.000-07:00Wow it works. Ok here is my take on the blog, I d...Wow it works. Ok here is my take on the blog, I don't celebrate Canada day because it would mean I am proud of the destruction and the continued assault on our people and most importantly our land. Colonialism is destroying us, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and to believe the Canadian government has stopped is exactly what they want you to believe. They continue on their policies of assimilation which they strategically planned to get to do away with Indian problem. That what we are because we stand in the way of development of the land. On to the "apology", Yes, a lot of people seen it as a step in the right direction but what direction? I think if Canada was truly sorry they would give us our land back because if you examine what the residential schools were about you will see they were to take the Indians off the land. To severe the ties to our life. The schools were not to educate they were strategic insofar as they would instill colonial values to view the land as a commodity. Which is happening today in the land claims negotiations. I see the apology as a politic of distraction, it only deals with the symptoms but does not address the true issue which is the land. You brought out land claims and Guaranteed the people who are negotiating land claims are residential school survivors who think they can make progress working along side their oppressors . And elder once told me, "if you play by their rules in their games its no wonder you get screwed in the the end". SO I am glad you see the how Canada is not the peaceful nation it is made out to be. <BR/>RyanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post-69395557045218293432008-07-03T08:08:00.000-07:002008-07-03T08:08:00.000-07:00Interesting post, I would agree with some of what...Interesting post, I would agree with some of what you said but not all. I am just seeing if this will post but I will add to the conversation shortly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21596698.post-57182697389681063042008-07-02T14:56:00.000-07:002008-07-02T14:56:00.000-07:00Another aspect of the imbalanced relationship: at ...Another aspect of the imbalanced relationship: at least some of the treaties guarantee that First Nations people would have education and medical care looked after by the government. <BR/><BR/>Of course, all Canadian children are given basic education, anyway, (I won't go into the resourcing for schools in communities with rampant learning problems brought on by social issues), but some First Nations people are entitled to more medical care than the "average" Canadian... some free dental work, medications, etc. <BR/><BR/>However, there is so much demand for these comparatively under-resourced services that the waiting list is months long, so that many people never really get the care they need... or only in a stop-gap way. One dentist I know who worked both in NWT and here in Yukon said they could never get everything done that needed to be done and got so frustrated with the job that he finally had to quit for his own sanity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com