Who's going to PAY for it??

[r.reid]

Have heard from several people that within 30 years, the population of Sask. will be over 60% native. I believe it too. The way things are going where do they think the money for all of the new houses (every 5-10 years), new cars, reserve schools, hospitals, healing centers, casinos, etc...etc...etc..., is going to come from?? Maybe the "booming" ag sector (real funny). I'm getting real sick and tired of everyone always turning a "blind eye" to the double standards and not facing this problem. If this country/province doesn't come to terms with this GROWING problem real quick like, it will be too late. Cause the money hasn't started growing on my trees yet? What about yours?

[FarmRanger]

Perhaps Canada needs to abandon the caste system, where what family you are born into determines your level of government services. You would think that such an "enlightened" country would have less racist ways of dealing with its people. I thought we were all equal, but some are obviously more equal than others.
If we as a nation would stop trying to undo past wrongs by committing opposite wrongs today, we might ALL be better off.

[grrrr]

We had a politician here in Saskatchewan that was trying to deal with all of these racist issues but the media got involved too much and made HIM out as being the racist. It became "politically correct" to bash Jim Pankiw and he eventually lost in the last federal election.

[r.reid]

I hear that. Jim should have been Prime Minister in my opinion. But guys like John Gormely (sp?) turned it into a race issue and a bashing fest on Mr. Pankiw.

Nothing in the last budget for agriculture. But every reserve in the north has a new multi-million dollar school, (paid for by the farmers of Sask.). Even if it's only 15 minutes away from another half full school multi-million dollar school. It's a crap system we have here but surely to God even they must see that the equation goes like this:

$$$ farms = $$$ for everyone else

What gets me is that all of the big shot indians seem to think that they are entitled to all the money, programs and what ever they want. Like pigs at a trough. Even though they contribute ZERO, NOTHING, to deserve the fruits of our labour.

I'd really, really like to hear the reasoning behind this type of thinking!!

Bad now?? You bet it is. But just wait 20 years.

[r.reid]

Remember First Nations are federal responsibility and the Federal Government must honor the Treaties that were signed many years ago.
If the Treaties need to be reviewed it will take a lot of give and take to get it done.In Alberta many of the Bands have oil rights and have gone into many business endeavors, including oil companies, hotels etc. They seem to have a lot of young folks that have a good business sense and are working very hard to rise above whatever diversity they have had in their lives. There are those that have fallen along the wayside and certainly are a financial cost to society.
In Alberta, Children's Services major clients are First Nation children. A friend of mine is a member of the Elders Circle with our regional Childrens Services, and she feels as bad as anyone to think that their people are costing so much to society.
It is a huge issue, and one that cannot be solved easily.

[r.reid]

They took the CROW rate away from the farmers and that was supposedly written in stone too "emerald 1".

What do you think should be done emerald 1? They get paid to attend FREE university. I can't. There is NO reason for them to have any hardships, and to be societies expence NOW-a-days.

What do you mean when you say: "federal responsibility and the Federal Government must honor the Treaties that were signed many years ago"??

I think they've been paid back ten-fold. Where do you think the feds get the $$$ from? It's me, my co-workers at a factory, my Dad, both Grand-parents (who are still farming in their 80s), and every other person working and paying into the system. Not some magical money box in Ottawa somewhere.

Emerald 1, tell your friend at the "Elders Circle" that maybe if the kids parents would raise their children and not worry about the bar, the bingo hall, or casino, then maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't be the #1 stat in jail or child services custody.

[cowman]

You want to know something? People are people. Just like dogs are dogs? You treat somebody right and they will respond in the right way.
The whole concept of treating a certain group like they are different is I believe basically flawed? Lets face it we have a major problem with our first nation peoples? Why?
I would suggest it is because we have not helped them out with the idea that they are #1. Canadians(not natives)
#2. Nobody owes you anything!
There are native success stories...most of them take place once the "native" decides to hell with this apartheid bullshit, I'm going to make it as a CANADIAN!
Indians have all the abilities that European Canadians have! They are not some kind of neanderthals or something!
But we have a federal government that insists that they are a bunch of losers who need the government to baby them!
The time has come to get apartheid out of the Canadian system?
Do the same thing they did with the CROW? Declare it null and void...pay the natives off...just like the farmers...and get on with life?
We all might just be surprized how many success stories come out of this?
Hey, people are people?

