I've been #IdleTooLong about this whole topic, and I feel like I need to express my point of view without disrupting innocent travelers on highways, and cargo carrying freight trains.
First, allow me to clarify that I am a Cree man with full status. I have family in positions of political power in this very province, and should declare that my opinions are my own. While everyone needles over the finite details of the current situation, I'd like to paint my thoughts for you with much broader strokes.

I'm so very proud of my culture. The way the plains Indians lived on this land was a fantastic example of community, art, respect for our environment, ingenuity, and spirituality. I'm proud of the native inspired tattoos that I sport permanently on my body. As a father, I'm teaching my son that same respect and understanding of where his blood derives from, in the hopes that his pride will outshine the prejudice he will inevitably experience growing up, or at some point in his life.

I'm also very proud to be Canadian. Our vast mosaic of cultures, languages, and beliefs make up this welcoming land of opportunity for all. Whether you like it or not, we all have the same citizenship, but some have a different view on the value of it.

I don't pretend to know all the ins and outs of the government bills, documentation, or policy that is driving the current protests, but I've intently watched news stories, read columns, and have regularly monitored the comments being made on facebook. Based on all of this, I feel the need to break my silence on this issue.

1 - It's embarrassing how the #IdleNoMore protest is being handled.
Blocking major traffic thoroughfares does nothing good to bring support and awareness to your cause, it creates immediate animosity towards you. Protesting freely in parks or in front of government buildings seems like a much more productive way to attract the attention of those you seek. The politicians. Not the regular welder-Joe who's just trying to get to work. Hold him up and cost him money? See how much support you'll get out of that guy...

Clarify what you are protesting for, or against. I've never seen such a passionate group of people go forward in protest in such disarray, and without clearly stating what it's all about. If it's generally about your need to be consulted, respected, justified for being mistreated, or the preservation of your culture, then let's be out with it and start a constructive discussion.

Understand that you do not need to be consulted for anything any more than the Canadian citizen next to you does. Your opinion on things doesn't count "more" than anyone else's.
Respect is earned, not given.

There's no question that the native people of yesterday were brutalized, hunted, tortured, and humiliated for decades. It's awful, and no one should ever have to suffer like that. The elders of the time signed those treaties to bring peace, and offer what they hoped would be a leg-up in a new world that they realized couldn't be held at bay. But those days are long over. It defies logic to have the current population pay for the tragedies committed by people that came so long before them.

The preservation of your culture is YOUR job, not anyone else's. For example, Polish, Irish, and Ukrainian societies thrive all over the country with very little or no support from government coffers. They celebrate traditional dance, language, and food all by simply passing it down from generation to generation. Native communities can do the very same thing (and generally do), but without financial support.

2 - "This movement is about the whole environment, its not just about the treaties....The bill that passed now un protects the rivers, lakes, forests, land, etc, etc, so we need this bill to further protect ur childrens futures.....thanks to Harper Govt....rigs n developemtn will pollute the air, waters, etc, etc.."

It's no secret that our Canadian economy is driven by the oil and gas industry. Yes, there have been some awful environmental blunders due to a plethora of different reasons. I heartily agree that we need to protect our natural areas that support wildlife, but I also know that there is aggressive legislation, and powerful government offices in place that already have that very same sentiment at heart. Millions of Canadians support green technology and research, as well as lobby for stronger federal policy. So if that's what this is all about, there's no need to blockade anything, as a majority of people would already agree with you.

3 - "It is about the 480 page Bill that the government has passed without you knowing about it. It went through the house of commons and the senate in 2 wks. 480 pgs long...do you think that many people had time to read it? It says that under age criminals can be punished as adults. It makes more budget cuts. The librarians at schools are being budget cut. It is about ALOT more than Aboriginals, it's about everyone in Canada. The Aboriginals are the ones who started to realize the Bill was gonna to do irreversable damage!"

Back in the days of copying notes off a blackboard or projector in school, I'm certain I've WRITTEN 480 pages in two weeks, let alone read that many. In a political world where literacy at a high level is demanded, I'm willing to bet that most could plow through that many pages in a very short period of time. I suppose the content would be laden with bureaucratic jargon and would need time to fully interpret...but that's why you have a legal team.
Quite frankly, I agree with underage criminals being tried as adults, and I'm willing to bet that a landslide majority of Canadians will agree with me.

Budget cuts are a reality of our democratic world. I'm not sure if this means that librarians from schools are being removed, or the library itself, but the fact of the matter is, our schools rely on a healthy economy for funding. When money gets tight, things get sacrificed. I truly hope that the readily available knowledge in a library would be the last to go.

4 - "It's not about the Aboriginals! That is what they are doing to distract you from what it really is about! It only affects the aboriginals- just like it will effect ALL of us!"
This is very confusing, but seems to sum up the general knowledge about what is going on. Who is "they"? Are we going into conspiracy theory depths here? Do people not realize that we have an official opposition in place as a natural government watchdog to debate everything that in-power government is trying to enact? If there were truly earth shattering implications in the bill in question, the opposition would be whistle blowing and bleating into any available microphone available so fast it would make your head spin.

