With the warming of the days that comes with summer and the positive effect a little vacation and relaxation has on many of us, I had hoped that the red necks would be able to take some time off as well. Yet, this latest advertisement for Eska Water is another testament to the fact that racism in…
Continue reading…about Eskan Racism – Bottled and Sourced in Canada for Over 500 Years
Back in December of 2009, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) (as it then was) announced that it would be putting together an “expert” panel on First Nations education and that the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) would have some say over the mandate of the panel and the appointment of its members. The members of…
Continue reading…about INAC’s “Expert” Panel on First Nation Education – Big Bucks, Zero Results
There has been a great deal of publicity lately related to all the great work the Conservatives are doing in relation to Aboriginal peoples. Some media outlets have called this a “historic shift” and even gone so far as to characterize the plan as a “sweeping overhaul of reserve life”. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-native-leaders-commit-to-sweeping-overhaul-of-reserve-life/article2053099/?service=mobile While there may be…
Continue reading…about Shiny New Beads and Trinkets: Old Assimilation Policies Repackaged
Ok, I have to admit that had anyone told me that the Conservative government’s first order of business would be to pay half a million dollars to hire private detectives to spy on First Nations, I might have viewed them with some level of skepticism. After all, I am not naive enough to think that the Conservatives…
Continue reading…about Secret Agent Harper: Conservative Spy Games in Indian Country
I am moved to write this blog because a couple of my readers/listeners/followers have contacted me about comments I made a while back on Facebook where I was critical of the US using the codename “Geronimo” in the assassination of Bin Laden. I was critical about First Nations being publicly characterized as terrorists and some members of…
Continue reading…about From Savages to Terrorists: Justifying Genocide of First Nations
The issue of whether or not to vote in the fast-approaching federal election has been a hot topic in the last few weeks. There are Indigenous peoples on both sides of the argument and sometimes the debate can get pretty heated. Taking into account the vibrant diversity within our Indigenous Nations, a wide variety of opinions is…
Continue reading…about To Vote or Not to Vote – A Question of Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples
Over the last few weeks, many Canadians, Aboriginal people and media types have been discussing the upcoming federal election. People have been trying to analyse the platforms and see which one promises the most for Canada as a whole and for Aboriginal people specifically. I have also provided information in my previous blogs for those so inclined…
Is it just me or do I see a pattern here? I mean, there was no end of criticism for the Harper autocracy BEFORE he was booted from Parliament, but now that he is trying to win an election and asking Canadians to give him a majority government, I am shocked at how little attention…
Continue reading…about Bullies Really Are Cowards: Harper’s Conservatives Hide from Citizens
Thanks for all your e-mails, texts, FB messages, and comments. I am encouraged to see so many people interested in the legal and political issues affecting our people. I know first hand that trying to sort out each political parties ACTUAL position on issues can be very overwhelming, confusing, and even impossible at times. There are so many…
Continue reading…about 2011 Federal Election Platforms and NAO Positions – Woefully Empty
Below you will find my chart of some of the election issues that are important to me and my family. What I did was compare what was important to us against the election platforms of the major federal parties. The first three issues are fundamental to First Nation-Crown relations and the most important to me….
Continue reading…about Comparison of Federal Parties Platforms on Aboriginal Policy