Day of Protest - Chance to Educate or Excuse to Disturb

Today is the national day of protest for the natives. I still say that we should join them and protest other government problems and injustices.

But is this a chance to educate or just an excuse to disturb everyone?

As a day of education there ample opportunity to educate people without taking the chance of subverting the sympathy of non-natives into the avenues of distrust and loss of sympathy.

Yes non-natives need to be educated or at least informed of the plight of many of the reserves throughout Canada. It is also a time for Natives to examine themselves and the their communities that are part of the "have reserves". What are the wealthy reserves doing for their counterparts in the reserves that are considered "have not reserves".

No one hears about the efforts, if there are any, of wealthy natives (and we know there are some ie. Grand River Enterprises owners). As I mentioned in an earlier blog that it would be amazing to see Reserves that are well off to assist those Reserves that are not as wealthy.

But it is difficult to educate Canadian non-natives of the plight of Native Reserves when it is well known that Natives that live on reserves pay no income tax. It is difficult to have sympathy for some Natives when I have gone to university with a Native from a "have reserve" who had all of her tuition paid for, all her books paid for, all of her lodging paid for, a free cell phone, a monthly income, a free flight to university, home for Christmas, back to university, and home in May. All paid for.

I understand the plight of many northern reserves. They shouldn't be living in the conditions that they are in. And yes the governments of Canada, both liberal and conservative, have screwed these reserves over and over again. These northern reserves should have been looked after a long time ago, there is no doubt of that in any one's mind.

I still say a lot of benefit would come from making reserves the same of municipalities, and I won't go into that as I have covered that in previous blogs. What non-Natives really want to know is: Exactly what do the Natives want? Do they want money, land, or both? How much is enough? We know for sure that Six Nations for example will not get cities and all that they are demanding which includes the concept of being a separate nation.

So what are they negotiating? Does anyone really know?