First and foremost, I'm a human being just like you. I believe in equality. Across the board equality. Our country is so multicultural, that to give any specific group levity over everyone else is completely ridiculous. I'm not familiar with the particulars of old treaties signed, but I get the gist because I have used some of the special privileges provided to me. I do not pay for health care. I did for awhile in my young working life, but then the government discovered my native status and sent me a HUGE apology letter, and a cheque for every dime I had put into the system. Odd. I lived just up the street from my fellow truck driving friends, did the same job, paid the same taxes...yet there I was with this benefit because of my racial background and some papers that were signed all those years ago. I've used it for eye wear. This was particularly handy when I was �up against it� financially, but had broken my glasses welding. Here's the thing though, why should I have an advantage on a co-worker who might be in the same situation? It's not fair, and it needs to stop.

I move that Canadians start their own march towards coast to coast equality, or at least the serious discussion of it. Our country should offer no free rides to anyone. No help for those who refuse to help themselves. No quarter for those who would inhibit the lives and success of others. No limit to what anyone can accomplish with a steely resolve, and a great idea. It doesn't matter who built the first camp fires and communities on this land, it's those that work hard to continue to stoke the flames of collective well being that matter.

As a man that stands by his word, I pledge to never again use my native status to further myself in a way that isn't available to every other Canadian. I will leave my son unregistered, and will teach him the importance of keeping it that way. I am a proud native man, and a hard working, forward thinking Canadian that believes the opportunities and advantages this country has to offer should be available to everyone equally.

- Anthony Sowan
@sowanonair

please share

UPDATE: After watching a day of comments...

For those of you that feel that I need to meticulously read treaty documentation, and Native history, I offer you this: There is no argument you can offer that justifies inequality of any kind in this country.

I said I didn't know every detail, but I also didn't say I'm completely uneducated on the subject. I also encourage people to think for themselves based on their own research.

No matter how you cut it, the monetary compensation and general advantages need to stop. Horrific things happened to people/races throughout history, and although I'm not condoning or supporting it, I do not feel that they should be given anything more than anyone else. The atrocities committed, in this instance, happened a long time ago to/by people that no longer exist. I agree that it should never be forgotten, but it makes no sense to have the innocent Canadian citizens of the present pay for crimes committed by someone else in a different time.

Really, the people that are abusing you the worst, are the people you have placed in leadership positions. Not ALL of them are corrupt, but there are some very serious issues with monetary responsibility. I honestly don't know how some band leaders haven't been arrested for fraud, embezzlement, and more.

The first step of "healing" is to put the past in it's place. Only then can you work on your own personal lives, which will then naturally stem into becoming whole as a community. The healing you want and need can come from no government program, and no external source. #CanadianEquality

1. Yup, the aboriginals killed other aboriginals, from the savage, murderous Aleuts, ancestors of today's Inuits, who invaded the peaceful communities of the Dorset People AND THE NORSE, who settled in Canada, BEFORE them, traded and inter-married with the Dorsets to "Huronia".

Then, there was the hideous genocide of the Iroquois, who murdered,raped and tortured other aboriginals as well as EATING them, UNTIL WHITE people put a stop to this, Champlain, de Tracy, etc.

2. I USED to have sympathy and cared about aboriginals, now, I just loathe the whole bloody bunch of them and am ready to FIGHT BACK! Fuggem, they are asking for what that cowardly murderer Riel, got for his racist killing of Scott.

3. WHERE and WHEN did "white" people EVER engage in genocide against aboriginals here in Canada????? NEVER and we have NOTHING to be ashamed of in our past!

This chap sounds OK, but, he is one of a TINY minority of aboriginals and I think that we need "Batoche", again to teach them that WE own Canada, ALL of US!!!!

This is one Indian that I have nothing but admiration and respect for, based on his comments. It's not easy to turn away a free meal in the interest of self-sufficiency and self-esteem, and I applaud him for it.

As for the Indian terrorists that are carrying on with illegal disruption of society and the economy- the law is the law, and they are breaking it. If the police are unwilling to enforce the law, then citizens will take it into their own hands sooner or later, and I'll be in full support of such action. The right to peaceable protest is one thing, but now they're infringing on all OUR rights, which is not okay. Time to put an end to it.

Udder non-sense, propaganda if you will, at least you speak up for yourself I applaud that,, your comment of the polish, irish and ukrainian can thrive over the country is where you hit the nail on the head, why is that?,, because this great country made if possible for them, free land, boat loads of people that were tossed out of their own country, only to come here and start their same crap here, you foolish brainwashed man

Gullible or what? That's a good example of creative writing if I've ever seen one! Gullible. ;-)

I'm starting to feel flattered that you like to follow me around like a puppy.

Of course the validity of the document cannot be verified, which is why I said what I said, "based on his comments".

Kutenay

Scott was executed for his murder of a young boy who was handicapped, Scott got what he deserved, a common sentence at the time for murder in cold blood.
This genocide of which you speak takes on different forms, are you saying that cultural genocide never took place?
An example of this would be where you are born and raised, what happened to all the native people and communitys in the WK? Then to declare some of the indian nations extinct is in my view a another example of genocide, for thousands of years that land was inhabited by native people and now there are none, I'll wait for your reply, your pal BA

673...

i could find no mention of Scott murdering anyone, in any history writings.
it could be the old axiom ..."he who wins gets to rewrite history" ??

just about every writing more or less stated that Scott was an azzhole.

