Blue Like You

Archive for November 8th, 2007

The first thing Michael Bryant should do as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs is to establish which rule of law applies the native population in Ontario.

According to some native activists, the Canadian government has no jurisdiction over their people. Therefore any action by non-native legal systems is viewed as ‘high treason‘.

This isn’t the first time this argument has been advanced. Many Canadian taxpayers are left wondering why they are still having to support reservations, etc.

In fact, Jonathan Kay mentioned this little item in a recent editorial:

Each year the federal government spends over $8-billion on reserve-resident natives, or $80,000 per reserve-resident household (a statistic I never get tired of quoting, because it puts to rest the idea that natives are somehow being nickel-and-dimed under the current system).

Yet, many natives still feel that they should only be accountable to themselves. It would appear that sometimes our courts condone this view, as in the release of Byron Powless on $5000 bail. (You remember the Sam Gualtieri story, right?):

As part of the bail conditions, Powless must live on the Six Nations reserve with his parents, have no contact with the alleged victims and not possess any firearms, explosives or ammunition. Styres said he agreed to be Powless’s surety because he believes it’s an important time in Canadian history as the Six Nations Haudenosaunee try to assert their land rights. “He was defending the right of the Haudenosaunee people (to their land) as he understands it,” he said.

This idea of ‘we can take care of our own’ appears to be in direct conflict with the rights of non-natives.

Michael Bryant will need to bridge this chasm of understanding.

Julian Fantino seems to be blaming the non-natives for stirring the pot, but blame is not getting us anywhere. Neither is passing the buck to the feds for policing issues.

Oh, and by the way, here is a slightly more accurate figure on the Caledonia price tag.

Michael Bryant, you have a job to do. Let’s see some action.

Now.

A number of disturbing items involving China in the news lately:

- ‘Adroit’ China plays dollar - Post; also see Gazette.

- China rumbles, CBC quakes, doc done in. (Sun’s Peter Worthington); also in the Post. However, CBC denies pressure (Star).

- ‘Date Rape’ Drug found in Chinese Toys - Edmonton Sun; also see City News.

Anyone seeing a pattern here? The Worthington article contains some hints:

David Kilgour, a former cabinet minister who has travelled the world exposing China’s abuse of human rights, its sale of body organs and the persecution of Falun Gong, was interviewed in the documentary and has no doubt the CBC bowed to pressure.

“I’m sure the Chinese threatened the CBC that running Red Wall would jeopardize the CBC’s coverage of the Beijing Olympics. It’s their style,” he said. “When I was planning to visit Taiwan they urged me not to, and said it would damage relations with China. I went anyway and nothing happened. They did nothing.”

When Prime Minister Stephen Harper was photographed with the Dalai Lama, China threatened this would damage relations. Then nothing happened. Beijing tried it on for size, and when it didn’t work, it did nothing. Business as usual. China follows a policy of intimidation — if a person or organization or country can be intimidated, it will be. If it can’t be, it won’t be. Beijing will try something else.

Better watch those Christmas toys.