[cowman]

I agree cowman, but I also want to point out that there are numerous kids in crisis in this province that are not native, and there are kids sitting in detention, half way houses and God knows what else that are not native. Kids that have screwed up their minds on drugs and have excellent homes and parents that are doing everything they can to raise their kids right. You do not have to be native to make mistakes and society pays for all, native or other.

[Horse]

I agree with all of you but the fact remains that we are a stitistical? people and the natives are high on all the bad sides and sure there are antidotes on the other side but I think the majority rules on this.

[Horse]

how sad that we refer to one portion of society as being high on all the bad sides !!!
In my area there isn't a high native population, but the local court docket if full each week with young offenders charged with B E's;drug related crimes. etc.
I think that we as a society have been very unfair to the native population for generations. Some of the native bands have done wonders with what resources they have, I look at the Siksika Nation as leaders in environmental issues, every agricultural operation on the Siksika must have an environmental impact assessment prior to getting approval to carry out procedures on reserve land.
I attended a presentation at Siksika and felt that we could all learn from them in many aspects, including making their young people accountable. I am sure that they have had their share of problems along with the rest of society but they are setting the bar pretty high in many aspects.
I think that rather than point fingers at one sector of society, we should do like my mother always advocated,and sweep around our own back door first.
If there is any way that we as a society can change things for the better for any single sector, then lets hear some positive suggestions.

[r.reid]

The Native peopls do NOT want to be treated like the rest of us. They want special privelages. Prime example..."The Saskatchewan public smoking bann". They don't want to follow it, so the province says O.K.. The province does not have the balls to step in and say the magic word of "NO" to them.
Indians do not want to be treated like regular Canadians. They want to be "First Nation Canadians".

They bring the double standards upon themselves and hold us abay with some piece of paper that the English signed X number of years ago.

Maybe instead of complaining that the natives should be treated like everyone else, we should be complaining to be treated more like them. I wonder how far that idea would go?

I don't want to "push" anyones buttons, but I see a problem getting bigger and bigger every year, and the next generation such as myself is going to have to deal with it. Whether it's a touchy subject or not.

[r.reid]

What do you suggest as a way to change the status quo ?

[r.reid]

That is the 6 million dollar question.

Personally, if I were the boss man this is what I'd say,

"O.K....ENOUGH, The past is over. No more free ride on the back of the workin man. You are a Canadian living in Canada, perhaps the best nation in the world. And if you want to be a part of it, your gonna follow the same rules as everyone else. If that's not good enough...then here is a chunk of land to go start your own country. Sink or swim."

That is what I would do.

[r.reid]

And do you really think that any politician will advocate that ? I am willing to bet that people will be having this same discussion fifty years from now !

[cowman]

Actually r.reid raises a good point? The Indian Affairs(or whatever the PC name is today) is basically out of control?
How much money is being spent? And are we getting the desired results?
Are we moving these people ahead?
It is difficult to make a true assessment in Alberta as most of the Indian bands are awash with money because of oil and gas. And yet their communities continue to have major problems with the money seeming to accumulate among a select few? The tribal governments would make even a federal Liberal blush with the corruption, graft and patronage?
I believe in a real democracy you can never have a racial elite? One that, entitles one race to a life on the dole or more rights than anyone else? I really find it funny when a "First Nations" spokesman is blond and blue eyed! As at OKA?
Emerald states very clearly that their is not a politician who will ever tackle this thing...and I suspect she is right? It is a fact that to get elected(which is like winning the lottery) you have to play to the crowd and the crowd are a bunch of brainwashed sheep! Perhaps the time has come when we need to turn politics back into the concept of serving your country instead of getting a cushy job with all the perks? Then, maybe we might get people running who want to do the right thing instead of a bunch of low lifes? The old garbage of you have to pay well or you won't attract the right people has pretty well proven itself wrong? Look at all the gems we have in Ottawa with both feet in the trough? I guess it isn't working!