I have read it a number of times, in eye-witness accounts of the day, googling it might not work, scott was an azzhole alright, the young boys name was norbert parisien

Let me be totally clear, here, as I dislike the false "history", phoney posing as some sort of "special" person/group that certain self-deluded posters continually indulge in and the claims of "founding" status as Canadians, that a number of individuals have, in the past, posted, when their first family members came to Canada, in the 20thC.

1. Riel, OFFERED to stay in the USA and NEVER further engage in ANY political activity in "the Northwest Territories" of CANADA, after he had RUN AWAY from "his people".

He informed Sir John. A. MacDonald, one of Canada's greatest citizens, that, IF, the Dominion Government, would PAY him MONEY, he would give up his ludicrous pretensions to "nationhood" for "his" people, the French-aboriginals who called themselves, "metis".

MacDonald, in view of subsequent events, probably should have paid the vile, mentally-deranged coward off and PERHAPS thus averted the tragedy that followed. However, "Sir John" was a Scot and no more "fightin" tribal warriors exist, even now, so, he told Riel, to pretty much pound sand.

Scott, was an offensive bigot and a mouthy pri*k that should have been deported back to the UK, BUT, while an "Orangeman" who hated the metis mostly due to their staunch Roman Catholicism and essential "Frenchness", he WAS NOT merely an object for an illegal "court" to decide to MURDER.

The psychotic delusions of Riel, about somehow being a "leader" of a "nation" led to his deliberately refusing to take the advice of the very Roman Catholic clerical men who had made it possible for him to enroll in the school operated by "The Gentlemen of St. Sulpice" and thus receive an education that was the finest available in Canada, at that time.

They, BEGGED him to release Scott and contact the Canadian government officials to have the LEGAL courts of Canada, decide his guilt and subsequent fate....Riel, refused, stated that Scott, was to be executed for "insubordination" and the unfortunate bigot was MURDERED.

Riel, had NO legal status to even try another Canadian, and certainly ANY killing under the circumstances, of the time and place. WAS MURDER, just as the cowardly killings by the Islamist terrorists of Jewish and American journalists is today.

2.The specious term, "cultural genocide" is as the also false "first nations" label is, a recent creation of the "indian industry", first widely promulgated in the 1980s.

It is a part of the attempt to initiate a sympathy among the general public for the phoney claims to "ownership" of Canada, by usually competing gangs of aboriginal and mixed-breed social parasites and a few supporters among the academic rabble who "teach" "women's studies" and other such useless and dishonest tripe.

There HAS NEVER been ANY actual genocide upon the primitive and parasitic hominids known in Canada, as "indians". REAL "genocide" as in the fascist murder of millions circa 1933-45 or in that darling of the left's Chinese regime, Mao Zedong, entailed the deliberate killing of MILLIONS by verious methods.

To equate the changes in aboriginal tribes to that is an insult to the memory of some 6.000,000 Jews, probably as many Roma, Gay, mentally-ill and other innocent humans, the very idea is offensive.

I AM a ...native... of the WK and WE BUILT every aspect of the vibrant, progressive and TAXPAYING society there, while also generously funding ANY aboriginal to attend the schools and colleges that WE, not they, built and maintain.

I went to college with an indian from Colville,WA..who was born in the USA and STILL was completely supported financially by WE Canadian taxpayers. He came to school here as the subsidies were more generous at the time in Canada, and he wanted to avoid serving HIS country in Vietnam.

He, told me this in person, his name was "Leon" and he laughed at the Canadian government for paying him and those like him....but, he TOOK the money.....gee, ain't that a surprise!

In the WK, there are now, as there have been for some centuries, aboriginal communities and these are most generously subsidized by we "white" taxpayers. The FACT is that while most of the East Kootenay "indians" chose to remain in Canada, the West Kootenay tribe decided to move to the winter homes they had around Colville, WA, USA and this was VOLUNTARY.

The Dominion Of Canada, for simple administrative reasons due to the fact that NO members of this tribe had remained in the WK for a long time, decided to declare them "extinct" as, in Canadian, terms, they were and still are. Yet, ANY ONE of these foreign-born indians CAN and often DOES enter Canada, as they chose and also can obtain federal funding for education, etc.

One can hold any opinion one chooses to in the free culture created by WHITE Canadians, some believe in "The Easter Bunny" while others "drink the kool-aid"of the "indian industry"; however, factual, historical reality does not support the delusions of "borderline personality" types and NO "genocide" by Euro. peoples IN CANADA, against the very primitive hominids who cause so much discord here has ever happened.

I think that these "siberians" should return to THEIR REAL "traditional territories" and see how the governments
THERE deal with their outrageous antics......

Note: When one is making a historical comment, it is customary to give the actual source of said information and this can be done, "inter alia" or by "footnotes".

To use supposed ...eye witness... accounts of ANY event is to really just post an opinion and we all know about them.........

