Native Commentary

By ferret @ http://www.conservativelife.com/blog/index.php/canada/2006/11/18/native_canadians_oh_the_irony

Marie Wadden and Atkinson Fellow have written a logically inconsistent piece in the Toronto Star about how Canadians mistreat natives.

I want to highlight a few words from the image above.

1. Loss of independence.

The article states...

I knew I was on the reserve because I'd also run out of pavement. This was the pattern wherever I travelled and I began to see the lack of pavement as a metaphor for neglect. Neighbours to reserves have told me over the years, "pavement isn't a priority for them." Or, "I guess they've got other priorities." The assumption is, aboriginal people choose bad roads.

I want to understand how we reconcile the desire for "independence" and the suggestion of "neglect". They pay no taxes and yet we are supposed to pave their roads? To not do so is neglect? And yet they complain about their "loss of independence". How does having us built roads for them help them with their independence?

2. Oppression.

How exactly are we oppressing them? They don't pay any taxes. They have won the majority of their land claims. They receive $9 billion per year from white, oriental, and arab Canadians. How can we oppress them if we can't even find them...

Few of the communities I visited this year, as part of my research on addiction among aboriginal people, are marked on road maps, or signposted on provincial highways. Not even the largest reserve in Manitoba — Sagkeeng, population 3,000.

My wife taught physics at a native university. It was tough. The tuition is free. The students aren't motivated because they have nothing invested - the oppressors are paying for it.

Is anyone else tired of being blamed for other people's problems? Is anyone else tired of giving a portion of their hard-earned wages only to be accused of "neglect" and "oppression" for not giving enough?