Re: Idle No More Not Helping Aboriginals

[Anonymous]

The timing of the audit's release does look suspicious. I am not saying it was not factual, but why now just before the scheduled meeting with Harper? Maybe to give the government the upper hand.

[Gary Oak]

Seoulfag you idiot, do you really think that the Harper Government shouldn't go in prepared ? Being prepared is suspicious ? Go back to Korea and be a fag there FFS

[Romero]

Imagine a country where the national government introduces and passes legislation that detrimentally affects all of its First Nations communities but it doesn't bother to consult with them. Then a chief of an impoverished northern First Nation community goes on a hunger strike to get a meeting between the First Nations leadership and the government several months after this legislation was passed. Does this have implications for all Canadians? You bet it does. This will not be the last time that individuals or groups will take such extreme measures in response to the federal government's public policy process or lack thereof.



Of major concern to First Nations and many other Canadians are two omnibus budget bills (C-38 and C-45) that were imposed upon the country during the past year. These bills each comprised hundreds of pages and contained legislative changes that went far beyond what was contained in the budget.



The omnibus bills will have an especially damaging impact on First Nations communities. Bill C-45 amends the Navigable Waters Protection Act to ensure that future resource projects will no longer trigger a federal environmental assessment or force corporations to notify the federal government of their plans. Certain key rivers in British Columbia, along the path of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, for example, will now be excluded from federal government environmental oversight.



This same bill also changed the Fisheries Act in ways that First Nations believe will adversely affect their traditional fishing rights. The omnibus bills also replaced the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act with new laws that will limit First Nations involvement in environmental assessments on their own lands, as well as doing away with assessments entirely for some projects. All of this will limit the ability of First Nations, and the public at large, to present views and concerns on the environmental impact of various resource development projects.



Bill C-45 also makes changes to the Indian Act that will make it easier to lease out land for economic development without adequately consulting band residents. The Assembly of First Nations believes this means resource exploitation on reserve land can occur without the solid consent of their community.



Here is the problem. This government drafts public policy and passes laws without facts or evidence to support its positions. Ottawa allows only limited and perfunctory consultation for stakeholders. If you stand up and speak out, you are criticized and attacked in the House of Commons and the Conservative public relations machine goes into overdrive to discredit your position or organization. If you are a recipient of federal government funding, you lose it by the next budget cycle. It's bully American-style politics at its worst.



Many Canadians are deeply ashamed of the persistence of poverty and deplorable living conditions in First Nations communities, and that we still have not settled land claims with them. Many also share First Nations' concerns about the environmental implications of changes to fisheries, environmental assessments, and water protection.



Decisions that leave people behind force them into the streets. This was true of the Occupy movement and the Quebec students' protest, and now we are seeing it with Idle No More. It is likely Canadians will witness more in the future given this government's tendency to make substantive policy changes that alter the fabric of society without consultation.



http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ken-georgetti/theresa-spence-hunger-strike_b_2447982.html">//http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ken-georgetti/theresa-spence-hunger-strike_b_2447982.html

[Anonymous]

Imagine a country where the national government introduces and passes legislation that detrimentally affects all of its First Nations communities but it doesn't bother to consult with them. Then a chief of an impoverished northern First Nation community goes on a hunger strike to get a meeting between the First Nations leadership and the government several months after this legislation was passed. Does this have implications for all Canadians? You bet it does. This will not be the last time that individuals or groups will take such extreme measures in response to the federal government's public policy process or lack thereof.



Of major concern to First Nations and many other Canadians are two omnibus budget bills (C-38 and C-45) that were imposed upon the country during the past year. These bills each comprised hundreds of pages and contained legislative changes that went far beyond what was contained in the budget.



The omnibus bills will have an especially damaging impact on First Nations communities. Bill C-45 amends the Navigable Waters Protection Act to ensure that future resource projects will no longer trigger a federal environmental assessment or force corporations to notify the federal government of their plans. Certain key rivers in British Columbia, along the path of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, for example, will now be excluded from federal government environmental oversight.



This same bill also changed the Fisheries Act in ways that First Nations believe will adversely affect their traditional fishing rights. The omnibus bills also replaced the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act with new laws that will limit First Nations involvement in environmental assessments on their own lands, as well as doing away with assessments entirely for some projects. All of this will limit the ability of First Nations, and the public at large, to present views and concerns on the environmental impact of various resource development projects.



Bill C-45 also makes changes to the Indian Act that will make it easier to lease out land for economic development without adequately consulting band residents. The Assembly of First Nations believes this means resource exploitation on reserve land can occur without the solid consent of their community.



Here is the problem. This government drafts public policy and passes laws without facts or evidence to support its positions. Ottawa allows only limited and perfunctory consultation for stakeholders. If you stand up and speak out, you are criticized and attacked in the House of Commons and the Conservative public relations machine goes into overdrive to discredit your position or organization. If you are a recipient of federal government funding, you lose it by the next budget cycle. It's bully American-style politics at its worst.



Many Canadians are deeply ashamed of the persistence of poverty and deplorable living conditions in First Nations communities, and that we still have not settled land claims with them. Many also share First Nations' concerns about the environmental implications of changes to fisheries, environmental assessments, and water protection.



Decisions that leave people behind force them into the streets. This was true of the Occupy movement and the Quebec students' protest, and now we are seeing it with Idle No More. It is likely Canadians will witness more in the future given this government's tendency to make substantive policy changes that alter the fabric of society without consultation.



http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ken-georgetti/theresa-spence-hunger-strike_b_2447982.html">//http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ken-georgetti/theresa-spence-hunger-strike_b_2447982.html

Hello Romero, nice to see you around.

 :D

[Vancouver]

[attachment=0]uploadfromtaptalk1357880368989.jpg[/attachment]

[Romero]

Hello Romero, nice to see you around.

 :D

Hello!  :)

[cc]

I was thinking about Amin ... but Mugabe works too

[heinzy]

This whole 'protest' is in every aspect nothing but an obscene charade.

[Rambo Wong]

Romero is macho cool

[cc]

Yes, repeating stupidity seems our fatal illness

[Romero]

First Nations don't want to be assimilated. They shouldn't have to give up their rights, land and culture.

[Rambo Wong]

Romero is macho cool

[Anonymous]

First Nations don't want to be assimilated. They shouldn't have to give up their rights, land and culture.

Couldn't they maintain their cultural traditions though even if land claims were rejected and the Indian Act abolished? I am Korean-Canadian and assimilated into the Canadian mainstream, but still eat Korean food and honour our customs.

[cc]

^ of course they could. But they have to "want" to. Sadly, other motives are in play also.





OMG. Like as though they will make find any meaningful agreement in this size of a group.



Intimate "let your hair down / get to know each other as a necessary basis for trust / progress" NOT a chance in hell!!



CTV Today pic:http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1110719!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpeg">



No wonder it goes on and on and on with no solutions

[Anonymous]

^ of course they could. But they have to "want" to. Sadly, other motives are in play also.





OMG. Like as though they will make find any meaningful agreement in this size of a group.



Intimate "let your hair down / get to know each other as a necessary basis for trust / progress" NOT a chance in hell!!



CTV Today pic:http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1110719!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpeg">



No wonder it goes on and on and on with no solutions

I don't see Chief Spence in that picture..



Did she not attend?