We can agree that Scott, was a type of extreme bigot that has caused major misery for centuries in every jurisdiction involved with the U.K. However, this fact did NOT "give" the psychotic, cowardly murderer, Riel, the "right" to kill him or even to hold his "kangaroo court".

lol, I dont know where to begin, its hard to remember primary or secondary sources when a lifetime of study from neutral points of view are considered, for now, this is all I have time for,,
Riel is "the father of Manitoba"
Your recounting of events in the WK is inaccurate, surprising a man of your intellect. Its no wonder the indians took care of your viking ancestors, they probably wrote in CAPITAL LETTERS inciting them to off the offensive loudmouths.
I wouldn't mind seeing your sources for your version of the WK timeline of events.

Hate to be the one to rain on your parade but old Louis was crazier than a bag full of hammers.

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/transactions/3/rielinsanity.shtml

Never said he wasn't crazy, or perhaps a mental disease a better term, which btw, is not uncommon in todays society, (after reading some peoples posts), the term bi-polar wasn't common until recently and some of the worlds greatest minds were bi-polar.

John A. McDonald wasn't bipolar...he was a drunk, everybody knows that. His big push in history was to steal as much as possible from natives...any false claims that he wasn't persuing genocide on FNs is really specious. ;-)

So you admit to posting trash? At least your could have put in a few spelling mistakes to make it look realistic. :-). You white guys are funny...always making shyt up!!

??

Put down the bottle and get some sleep, man...

I cannot see posts by CS or the other one, "673",who formerly posted here as, IIRC, "Bad Arrow".

I do recall that they used to brag here about guzzling Heineken Beer and this leads me to think that you are probably correct and these two illiterate characters have been into the "firewater".......typical, eh.

I really do find it best to use the "ignore" function here for the few imbeciles who haunt so many forums to whine and snivel about the "White Man" as arguing with such characters is useless and I have no interest in anything that they might say.

You're a smart man, kut

Oh man...you'll be slipping him some tongue next. ;-).

i found Norbert Parizien ... http://www.biographi.ca/EN/009004-119.01-e.php?id_nbr=4641

as always things are not necessarily factual in internet threads.

but interesting facts do come to light.

Do you think so....
Kutenay puts some of us on ignore because they call him on his bs, although well written and at times on fact, however, every good lie has an element of truth to it,
Thanks for digging up the link hornhead, I'll stand by my version of events until proven wrong,, I'm still waiting for kutenays sources for the WK genocide. In the WK the "indians" or "savages" were hit real hard by small pox, they were moved to the Okanagan basin and to the EK by the federal gov, some volintarily went to the US where they habituated for thousands of years. Some would have you believe they moved of their own free will, non-sense.
One of the major arteries of NA contains no native people today, all village sites, artifacts and facts have been flooded because of the various dams on the Columbia, as well is it worth mentioning 100% of the salmon stock on that river are non-existant today, and the Natives are to blame for declining salmon stock on the west coast.
In regards to the original post about the full status cree, so what, if its a legitimate letter, I could have presented many letters on the contrary from other full status natives, big deal, its an opinion, "turncoats" come in different shades.
I only drink casually, never in excess for fear of being stereotyped as some like to do when on the defensive, "insecure" about themselves. Please quote me as I'm sure I am on ignore now, sound familiar?? just like the federal gov puts the Natives on ignore.
BA

Interesting and just another tragic example of how tribal hatreds and mindless loyalty can bring about horrific results in human affairs.

However, "There are some kinds of ignorance, against which even the Gods, struggle in vain"....Schiller, later Heine.

These threads are so often an example of that, due to the self-seeking, delusionary racism here of a few,self-styled "fn" troublemakers the entire Canadian forum has lost much of it's former quality.

The current situation in Canada, with aboriginal terrorists and social parasites causing troubles and threatening mayhem, is going to finally bring about the "war" that the leaders constantly whine about......and, the results will devastate them.

Every good marriage has a few bumps in the road, Canada will survive, peacefully

A marriage is a mutually-beneficial partnership. This is a parasitic relationship. Make no mistake.

I think that it has gone FAR beyond that and we are now so far into a violent, racist and socially destructive situation concernng these people, that all I can hope for is that no decent Canadian is killed or injured in the coming battles.

The parasitic nature of aboriginals is probably "un-fixable" with the rare and temporary exception such as the Osoyoos tribe/band. The opportunity for peaceful assimilation is also gone and will not happen again.

The best option for we Canadians, is to demand that our federal government create a specialized armed forces group, a "heavy battalion" which is state of the art, trained and equipped for the single purpose of eliminating ALL unacceptable actions by aboriginals and any other undesirables, see "separatistes" as another problem group.

I think that a large, violent demonstration, such as "Oka" or "Caledonia", IF, instantly crushed by "tac air" and mechanized infantry, would teach these scum a lesson. If, repeated every few years, it would keep things quiet and peaceful.

Yes, I'm sick of the parasites too, darn government

The first thing they should do is disarm the people by banning firearms ownership, then by hosting socialist rallys, enticing new membership into this elite party,, oh wait, this has already been tried...it was very quiet and peaceful then too

Ohhhhhhh Rene, what ever happened to let me go in peace? Phony, lying, pot stirring, loose sphincter.

