HappY Thanksgiving PLS try to forgive the settlers for taking the native land

not sure whether your directing this toward me, but how is what I said even remotely racist?

 

Sure a lot of the racism does come from modern day issues such as land use and fisheries (resource based) but all of these situations lead back to settlement and the problems from colonization. The root of these racial problems comes from what happened in the past.



I am sure you do not mean it this way but when you say behavior of both sides it sounds like you are saying First Nations are at fault for a lot of racism towards them because of the way they behave. Most of the racism I witness out here is in the from negative stereotypes, looking down on natives, jealousy of native rights and accusing natives of taking all the resources. I really do not see how First Nations are behaving to fuel this racist attitude many have towards us. The miscommunication one I do understand and I believe that it goes deeper then this and I know many people do understand the situations but continue to ignore it.



Sure the Canadian Government did not kill as many Natives as the Americans (but they did) but The English did kill many Natives and they later became the Canadian Government so it is the same thing.



Racial issues are a huge problem but I really hope that things get better. I think they already are starting to but we still have along way to go. Racial issues are not going to get any better with First Nations if people continue to ignore the negative impact that colonization has had on every generation of native people. I am not trying to whine and say oh the poor natives, what I am trying to say is the treatment of native people ever since the first colonization has had a very negative impact on native cultures and many of the racist attitudes of the past are still prevalent today.

 

there is a difference between feeling guilty and acknowledging what has happened in the past.

 

"Even if your ancestors where not here in Canada at the time of first colonization you need to realize that people who live in Canada now are benefiting from the colonization of First Nations people"

well said Komokwa.

It is atrocious that the native american people are living in reserves with no running water and the goverment is fine with that.

As for canada, we need to all commit to stopping racism and supporting First Nations poeple in their struggle for self -government.... and stop crying "It's not fair!" when they pay less taxes, or get hired before a non-aboriginal person with equal qualifications.

Its a drop in the bucket when they should be fully compensated.

 

In Saskatchewan, behaviours on both sides are causing problems. The racial climate here is different, I believe, than it is in most other areas of Canada. I am not "poo-pooing" the problems in other areas, just saying that here is might be a little different.

Some non-natives are guilty of buying into sterotypes. We are guilty of listening to the stories of our grandparents, and going along with their beliefs. Racism is definetly a learnt behaviour. Its not everyone who

Some, SOME natives aren't helping matters with some of their behaviours. Let me stress the fact that I am not saying ALL natives.. just a select few. My uncle worked on a rez for many years as a handyman jack-of-all-trades. He was hired by the tribe elders. The things he saw while working there... well... I don't want to tell the stories in a public forum as thats how things get worse. But its the things he saw the FEW doing that fuels the non-native reactions that are so negative and detrimental to all. (BTW, the reserves here are a mess. They need some serious help!)

Thats all I ment by saying its the behaviour of both sides. I am not painting everyone with the same brush. Its the behaviour of a few people that is bringing everyone down. White, black, purple - colour doesn't dictate behaviour, anyone of any colour can behave badly. Its just that the people here tend to gasp onto any native misbehaviour and use it to feel warrented in their misguided beliefs.

 

It's true, but I dont think its buying in to the streotype its an obvious result of colonization.:H

 

The racial climate is like that all across Canada but it varies from place to place. I know more then a few people on my reserve who fit into the Native stereotype but it is a very small percent. The problem with the stereotypes is many of these non-natives only notice the alcoholic jobless Native guy panhandling on the street corner which enforces thier negative stereotypes. but they fail to see the natives guys white drinking buddy sitting beside him. Sure many natives might not be helping the situation and actually fitting into these stereotypes but it the person who is doing the stereotyping who is the one responsible for the racism because many of them fail to recognize what you pointed out that all people have evil people among them.

 

I really do not think that she was directing it at you, if you read my post above hers it says that there is still a lot of racism in Canada.



But if you really want to know why it was a racist statement I will tell you



Your statement about not paying taxes is a very common form of racism towards First Nations people . You are saying everything that has happened to these tribes was not that bad because now they do not have to pay the high taxes everyone else does. So this means that all the suffering that these cultures has had can amount to money. All the deaths, forced sterilizations and cultural genocide was not that bad since they now do not have to pay taxes.



How are all these things not “getting shafted in a big way”?



How does not paying taxes make up for all the lost cultures and the conditions many first nations people live in today?



Do you realize that there are restrictions on not paying taxes for First Nations people and that most do not qualify?



In many ways attitudes like “it is not that bad they do not have to pay taxes” and “it happened in the past” condone and rationalize all the horrible things which has happened in the past to First Nations people which in my view is very racist.

 

Of course, you have profited off their abuse.

 

So very true... I've been called things like "white bitch" just for walking downtown. I'm not saying that makes up in any way for the hell they've gone through in the past, nor the prejudice they currently face, simply that there are participants on both sides who are perpetuating problems.

There's no easy solution to this, no black and white view of the issues Canada faces when it comes to Native people and racism.

 

I hear that.

It's hurtful. My husband always says that aboriginal people have put up with this for a hundred years! I argue this point with him all of the time!

 

Yes, while founded in colonial past there's a good deal that our more recent ancestors (got a grandfather from WWII? Got parents that vote? or don't vote?) have contributed to the climate.

Places and incidents like Calledonia started off because the governement took thier given land under some war requisitions act and never gave it back. Ask someone from Kashechewan how their water was last year and wonder why it was ignored for many years previously. Even after Walkerton where we could see what bad water can do but I guess it was white folk and the buck was easy to pass along there - when 100 First Nation reserves live on boiled water advisory, there's no buck passing - you have to admit neglect at a high government level.

 

For the most part, Sovereignty of the land was ceded in treaties, not conquest. There is a world of difference.

See royal proclamation of 1763.

 

European settlers coming into north america were violating their land rights and disrupting their way of life....., the treaties were one sided, really First Nations people were/are completely ripped off. Historically this has never happened to "white" people. The Aboriginal people in Australia have been treated the same, and of course the original people in other countries as well.... all bullied and coralled.

 

Obviously it wasn't nice and pleasant, but saying that their sovereignty was "taken" is at best technically incorrect and at worst a bald-faced lie (barring certain tribes in BC).

 

without writing a 500 word essay .... I will just leave it alone by saying the colonizers slowly and systematically took away their way of surviving until they became dependent upon them and eventually coerced into signing the treaties.


there are still restrictions in place that they can not profit on Crown land, their reserves... this is for the reason none other than to keep aboriginal people dependant on our governement.

 

I'm really curious about this. I don't seem to to recall anything like this at all in either section 25 or 35 of the constitution, nor in any BC provincial law that I'm familiar with.

Can you please point out the law or treaty you found this in? Because right now I'm inclined to disagree, unless its some provincial point.

 

Have you read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Colonizer_and_the_Colonized ????



Albert Memmi: "The colonial relationship. . . chained the colonizer and the colonized into an
implacable dependence, molded their respective characters, and dictated their conduct."