#idlenomore #cdnpoli #bcpoli #ndp #cpc
As someone that prides himself as a social moderate and political progressive, the #idlenomore movement has been a bit of a struggle for me. Not because I don’t think that first nations’ Canadians grievances aren’t real – they are, but I am troubled by the bellyaching by the leadership of this “group” when there are some serious issues about accountability to be answered by these leaders.
Its true that native Canadians largely suffer worse living conditions that the back country of Afghanistan and its largely due to the legislated racism coded into the Indian Act. law sets about a parent-child relationship between Aboriginal Canadians and the Federal Government. I support a repeal of the law but must come hand in hand with measures to bring Aboriginal Canadians up to the standards the rest of the nation is held to.
I know why the Act was passed so many years ago. It was a sense of collective guilt over treatment of these first peoples of this land over time. The trouble is that it was overkill. The Act is the ultimate welfare-state legislation that takes all incentive of personal responsibility away or any need to attempt to prosper.
I might sound like a conservative here, but a fatter paycheque and prosperity is a great motivator and liberating factor. An earned paycheque teaches more about personal responsibility than a less-than-adequate social assistance cheque.
I realize that over a generation, small steps have been made on the Aboriginal affairs file to move the first nations’ to more of a sustainable and self sufficient footing, and many Indians have figured this out and made a decent lifestyle as business owners and workers thanks to a normal work ethic. My problem is that the leadership of the Aboriginal lobby movement is more concerned with protecting the status quo as it shields their power and influence.
The leaders of #idlenomore have to answer for the millions they receive from Ottawa (and the various Provincial governments) yet so little reaches the streets in their communities. There is a distinct have vs have-not within the Aboriginal community. To ask that they play by the same accounting laws and be accountable to their fellow first-citizens is not racist…its right.
My sense is that the lions share of Aboriginal Canadians want to rise above the poverty that traps them…most are gutsy enough to take chances, get an advanced education, start a business, find a decent paying job. Some aren’t and are content with the spartan comfort zone of social assistance. This is no different than any other ethnic group…but they at least deserve a chance with a phased repeal of the Indian Act and enforcement of current accountability laws on the books.
When their fellow Indians are moving ahead and making real progress and prosperity, my hope is that it gets contagious enough for even the lazy to get their act together.
The fact is that poverty isn’t racist, its touched every ethnic group – for many many reasons. Long ago, Indians never suffered this way – because they took care of each other. My hope is that they find that solidarity within their communities and pull together again.