Why would this "Rene" have a loose sphincter? Oh,, I see...

I see Kutenay has buried his head in the sand as he doesn't like to answer questions nor ask them, its opinion after opinion about every culture, attacking Sikh's, and others, not just aboriginals, exalting his own without blemish, engaging in plaglarism from racist books regularily. He never lived near any Natives nor had any contact with any native culture whatsoever, and is the true parasite of Canada. This is the result of long hours of daydreaming in a firetower, where his only entertainment was reading and the occasional fight between his left hand, and his right

All this other blithering aside, I stand with the Cree dude and his common sense in the face of the money grabbing parasites that try to call themselves a nation. I do not believe that all aboriginals agree with what is going on, or even clearly understand it. I would assume that their ancestors are ashamed.
Now que Canuckshooter and more brainwashed rhetoric. Your a mixed breed same as I am and just as much a part of any nation other than Canada as I am. It is time to shut your mouth and stand beside or behind, because those who try to stand in front will be trampled by the tide. The last is a quote from a famous person any "First Nation" person should know well. I am betting that you don't.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/nati...e+no+more+movement/6442793725/story.html

Hah! So what was that about the post being counterfeit, CS?

It's obviously a fellow bucking for a promotion in a white dominated industry by telling them what they want to hear. :-). He admits to using his benefits already...now he wants to be absolved of his past? Put him out of work and you'll see how fast he reverts to his old ways. ;-)

I think they are doing quite well....nothing to be ashamed about when you can negotiate settlements like this one.

Nipissing First Nation has received an Offer to Settle in the amount of $123,900,000.00 payable in five (5) equal installments over five years with the first installment being in the amount of $24,780,000.00. Canada has agreed to pay interest on outstanding installments. The proceeds of the claim are required to be deposited into the Land Claim Settlement Trust Account.

I see a photo of the back of someones head, that tells me alot about who wrote the article, my bad, its in the media it must be true.
OK, I'll let you have "the cree dude wrote the letter" there you go,, you can stand with him thats fine, I'll stand with the thousands or hundreds of thousands of aboriginal people who dont share his view, or the perhaps millions of non-aboriginals who also dont share his view.
As for understanding the issue's as you say, why should the common "indian" "clearly understand" the issue's when Shaun Atleo does not, neither do you, or me, I only need to understand one thing,,,dont take anything more from aboriginal Canada. You assume wrong about ancestors being ashamed, nope, so wrong again.
Dont know who the author of your stand beside behind quote,, it could be any one of the great up and coming aboriginal leaders of today,, Clarence Louie is one such man, however, a man who grew up and lives in some of the richest real estate in Canada has very little understanding of what it takes to succeed in a northern saskatchewan reserve that has to boil their drinking water. You are right about one thing,, many aboriginal people do agree with the cree dude, live off reserve, pay taxes like everyone else, take the Metis people for example, they pay taxes and are "proud taxpayers of Canada" those are the words of a great aboriginal leader, David Chartrand.

You seem to know me well? I am Metis not just a mixed breed as you profess to be. :-). The funny thing is, if your not lying about your ancestry, is that you are now an Indian as defined by the Indian Act whether you like it or not!! You seem to find some shame in that, perhaps you should look inward to find out why you allowed your self esteem to be crushed so badly? BTW-I'll shut my mouth when I choose to, not when some twit tells me too. ;-)

That dude must be a school teacher, reminds me of a school teacer I had once CS

That or a catholic priest...self righteous overbearing INDIAN.. And he is ashamed of himself!! LMAO

Another one who knows whats best for me, cant have too many of them,, like this Rene who started this thread,, from France, lol, theres a good example of a country that can share advice on how to forget the past,
This is a country that its citizens are furious with its gov for letting foreigners over populate the country and force their views upon a once proud nation, Napoleon had it right,lol, dont loose your passport Rene.

There is Canada. No seperate sub nations.
I have lots of ancestry, but I am of one nationality. Canadian, Canuck, whatever.
I here a lot of childish "don't tell me what I am, blahblahblah."
The other thing I am hearing from you two is that there are Indians and Canadians, and yours is out for the cash.
Sad world view and its too bad it's being perpetuated.
Half breed, mixed breed, whatever you want to call it. I have not persued metis status because I see no reason. Should I persue English, Italian and German citizenship too? Why get somethig that I don't identify with? I don't need it; I identify myself as a Canadian and I can be proud enough of that to keep from looking for something else to make me feel special.
Feel free to call me more names, or whatever you like. Proves a point.

I hate to break it to you, there are nations within Canada. If you took some time to learn the structure of your country you'd know this. It doesn't matter if you don't self identify it doesn't change what you are! You are Indian under the act, and by breeding.

Can you imagine a guy whose name is Cohen trying to convince the SS he's not Jewish??? That is what your doing by trying to deny your heritage....sad.

