As the pace has clearly slowed from earlier in the day, I would think that it is the opportune time to try and answer some earlier questions.
Sub_Guy,
first an apology for allowing sarcasm to cloud the post that I made earlier in reply to you. Bad habit picked up from the Brits. That "dry" sense of humour does not always go over too well.
Thank you for the links you posted. The reason I asked was not that I thought those particular stats were untrue, but that it does get very tiring always hearing people pull such numbers out of thin air to make a point. Seems it has become a habit for most not having to justify their statements, simply due to the anonymity of these Boards. I am, unfortunately, fully aware that they are true. The problem is not the stats themselves, but how they got as high as they did.
The pregnancy one is culturally based, I would say. Not completely, but somewhat. The prison rate is so high for several reasons. Some of what I know comes from participation in certain round-tables on the issue, and the other comes from talking with many of those currently in prison, or who have been there in the past.
Because of past abuses, a large portion, if not the majority of Native people have a deep seated mistrust of both the police and the judiciary. Considering events which have transpired over the past couple of years, this should come as no surprise. When it is found that police officers shoot a native man, all the while making Indian jokes, it makes all of us wonder(Ipperwash). When we see that other officers have committed murder, although possibly unintentional, it makes us all wonder(Apologies but cannot recal if Regina or Saskatoon). It makes us wonder who is next. And, usually, those authority figures end up getting a mere slap on the wrist, if they end up in Court at all.
On the flip side, when aboriginal people f^ck up and end up in Court, they know darned well that they are headed inside. For the most part, they plead guilty right away, even if they are not guilty. Why? Because history has proven that for years the Courts did not care.
Again, I will point to my post re. Institutional PTSD (maybe I should copyright that term?). If you treat a person as a criminal, they will become one. If you treat them as being irresponsible, they will become so. If you treat adults as children, they'll never take care of themselves. (this is all the Royal you, BTW).
Sure all of those problems are a factor for Non-aboriginals, so we have to find a long term solution that works for everybody.
From your initial posts, I would not have believe this was the case with you. However, from this one I see that it is. What we hear so often, and I mean daily, is "taxes, houses, fishing, moose" blah blah blah. It is exceedingly rare that we actually here someone say "Hey, guys, what can I do to help?". I don't mean money and I don't mean mere words and I don't mean those freaky, hippy types looking for the latest cause. You know what help we really need. Understanding. Try to understand how WE came to be in the shytty situation that WE are in. Your taxes and my taxes would be taken anyway, so don't think if INAC disappeared it would change. I know it wouldn't. So in reality, I mean actual reality, OUR situation does not affect you. And you are right, what happens from here on in must take EVERYONE into account. It isn't a Liberal problem, or a Conservative problem, and certainly not an NDP problem (bloody opportunists), it is an aboriginal Canadian problem. When we have a real opportunity to become full partners in this country, full CITIZENS in place and not just words, then will the solution be at hand.
I hope my grammer and spelling don't offend anyone else on here, btw it's a loonie not a twoonie...............
ahem...see apology above. :-[ Consider the toonie interest. (sorry, couldn't help myself ;D)
muskrat89,
you know, I'm not actually bitter, although it probably comes out that way. I would have to say that is actually shame. I am ashamed, as a Canadian and as a former Rupert, that this whole situation still exists to the extent that it does and that if ever came to fruition in the first place; and ashamed as an aboriginal person that so many of us have not done enough to change it. When we actually do assert ourselves, the same old hackneyed arguments are brought and no constructive comments.
Do you think assigning blame at this point helps to find a "cure", or does it simply help reinforce your points in defining "the problem"?
Unfortunately, for healing to truly begin, and healing is seriously needed, I think blame must be apportioned and the guilty made to "pay". I don't mean money either. I mean an honest attempt at solving the issue, without muddying the waters as they (governments) always do, to truly live up to decisions set down by the Supreme Court (without changing the true meaning of the decisions to suit their purposes), to get rid of every corrupt bureaucrat who has anything to do with aboriginal people.
