“Perhaps it’s time to pack up both Attawapiskat and Kashechewan, and raze both communities on the way out.”
The above is a direct quote from an editorial which appeared in the Ottawa Sun on 27 Dec 2012. If ever you needed proof that the Government of Canada and one-sided media outlets persist in presenting a derogatory view of Aboriginals, assuring most Canadians will stay ignorant and out of touch with what the facts are, then look no further than the aforementioned editorial. A disgusting piece of work. Decent people want a country where hate literature is outlawed. These laws certainly are not applied when hate mongers are on the attack against the First Nations. Canada’s hate laws? Just a lot of smoke and mirrors. A very sad joke.
Day 17 of her hunger strike, Chief Theresa Spence is surrounded by caring helpers. Photo: ©juliecomber.com
The fact is that Canada mislead the Cree at the time agreements were made with them. Some treaties were negotiated in one day. The Cree signed documents they could not even read and trusted the word of monsters like Duncan Campbell Scott and others. How many times have the agreements the Cree made with the Crown been breached by Canada? The figure is into the thousands. It is not the time to “move everyone south to locales and climes where hell doesn’t freeze over”, as the Sun article suggests. It is the time for a treaty with the Cree to be renegotiated. It is a time for Canada to finally do what is honourable.
As for “razing” Kashechewan and Attawapiskat – do not dare to try it. The small parcels of land known as reserves are the only land base the Cree have left of their once vast territory. They will never leave their territories where they have lived since time immemorial. The First Nations love their home communities every bit as much as an Israeli Jew loves Israel. Ask the Israelis if it would be OK with them to have the Sun’s editorial board head to the Middle East with the intention of “razing” Israel. Ask the Israelis how hard they would fight you if you dared to try. Their answers are our answers. Canada, can you just do what is honourable?
Keep the Circle Strong,
Albert “South Wind” Dumont.
This [27 Dec 2013 Ottawa Sun] article is, in effect, proposing cultural genocide. If these things were written about any other culture in Canada, it would be called hate literature. (I use the term literature loosely.)
Recent rulings have declared that the funds were not mismanaged and the supposed $90 million does not apply to Attawapiskat alone. Maybe we should stop calling it “tax payers money,” and start calling it rent. Too bad the same enthusiasm was not applied to questioning our Government’s recent sale to
Chinese interests. “Check the books” on that. Oh wait, we can’t. And THAT is one of the many reasons that Chief Theresa Spence has asked to meet with Prime Minister Harper.