Demographics of British Columbia, some interesting statistics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_British_Columbia

Well rem338, I'm not trying to pick on you but you are right about something, its about your metis status not being persued, there is no benefit, no tax exemptions, no land, no FA, really, I guess benefit can only be measured in some financial way, tax status or some other, not so, most people persue Metis status because they are proud of their nation and who they are as a Metis.
If you choose not to identify with the Metis people of Canada then that is sad, btw, self identification as being Metis is one of the criteria to gaining Metis status. If you dont identify then sobeit YOUR choice.
Even within the "indian nations" there are many separate nations within Canada, thats part of the issue, the word is diversity,,,Sioux, cree, Saulteaux, Carrier, all separate nations within Canada. Canada has went well out of their way to make some of the newly arriving people feel more than welcome.

I'd bet that if the govt came out and said they would refund all the income tax Metis have paid over the years he'd change his tune fast. ;-)

I have no idea what is best for you 673. I don't know you as an individual. Never claimed I did. I would like to see all Canadians prosper. I'm not worried about my place here in NW Ontario. I am born and bred Canadian and here to stay. I am looking forward to the end of the Indian act. I am also looking forward to the opening of the books on the native industry. I'm looking forward to equality for all Canadians.

Not a chance. A man with two masters hates one and loves the other.
I have standards and they can't be bought. I have enough pride in my Heritage to accept what it is: history. And I refuse to pursue most of it.
Will chasing some sort of "Status" change me? Will it make me better? Without that status can I not enjoy the culture without having some bureaucratic group recognizing me as one of them?
I find it sad you had to have the gov recognize you to make you who you are. Too bad that is the new culture. Or "nation".
Done here.

Ha, you would succumb to your greed!! It's laughable that you'd even try to deny it. :-)

2 masters?? I dont think so,

We dont need/didn't need the gov to recognize us to make us who/what we are, that happened in 1982, and our people were fine and thriving before that, dont be so superficial rem338, we are who we are through our own works, without any gov help, indian act, we created everything ourselves without a handout.

I'm happy you are secure in yourself, good, I would like to see the books opened to,, by who I wonder? good luck.
Equality for all Canadians, we already have that, just stop trying to take anything from me to maintain this equality you speak of,, look you have already taken our land, children for 3 generations in residential school where we lost our language, culture, and any pride was beaten out of them, your not taking anymore bub

I get a kick out of this "you took our land" BS. Just because a couple hundred thousand (probably WAY less than that!) people decided that this country was theirs, and called "dibs" on the second largest land-mass country in the world, doesn't mean that they automatically get exclusive ownership of all that land. In fact, a larger group of people came from a population-dense area to expand the human population across the face of the Earth, and decided that calling "dibs" wasn't good enough.

I think you WAY over-estimate the national support of your cause, there 673. A local radio poll in Calgary found that over 70% of people that responded were against the INM movement. When all the masses that have been quietly paying their taxes and supporting all the parasites in this country for years under the various treaties, finally grow restless and their tolerance is exhausted, many eyes will be opened.

You say that no more should be taken from your people, but you miss the fact that many valuable elements of life will be GIVEN to you by eliminating all treaties and integrating Indians into mainstream society. Among those elements would be a drastically increased standard of living compared to the lifestyle seen on many reserves. Nobody is trying to take away your culture, languages, or identity. You can continue to practice those in mainstream society, just as the East Indians, Asians, and Europeans do. And just like us native-born Canadians do. That is entirely up to you and your people.

And no, we don't already have equality for all Canadians. Indians have more rights, are shown greater leniency with the law, and are given more opportunities than are other cultures found in Canada. Look back into the history of the nations and you'll see that it's always the privileged that whine the loudest about changes that will bring equality.

This time the Indian people have gone too far, demanding yet more rights and privileges over other Canadians. There is a storm brewing among the quiet masses, and the winds of change are starting to swirl. Luckily, this will be for the benefit of all Canadians, whether certain groups recognize it, or not.

Let's just try to do what we can now to make things better in the future for you and your decendants and mine. You have to get away from this thinking that we took all these things from you. You have been given much to be thankful for. There are really many people in this world and societies that have no chance for anything better. They would give anything to be living in Canada, even on a remote reserve. You have the chance to make your lives better now. There are many amung you who have made a better life and are inspiring others to do the same. Ending the Indian Act of phasing it out is the quickest route to recovery. You can and will keep your heritage alive. It is something to be proud of.

And BTW, my use of the term "parasite" was not meant to be derogatory. But that is simply the most accurate term that comes to mind to describe the situation:

"par�a�site [par-uh-sahyt] Show IPA
noun
1. an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.
2. a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others."

JS,,lol, the same wave that took us out is gonna swallow you up too, just wait and see,,they might call "dibs" on it next.I wasn't refering to the entire country as in land, actually more of a dominant culture simply saying this is yours, tiny little pieces of land,,and this is mine,
I would like to know how a standard of living would be drastically increased? please explain with common sense
I dont think I over-estimate support, if there is 1 million supporters and canada's population is 35 million, it is what it is then, its quite a few I think. If Canada didn't protect aboriginal people with special rights there wouldn't even be native people today, you see its not up to YOU to decide for us. If you were to notice many other countrys have "special rights" for their citizens too, lol, I think its you that needs to have a look around and be effing grateful

And what term would you pick for non aboriginal people that are living off the wealth from land and resources they managed to wrest away from natives? Bloodsuckers maybe?

