Media.Knet.Ca

Ignorance and protection of the status quo (ie. their comfortable and unsustainable lifestyles) seem to be more the themes of the following published material from the National Post

Kevin Libin: The lip service must end

February 22, 2008

For the last five weeks, the National Post's Rethinking the Reserve focused on finding solutions to the aboriginal challenges facing Canada. One of the major themes of the series was the restrictions many First Nations face when it comes to developing their economies, an essential step in moving away from dependence on government support. Writer Kevin Libin talked with Chuck Strahl, who has been Indian Affairs Minister for six months now, about the series, the solutions and what Canada's government can do to move First Nations toward better economic integration. The following is an edited transcript of their discussion.

Chuck Strahl ... First of all, I want to compliment you on your series. I think it has allowed people who perhaps don't have any day-to-day contact with First Nations to ask themselves, 'What seems to be working?' You've had lots of examples of what does work …

When you have sound, stable, accountable leadership in First Nations, like anywhere else, you generally see good progress …Increasingly, our department and our government are developing option plans for First Nations. For example, if they opt to manage their own lands, then we have the First Nations Land Management Act which will allow them to opt out of the Indian Act, as far as control of the lands allows them to develop their own strategies and their own tax base and their own zoning and so on. There are tools, in other words -- whether it is land management, whether it is custom election codes or economic development opportunities. There are options that we're creating…and hopefully as more and more get access to those options, they'll see not only that it works, but also that other First Nations looking on will decide to try it as well. Increasingly, where they opt out of the Indian Act, almost always they do better.

National Post ... Almost anyone you speak to, be it the First Nations leaders, the rank and file natives on reserves, government and opposition politicians, nobody seems to have much affection for the Indian Act. Everyone acknowledges that it is one of the biggest problems in helping First Nations to reach the levels of prosperity their fellow Canadians enjoy off reserve. What's standing in the way of moving to a more modern legislative framework?

C.S. ... In part, I think it is a lingering paternalism. Each time we put these options forward… to try to mainstream options for First Nations, there is massive resistance to that in opposition parties and among some First Nations …When we talk about [real]matrimonial property rights … to allow spouses of a broken marriage, predominately women, to have access to some sort of property rights so that they are not out on their ear in the case of an unfortunate marriage break-up-- there is huge resistance to that.

It seems like whenever you want to move ahead with governance issues -- just ask [former Liberal Indian affairs minister] Bob Nault -- as soon as you say we are going to have a governance package that is consistent with, say, what we might do with a transfer agreement with the province -- there is huge resistance.

People pay lip service to this idea of equality or levelling the playing field … and as soon as you say, 'How about we'll take these steps -- a market housing fund?' people say, 'That's outrageous. They need to have a separate deal where they don't actually own their houses but the government of Canada somehow funds them.' And you roll your eyes and say, well, all of these things are part and parcel of getting ahead economically ... And yet, there is resistance at every level…I think there is some paternalism within the whole Indian industry, if you will, that says, "Of course they should be treated equally --but not quite yet."

NP ... Who are the people that are pushing back against those sorts of initiatives?

C.S. ... Opposition parties, certainly. They talk about a better deal for First Nations but if you say, 'Well, part of that better deal is getting rid of the Indian Act and moving toward accountability and governance structures and so-on,' I mean, we saw what happened to Bob Nault. When the Liberals brought forward changes to the governance section, he was opposed at every step by his own party [and was] eventually turfed from his portfolio. They didn't bring it back even for consideration. The lawyers and the hangers-on that make a living off of First Nations' issues, they all oppose it because they don't want to see their gravy train stop. And certain groups of entrenched interest --from the bureaucracy right through to certain First Nation chiefs --have got a vested interest in the status quo. So, you are pushing against all of that. And while they all pay lip service to it, I think there is a lingering paternalism that says, "Yeah, but they are not quite ready, so not now." It's never now .

Follow up Comment by Yo! posted Feb 22 2008 at 8:02 PM

The Indian Act is the legal imposition of Apartheid, Canadian style, and it boggles the mind that so many who claim to speak for the needs of the disenfranchised First Nations peoples get all epileptic when it is suggested that one way to dis-disenfranchise someone would be to insist he or she have the same rights and responsibilities as everyone else.

Here is what the Indian Act says, between the lines: the evil White Man of generations ago conquered your proud tribes, and we feel terrible about it, so much so that we will confiscate billions of dollars from that evil man's descendants and all other immigrants who had nothing to do with that conquest, in order to feed a First Nations Industry(TM) made up mostly of non-native people who will profit from your misery, so much so that they will interfere with any attempt to, you know, relieve you of your misery.  But we will make sure to tout your special status as useless, incapable and unproductive welfare bums in order to maximize resentment on the part of the citizens who are funding that aforementioned Industry that does nothing useful for you.  And we will make sure you understand that you are insignificant scum incapable of taking responsibility for your own behaviour: by all means, blockade our roads & railways, behave like a mob of thugs, beat up a few citizens; sure it's only a few of you, but it sure does help tarnish the country's view of the whole lot of you as pampered lawless misfits when our law enforcement folks choose not to enforce the law.  And your sense of self-worth can remain so depressingly low that you can wallow in your poverty, your drugs, your violence, your fetal-alcohol syndrome, but for heaven's sake wallow where no taxpayer or voter can see you, ok?  Have nice day, suckers!

Here's a suggestion that explains why I will never be a successful politician:  the evil White Man of generations ago conquered your proud tribes, so deal with it, we're not going anywhere.  We are trying to develop and prosper in the 21st century, and we can't understand, regardless of the historical nonsense that got us all this far, why your societies hidden away on reserves should be the only civilizations denied the right to evolve with all other peoples of the world.  "You" were here first (well, wrong, your ancestors were), but we're all here now, why don't you join us?  So many of your leaders would put the kleptocratic corrupt incompetents ruling third world countries to shame, don't you think you deserve better?  Surely there should be more to define you as a person than whether you have enough genetic heritage to be properly defined according to some racist treaty?  You want to be an unproductive welfare bum? Move to the city, join the significant taxpayer-subsidized poverty class among us already, where at least the plumbing and housing is better.  You want to be a productive contributor?  Great!  Move to the city, get educated, get a job, get going!  You want nothing to do with us, because you wish to remain frozen in some romantic notion of a centuries-old way of life?  Well, ok, but the road/clinic/school/RCMP for your reserve will close, the airstrip will never be repaved, and the water treatment facility that never worked anyways will be shut down next Wednesday.  Enjoy your traditional way of life, and we will feel sorry for your kids.  Bye!