R E S P E C T

I just heard Paul Martin speaking on CBC radio about the current state of affairs between First Nations and the Government of Canada.  The question of accountability of government funding was raised.  Not withstanding the idea that Native reserves actually subsidize the rest of Canada  http://www.mediacoop.ca/blog/dru/15493.  This was what the former Prime Minister had to say.

 " Toronto is funded by three levels of government, Federal, Provincial and Municipal.  Toronto gets roughly twenty four thousand dollars per person ( I am assuming he means per year)  Attawapiskat is funded by one level of government and they get eleven thousand per person.  In a place where buying a loaf of bread costs four to five times more than it does here.  Nobody would deny that there are problems on reserves and ALL the chiefs have asked for assistance to be accountable, education to set up a financial system, a Native Auditor General and the government(s) said no.  Furthermore the government doesn't have a decent system to keep track of the funds themselves. For the government to blame this all on the First Nations is just not fair."
This is not from a transcript and I am sure I have paraphrased Mr. Martin.  My apologies.

  It seems to me the current movement  is about being heard, seen and respected.  Don't we all want that?  While we can't place the all blame for this situation squarely on the Harper government, they sure aren't helping.  They don't seem to want to listen to any of us. They jammed through Bill C45 and left most of us choking on their dust. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/ken-georgetti/theresa-spence-hunger-strike_b_2447982.html  

This has been hundreds of years in the making.  Canada is a country founded by three Nations.  Three Nations!  The people of all these Nations deserve respect.

Today's last word is from Desmond Tutu ~" I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights."

Painting by Riley Charters

Today's last word is from Desmond Tutu ~" I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights."