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[igotthisguitar]

Canada Opposes UN Declaration On Rights Of Indigenous

MONTREAL (AFP) - A leader of Canada's native community expressed disappointment Thursday with Ottawa's decision to oppose a groundbreaking United Nations measure on the rights of indigenous people.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/un_indigenous_rights

"We're very disappointed with Canada's opposition to the declaration on indigenous peoples," said Phil Fontaine, leader of Assembly of First Nations.

"It's about the human rights of indigenous peoples throughout the world. It's an important symbol," said Fontaine, who was in New York to lobby for the measure.

The UN General Assembly on Thursday adopted the non-binding declaration protecting the human, land and resources rights of the world's 370 million indigenous peoples, despite the no vote from Canada, which was joined in its opposition by Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The vote in the 192-member assembly was 143 in favor, four against and 11 abstentions.

A joint statement from the Canadian ministries of Indian and Foreign Affairs criticized the document as "fundamentally flawed," in that it "contains provisions that are fundamentally incompatible with Canada's constitutional framework."

"It also does not recognize Canada's need to balance indigenous rights to lands and resources with the rights of others," the statement said.

The government statement added that Canada supports the "spirit" of the measure.

"Further negotiations are necessary in order to achieve a text worthy of Canadian support that will truly address the interests of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world," the statement read.

There are some 370 million indigenous people around the world, 1.3 million of whom live in Canada, out of a total population in 32.7 million.

[The_Conservative]

[Mosley]

Can't believe this thread hasn't turned into a real shytestorm. Where are all the Canadian sociology students when you need them?

But, hey, it's Friday so we're winding down...at least I am....

[thepeel]

[Mosley]

BJWD: That's a damned good post. The only thing wrong with it is that when someone like me reads it...you're preaching to the converted.

By the sounds of the gut-wrenching tales of abuse, I'm guessing your time near the reservation was in Western Canada.

I think it's worth pointing out that the Gen. Assy. declaration is not BINDING on any nation-state. Even Phil Fontaine referred to it as being symbolic only.

[igotthisguitar]

Throught active citizen participation the various levels of gov't can work out Canada's differences.

The record shows significant improvements, via reparations, land entitlements, educational funding,
incentives & settlements etc.

Recognition of any UN jurisdiction = death of national sovereignty.

Exactly what the global elites are pushing for

[Ilsanman]

I am a Sociology major, actually. I agree with most of what BJWD wrote.

I always found 'first nations' issues as a sore spot in my studies, which explains my lack of success in the field, and my lack of desire to study it any further.

Assimilation is a good goal, but it is regarded as the death of their culture, which is funny, since their culture is pretyt much already dead already. If it were ever alive.

First nations are not one group, but they act that way when it suits their purpose. Most of their problems lie with their chiefs. They want to be distinctly different and the same simultaneously. They can't have their cake and eat it too. But some are doing just that now.

At my Uni., we had so many pro-native profs, we couldn't speak out about it without being branded a racist. Education students in Saskatchewan have to take Native Studies 110, which just breeds resentment. It turns more people into racists than it does enlighten people.

[Leavingkorea]

I do a lot of work with First Nations and Metis and it drives me a bit nuts (although I can never show it). Basically the white man is still blamed for all the ills of the Native people and is not to be trusted. If I go to the communities to talk about an issue, I'm totally ignored and not trusted at all. I need a local native with me to get somewhere and generally it's better to just send them and to stay at the office.

It's really tough to handle. They have so much money thrown at them and have every advantage there is when it comes to education and employment yet they are a total disaster as a rule. It's very frustrating to deal with.

Oh the stories I could tell about the waste, manipulation of the system and the general B.S. of it all.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[thepeel]

[keane]

I can see why you two are not in sociology any longer. While I applaud BJWD's disgust with the problem, I have serious doubts about his claims regarding numbers. I don't doubt you believe them, but got any facts behind that? It would be the only population outside of ancient Greece and penal facilities where that might be true. Caveat: if true, you people need to do some serious cleaning up.

Oh, and some of you might want to read on the psychology of oppression and then get a reality check regarding the racism that helps keep folks on the reservation. When studies show repeatedly that the 6-2, quarterback-ish white guy gets the job over the equally, if not better qualified white guy, what chance does a Native have?

Not gonna point fingers, but some of the comments here are disgusting/ignorant.

No smiles, this is too serious an issue.

[Ilsanman]

We have real life experience. I have no need to quote numbers to prove it to you.

I have driven past a few reserves. It's almost always the same. One big mansion (chief's house) and a bunch of shacks.

[Kuros]

[thepeel]

Nah, I'm not going to.

This is exactly the problem that keeps them down. Not the subtle racism of low expectations, or open racism that structurally keeps them out of employment and such, but the idea that nothing is wrong. Indeed, nothing is wrong to such an extent that those who point out that, as a matter o'fact everything is wrong, are racist!

Canadians simply have no idea how bad it is on the reservations.

So, if an American is going to tell us how to deal with our permanent underclass, well, no. I don't think so. Keep your ramblings about "post-colonial" this-and-that and how to even address the topic as a White is "racist" to yourself. They have fully failed you, and are failing us too.



About assimilation. I don't believe (cause I'm not nuts) that inside every Native Canadian is a White Canadian waiting to come out. But dudes from India, Latin America, China and everywhere else in the world manage to live in Canada, retain their cultural identity and at the same time function healthily in society.

[keane]