Dither No More

Paulie visits Theresa:

Martin, the highest-ranking dignitary to visit with the hunger-striking First Nations Chief at her tent in Ottawa, told CTV’s Question Period in an exclusive interview that he had a “very good” discussion with Spence.

“I just told her that she really was a, she’d become really an inspiration for all Canadians and that we were obviously concerned about her health and that she’s got to talk care of herself,” Martin said.

Let me begin by thanking Stephen Harper for having kicked Paul Martin out of office. It's terrifying to think that so gullible a fool was the head of our national government. The same day that news reached us of Paulie's Pow-Wow this story surfaced of an audit into the band's finances:

The federal government is concerned a damning independent audit of how federal funds are spent in Attawapiskat will inflame tensions in advance of Friday's meeting between the prime minister and First Nations leaders, says a source who has seen the report.

The government, however, says it is not deliberately withholding the document and it will be released soon through “normal channels.”

The audit, by Deloitte and Touche, is “severely critical” of how Chief Theresa Spence and the Attawapiskat Band Council have spent about $90 million in federal funds over the past five years, according to a source who spoke to the Star but who refused to be more specific about its recommendations.

This is the power of white liberal guilt. The power to make educated and reasonably intelligent men and women blind themselves to reality. The reserve system, with some honourable exceptions, is corrupt, racist and grossly immoral. Theresa Spence's pseudo-hunger strike is a crude public relations stunt likely designed to take attention away from Attawapiskat's finances. For those who doubt the power of ideas, here is a perfect example. No other group of people in Canada could possible get away with something so obvious.

As Chief Spence's fish broth revolution has progressed we have begun to get a clearer idea of its objective.

Protesters have said many of their concerns stem from Bill C-45 — the Conservative government's omnibus budget bill -- which First Nations leaders have said hinders their treaty rights. 

So what is Bill C-45? It's basically the budget, but includes provisions to make it somewhat easier for bands to lease reserve land. By leasing, not selling, land billions of dollars worth of now dormant aboriginal capital could be used to spur economic development. No reserve is being compelled to lease their land. They are simply being allowed to exercise the option with somewhat less red tape. Key pieces of infrastructure are being blocked because a few fanatics dislike less federal government involvement in aboriginal affairs.

While aboriginal nationalists often gripe about the Indian Act, it serves their interests quite well. It provides a ready made excuse for the poor living standards on reserves. Just as Middle Eastern despots distract their populations with vehement anti-Israeli rhetoric, the aboriginal nationalists do much the same but instead blame Ottawa. 

The Indian Act in practice grants many tribal councils huge and arbitrary sway over their people. For many aboriginals the Act is a charter of tyranny, not of the white man over the red, but of scheming race hustlers over their own people. Aboriginals are denied the right to own private property, the corner stone of a free society, while having limited rights of petition and redress. Many reserves do not have anything akin to responsible government. The whole primitive and bigoted system is funded by the taxpayers. Our gutless political class continues to aid and abet the process. 

Some are blinded by bad ideas, like Paul Martin. Some are afraid of wasting political capital on a futile struggle, which is likely Stephen Harper's belief as he has engaged in only incremental reform. It seems likely that any significant improvement will not come from the Canadian government, but from aboriginals themselves demanding positive change, as opposed to the pathetic grandstanding of Theresa Spence.

Before Canadian aboriginals can emancipate themselves from the Indian Act, they must free themselves from the psychology of victimhood and the philosophy of failure. They must stop thinking of themselves as fractions of an aggrieved collective whole. Instead aboriginals must see themselves as individuals bound together by history and custom, but entitled to the same individual liberties as other Canadians.

Once that intellectual break through is made the power of the corrupt chiefs will be broken. Their pathetic rationalizations will be exposed as lies. No number of audits will overthrow the reserve system, only a philosophical revolution can do that. Once complete abolishing the Indian Act will be a comparatively small last step.

Comments

[nomdeblog]

“No number of audits will overthrow the reserve system, only a philosophical revolution can do that.”

It has to start with economics. The economics of tribalism does not work in large populations. ...unless they are artificially propped up by outside funding...like oil funding flowing to the ME or equalization to the Quebec tribe or in this case to the reserve system. Therefore the welfare as we know it has to stop; maybe Bill Clinton can show us how.

Meanwhile it is not helpful that “Paulie's Pow-Wow” gives credibility to the enabling process. It’s indeed “terrifying to think that so gullible a fool was the head of our national government.”

[Cytotoxic]

Harper will cave. It's just a matter of time. He already caved when agreed to meet Spence.