What’s that sound I hear? 
Shuffling deck chairs did not solve the terminal problem facing the Titanic. Cinder block and multiple unit housing will alleviate the cost of our national guilt and sense of obligation to remote northern reserves for a long long time.
RickJay, have a read through Cretien’s 1969 White Paper– I think you’ll find it interesting.
The sad part is that a lot of Canadians would take this seriously.
Let’s take a closer look at this - “national guilt?” “Sense of obligation?” What national guilt? What sense of obligation?
I live in the city with the highest homicide rate in Canada (Stats Canada Census Metropolitan Area – Homicide). I very much want the lot of aboriginals in north western Ontario (and the rest of Canada) to improve significantly, not just because I want everyone to do well, but also because I’d rather that my city be safer. It is no coincidence that the cities with the four highest homicide rates in Canada also have high aboriginal populations (Stats Canada Census Metropolitan Area – Aboriginal Population Profile: Thunder Bay 8.3% plus an adjacent reserve that raises the combined percentage to 9.0% , Saskatoon 9.3%, Regina 8.9% and Winnipeg 10.0%). When people who have problems on-reserve move to a city, their problems do not magically go away. In short, this is not an aboriginal problem; it is a Canadian problem, and we are all in it together. We need to be looking at approaches that deal with poverty both on and off reserve.
Just what are saying Cat ? That we don’t have any sense of guilt or obligation? I know many people who say they don’t, but attitudes seem to change when opinions of our representatives have real consequences to be shown in the light of day.
Yes, but if you average out the homicides in the previous decade, Thunder Bay has a lower homicide rate than Toronto. Just saying.
I was thinking about putting their children in boarding schools so that they’ll get educated like the rest of us. Oh wait, that didn’t work.
What about the babies who are kept quiet with gasoline soaked rags spread out on hangers. Think there is a poverty solution for them in the future ?
What about the kids who don’t have the recreational drugs available to them who then resort to gasoline and solvent sniffing. Think there is a poverty solution for them in the future?
What about the kid whose parent beats them into disfigurement and brain damage?
What about the person who succumbs to the addiction of alcohol to excess.
Any approach must involve an intervention in the perpetuating self destruction that goes on amongst many aboriginals.
But if anyone thinks its hopeless, just come to Campbell River. We have an aboriginal population that approaches 9 per cent and you’ll see plenty of well kept homes and healthy looking kids going to school on our local reserves. In fact there are plenty of aboriginals who own expensive commercial fishing boats.
Very well said.
Why would I have guilt or obligation to aboriginal people? I’ve never done anything to them. I agree with muffin, that it is a Canadian problem, not an aboriginal problem.
I’m not sure I understand you. I too recognize that this is a Canadian problem. On the surface it appears to me that you would be okay with it if we did nothing this winter about the housing problem in Attawapiskat. I’m having a hard time believing that.
I’m talking about something bigger than the housing problem in Attawapiskat. No, I don’t want people to freeze to death in Attawapiskat this winter, but you started talking about national guilt and a sense of obligation, and I don’t see how either of those things relate to aboriginal people any more than they relate to any other Canadian.
so, Le Ministre, will you have you iPad at the ready at 12.01 am Newfoundland time tonight?
Rodger that. We’re spending a quiet evening at home: dinner, movies, a new jigsaw puzzle (M. C. Escher this time…), cribbage, euchre and Civ IV are all that we have planned. Plus, I have pre-arranged permission to sneak upstairs for a few minutes around 22:30 to launch the CanaDoper Café…
I feel bad about leaving so many interesting observations in this thread unanswered, but I feel sure we will take up many of our conversations more or less where we left off.
Off for some skating with the kids…
Le Ministre de l’au-delà, your thread has been the most enjoyable SDMB thread of 2011. I very much look forward to CanaDoper Café in 2012.
I’ll second Muffin’s sentiment. This has been a great thread, and I’m looking forward to the next one.
Ditto. Its nice to have an ongoing thread with a Canadian focus for our contingent of Canadians here on the SDMB.
Thankyou The Minister of the hereafter
Looking forward to the hereafter,CanaDoper Café.
So I’m on my way home from trying to pick up paint in Campbell River when I nearly pile into the car in front of me 15 minutes ago. Heading north on the Island Highway were about 4 native young people walking with a drum pounding and other paraphernalia followed by a large RV festooned with a large banner reading “Walk for Nations”
Never heard of them before.
Apparently they started out on the east coast in May and chose my city to end their walk on the last day of the year.
East west tours usually end up in Victoria on our Vancouver Island, but Campbell River is sort of a hub for much aboriginal activity on the north island.
More on the Walk for Nations"
Here we go; as promised, the CanaDoper Café thread is now open. Happy New Year, and best wishes to all of you.
Le Ministre de l’au-delà