[rant]And finally, this being non-negotiable, the Government of Canada must publically apologize to the victims of residential schools, and to all Canadian citizens and to admit they (the gov) are accountable and pay restitution. The restitution to be paid immediately before the victims all die!![/rant]
This country has done some absolutely amazing things around the world. But the "Indian Problem" is Canada's shame.
On a personal level, most aboriginal people don't believe they are "owed" anything, although obviously there are also many who make these statements. What I think we mostly desire, is that government actually live up to its committments and stop dishonouring the Crown. (I know it sounds strange, but most aboriginal people have a soft spot for Auntie Betty and her strange batch of offspring.)
WRT your observations on the Rez (hey, yer an NB boy, eh!?) you are right. The most affluent are the "leaders". I'm the last to even try to explain their behaviour and attitudes other than to say they sick f%^ks. I should try at least, and I'll just point over to the PTSD issue. Almost all are residential school survivors, save several newer generation types, and therefore have no clue as to how to do the job they do. Again, if you always treat people like children, they'll remain as children, knowing that "daddy" will take the heat. It sucks, plain and simple.
When people move away like that, do they give up their status, or card, or whatever the term is? I guess I'm wondering what was involved, when people moved off, like that.
At this point in time, no. Up until 20 years ago, yes. Only 20 years ago. They grieved, because they knew they could never return. Housing was not available. They couldn't build their own without laying out the full amount of dosh, because it was impossible to get a loan. The hardest hit were the women.
If people can choose to move off (and hopefully be successful), why don't more folks just make that choice? Do the other Tribe Members feel like the ones that move off are traitors (not the best word, perhaps)? I guess - is there a stigma attached to those people, because they are choosing to be assimilated, rather than stick with their culture? I know I'm not wording that the best, but hopefully you understand my gist, and can explain more the intricacies associated with moving away from the Res.
The simplest answer in many cases is fear. I cannot explain, even to myself, the attachment that we feel for these god-awful scraps of bog and rock. They are...a lifeline. I've known a number of old folks who fear the government so much, that they have never left their community for more than a few hours. Not a fear of kidnapping or the like, but a fear that if they are gone to long, that piece of dirt will be stolen. No joke. Unrealistic...yes. Unheard of...NO.
But, as of today, I believe around 60% of all status Indians live off-reserve, and of course all non-status and Métis. Unfortunately, as some here have noticed in their own communties, many end up in native ghettos.
Stigma. Yes, to a certain degree. I think you'd find that across Canada, in every community though. Parents and families don't like to see their children head into the unknow, It's even harder if you are a visible minority, and in a lot of cities harder still if you are clearly native.
Traitors. No, I don't think so. But for many older folks, it is hard for them to see their children marry non-natives. Not for any racist reason, mind you, but because they know that the resulting children will (now) become "legally" non-native. At the stroke of a pen, an Indian is turned "white".
I had a chat a few years ago with a guy who considered himself "traditional", with regards to all the women moving back to the Rez, bringing with them their non-native husbands. To be honest, it was an argument...a very heated one, at that. He bitched and moaned about them bringing "whitey" into the community, to take away jobs etc. When I pointed out that many of the men on the Rez had non-native wives, including him, all he could counter with was "It's different". In his case, it was different, because his cultural background was a matrilineal and matriarchal society. So, in reality, he should have been the one who should have left in the first place and not those women. It shut him up very quickly, but I didn't change his mind.
I am not sure if I have answered the questions of those I'd missed earlier. If I have not, then my apologies. I will leave you now with a saying that came to me by way of the most distinguished Elder it has ever been my honour to know: A man who lives without self-respect, is only pretending to live; a man who steals another man's self-respect, should never have been born.
His name, by the way, was not Chief Dan George, or Swims with Dolphins, or Dancing Frog, or Fluffy Bunny Slippers. His name was Spoorvart Bailey, my maternal grandfather, born in NE England, on the sea, and an orphan.
By the way folks, my wife says that I should be less confronational and "be nice". Bloody woman, bless her heart, she is more forgiving than I. I'm sure there is a bloody good message in that somewhere.
), that doesn't pay ANY taxes.