I am grateful to live in a country that offers a high level of freedom, peace, and prosperity to its citizens. Make no mistake. But it seems to me that there are people in this country (Indians) who enjoy an even greater degree of rights and freedoms than I do, and are not particularly grateful at all.

It will ALWAYS be up to the majority to make decisions, not the minority. If 34 million Canadians say that it's time to eliminate the Indian Act and Treaty Act, then it will happen, regardless of whether the 600,000 Indians across the country want it to, or not. That's just the way it goes in a democracy.

Okay, now for the increase in the Standard of Living. Now I know that this doesn't apply to all reservations, nor all Indian people, but I have had plenty of exposure to various reservations, and the current situation is that many of those people receive payments each month, do not work, and because they do not work they have developed slothful habits. They do not do much if any cleaning or maintenance of their homes or vehicles, they don't do much cooking so chips and pop are a mainstay, and they are bored and unhappy a lot, so they resort to drugs and alcohol. I've seen this first-hand. Homes with all the windows smashed out and plywood covering the holes, 5 non-functioning cars sitting out back, with a new truck in the driveway, and garbage strewn across the land and stuck in the fences like stars strewn across the night sky. There are terrible things that go on in some of these places that is certainly correlated with the lifestyle that many of these people lead.

Now again, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying that all Indians on reserves live this way, but I've seen many that do. To be offered training and education which will enable many to become employable, help to purchase a home near a reasonably-sized economic center, and assisted in seeing the value of hard work and a healthy diet would most assuredly be a step up in Standard of Living.

Now the perspective of the other side, I believe that much of tax-paying Canada shares this sentiment: I didn't rob you or steal your land. In fact, I don't even have any land to call my own. I didn't wrong you or your people in any way. Neither did my father or grandfather. So why am I paying to support you and your people, when I have little hungry mouths of my own to feed, which I can barely do, as it is? The majority of Canadians are being over-taxed, and having an entire "nation" that is living off of our backs only aggravates the situation. See the definition of "parasite", above.

The difference between us, 673, is that I want what I believe to be best for you and me, your people and my people, so that they all become "our people". No more "you" vs. "us", etc. While you want only what is best for you and those like you, regardless of the cost to others all around you.

The land never did belong to the Indian people. They just happen to arrive here first and call "dibs" on the entire land mass. If that's how it works, then I call "dibs" on the continent of North America. Oh, that doesn't make it mine, you say? That's not how it works, you say? Exactly. How much land could a couple 100,000 people live on and occupy? Surely not very much when considering the vast expanse of land that makes up Canada. Whatever land they didn't live on and occupy at any given time would be deemed "unoccupied". Hard to take something away from someone when it's not theirs to start with. The numerous groups of people of the world just started to spread out a bit, and there was plenty of room to share in Canada.

I think you should research how many natives where here at the time of first contact...and how many are here now. Your numbers are way off the mark, I'll give you a C- on that post, I'm sure you'll do better with a little effort.

Apparently your idea that aboriginals didn't own the land are also skewed...you are aware of the Royal Proclamation of 1763? For some reason that King thought the natives owned the land or treaties would never have been necessary in the first place...I'll give you another C-.

Maybe you should spend a little time and effort to learn more about the history of Canada and our Constitution... Assuming of course that your not just too lazy to conduct a little research?

Who gives a crap how many people were here. There are 35 million people in Canada now, and there STILL isn't even more than a small fraction of the land area of the country inhabited and occupied by people.

I also couldn't care less what the King thought. I'm sure he didn't much care who owned the land, but he certainly didn't want to be dealing with conflicts between the colony and the local Indians, hence the treaty.

More important than studying the history of Indians in Canada, is studying Economics, Social Policy, and Sociology so that maybe you can get an idea of what is best for the people of Canada today, and how to proceed in the FUTURE. The past is behind us, learn from it. The future is ahead of us, prepare for it. The present is what we're living, so make the best of it. And I can assure you that many of the Indian people of Canada could be living in a much better situation than what they're in now, and so could the rest of us if so much of our hard-earned tax money didn't get flushed down the toilet.

Anyhow...I grow tired of your constantly demeaning and self-aggrandized attitude, so I'm done with you. Maybe someday you'll get a clue.

Thank krist--for the second time. Your attitude is typical beurocrat, I don't have to know chit to know how to develop good social policy. You don't even know how to talk to aboriginals in a manner that isn't denigrating....don't come back, we won't miss you calling us parasites.

Jim, two simple points here:

1. YOU do NOT speak for ANYONE on this forum except yourself, so, your comment ...don't come back... is hardly realistic. This, is an AMERICAN forum and, frankly, YOU are in a TINY minority, here and thus are being foolish with that remark.

2. You call we "white" people, ...bloodsuckers...and, YET, you LOOK as "white" as I do and are partially "white" in ancestry. So, my friend, can you honestly say that part of YOU is not also a ...bloodsucker...?

This thread, is going down that same path that some of ours did several years ago and NOBODY will profit from the racist and historically false comments that you post on it. I tend to think of you as a basically decent and friendly guy, Jim. and I admit that I also can get carried away and post comments that I shouldn't, so, maybe this has gone far enough?

