By Lorrie Goldstein
To
Canadians want two things when it comes to the treatment of aboriginals.
The first is respect for the principle that no one is above the law.
The second is that land claims must be fairly resolved and a way found to address high rates of aboriginal crime, unemployment, poverty, addiction, disease, illiteracy and suicide.
The first principle -- no one is above the law -- means aboriginals don't get to shut down rail lines, as one native leader in
It means they do not get to hold innocent communities hostage, as has been going on in
It means the malicious twits who posted instructions on YouTube about how to shut down
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and every premier need to make this clear -- and back it up with military and police force. Turning a blind eye encourages disrespect for the law by all Canadians. It is the gateway to anarchy.
That said, how can it be, with federal, provincial and municipal taxpayers spending more than $10 billion annually to better the lives of Canada's 1.3 million aboriginals, that so many continue to live in poverty, both on and off reserves?
Should we even have a reserve system which, considering the appalling conditions on so many of them, is a form of apartheid?
How, after all these years, can there still be 800 outstanding aboriginal land claims, with the average case taking a decade just to be heard and some up to 20 years to resolve?
While nothing justifies law-breaking, justice delayed is justice denied.
Our political leaders need to come clean with us.
If $10 billion a year isn't enough to address this mess, how much is?
Why does so much government and aboriginal bureaucracy stand between this money and the people it's supposed to help?
Politicians urge "patience," but patience got us into this mess. It's time for Canadians to become impatient, and demand action. Once and for all.