In any event, we will NOT settle dickall HERE and I come here for camaraderie and enjoyment, so, I think everyone on this thread should step back, settle down and chill out. I wish that there were never another "indian" thread on "24Hr"!

Well said Kutenay,there many better subjects to pursue. Monashee

Don't worry, kute. CS is the first and only person that I have ever put on "ignore", as of an hour ago, in my 7 years participating on these forums. I've grown tired of the intolerable and delusional posts that he adds, and I've decided it's not worth the energy. So in a sense, I won't "be back", at least not to interact with him when it comes to politics or Canadian issues.

I can appreciate that you would like to participate on these forums for enjoyment and camaraderie, but there are many of us who refuse to put up with the garbage and verbal diarrhea that comes forward on the Indian issue in Canada any longer, and I cannot ignore what's going on. But perhaps there are better venues to pursue this issue, in the interest of effecting change, than this website...

Sorry, I just posted up another one...hopefully those that comment on it will refrain from calling aboriginals parasites, talking about spence and the rest of that controversial divisive stuff. ;-) JS has me on ignore, so I shouldn't have to worry about seeing more of his uneducated inflammatory crud.

It's a very important court case that could completely change the political landscape in BC, in the end we may be forced to pay access fees to the bands in order to hunt/fish on what we now consider 'crown lands'.....IF they win the fight to have Title recognized...the right to Govern will be next.

We can only hope they don't get the right to govern because they have already proven to be totally incapable of doing so....

Some, not all Bud Gills.

Yes, It seems that your sole purpose in coming to "24Hr", is to drag the "Canada" section into a position where it becomes a focus of mockery for the majority who joined this outstanding site to make new friends, learn about guns/hunting and even assist others with information.

You are not allowed to do this on any Canadian site and I find your constant attempts to misuse this forum most hypocritical and destructive to the site as a whole.

If, you look at the "Canada" section, you may notice that many of the most knowledgable members we had on this section will now not participate and one of them, a close friend of mine, recently told me that the never-ending "indian" bullsh!t that you and a tiny number of others rave on about is why he has left.

While, YOU may consider this acceptable, I seriously doubt that others have, do, or will and your behaviour has and is wrecking the "Canada" section of "24Hr" for the majority who used to enjoy it.

As to namecalling, get real, Jim, the vast majority of the racist and personal slurs posted here have emanated from YOU and about 3-4 of your ilk. However, carry on, eventually this entire "indian" issue in Canada, is going to be resolved and the coming violent confrontations WILL end with a bloody result for the "indians".

This, is not 1990-91, Jim, and people now are NOT sympathetic to "indians" or most other special-interest groups. The REAL problem, HERE, is that you seem unable to realize that and govern your behaviour HERE accordingly....even your fellow persons of self-described "mixed breed" have tried to tell you this, but, you just keep on and on and on.........

Maybe, it is time that RicBin, "nuked" the entire Canada section and we Canucks no longer had this opportunity for domestic discussions?

There are more Indians than Indians in British Columbia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_British_Columbia

By golly, looking at that your right!! ;-)

Well Dewey, we all have the freedom to NOT open any threads that we might find offensive...it's simple, if you don't want to participate don't open the thing, the titles are usually pretty clear as to the topics.

I actually started one about hunting as an experiment...take a look and see which threads are getting the most activity. Apparently there IS an interest in reading about the aboriginal issue from different perspectives as many do read them. ;-)

You are pathetic Kutenay, you cant even be nice without name calling, in fact thats why I respond to your childish infantile posts, constant threats of violence towards aboriginals as well, you are the one inflaming the internet with your bullying. You dont ever back up your simplistic posts when asked to do so, I challenged you on your WK authority, as your posts are falseified and provocitive, only to have you bury your head in the sand like an effing ostrich, are you really that [bleep] ignorant, you got alittle personal with me before, I dont forget things to easy bub, your threats of violence wont be taken lightly

True, Jim, it is not so much the "indian" threads, themselves, it is the never-ending inter-personal slagging and the fact that nothing posted here will EVER alter the political positions of ANY of us.

It seems to me, that IF one is genuinely concerned about ANY issue, political or personal, it makes far more sense to go to the mass media and politicians and make your case(s) there, rather than continue on and on and on, here, with the same old, same old, as we all know what each other thinks now and as is only TOO obvious, the result of these threads is, well, we all know THAT, too.......

Man, I just found out that I have to renew my ATC, WHAT a total PITA and THAT process is one which I would like to see discussed here, among others less likely to engender hostilities. I have had this since age, 21, in spring, 1968 and STILL have to jump through the foolish hoops to carry and practice with my pistolas.

THEN, after THAT, there is MORE to do to for my "Wilderness ATC" and one might think that, once a Canuck, has passed this "inquisition" ONCE, it would suffice for a lifetime.

Pizzmeoff, as I prefer a .44 on some trips as it is so much lighter and not as awkward inside a tent or cabin. But, ALL of we Canucks, are kept as almost "serfs" by our "noble" politicos, eh!