Labelthis…

As usual the conservative solution to the justifiable actions of First Nations in Caledonia and else where.Is to propose more laws.That would make it easier for the government to go after legitimate protesters,using the courts and men with clubs(to enforce court orders).

In the same vain don’t expect much from Liberals.The McGuinty government have had over,1 1/2 years to workout some kind of resolution.Instead the people of Ontario and Canada get a government(s) that is missing in action and shows no leadership on this issue what so ever.

It’s shameful the government has allowed the Caledonia issue to fester.This has only increased the tension and mistrust between local residents and Mohawk First Nations.That the government(Liberal) would stand by as passions get heated to the point of racism,is unforgivable

Nobody is going to convince me that this dispute can not be solved.All thats required is leadership,and the will to to do the right thing.

One thing I believe to be a given,is that on First Nations issues the Liberals the Conservatives are pretty much on the same page.In that they believe the rights of First Nations are of secondary importance to that of white society,when they should be of equal importance.In short the logic being,First Nations peoples should “get over the past” and assimilate.

Any will on part of indigenous peoples to survive as distinct people and cultures is seen as somehow being about race.This is of course nonsense,but none the less one does not have to dig very deep to locate such opinion among Liberals and Conservatives.

Despite “all the talk” by one or two(actually I could only find the one Lib blogger) Liberal bloggers in regards to Canada’s recent refusal to ratify the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.The Liberals have yet to expressed any interest never mind concern .

Take the example of one of the more prominent Lib bloggers,Chernaik who often hoots and hollas over supposed attacks on the Human Rights of Israeli’s.But on the Human Rights violations of First Nations,at home and in his own province,you will never hear a peep.

It’s all talk and no substance.In the Liberal blog sphere First Nations are not even discussed unless it’s to reinforce or hype the perception that First Nations peoples do not deserve any better.

For some reason I have never been able to decipher,to many non-indigenous “left”,activists and Liberals totally ignore,or pay lip service (when/if indig issues manage to break through the background noise),to the on going Human Rights violation of Canada’s indigenous peoples.

Even one of Canada’s top bloggers discussing Human Rights,never talks about the Human Rights violations of Canada’s indigenous peoples.Which are widespread in Canada,in fact in the very streets outside his front door.

But do not get me wrong this does not devalue his blog or the work he does.I am just using this as an example of something that I find particularly irksome.

In my world I do not understand how any one can be an activist,or talk about Human Rights or democracy for that matter in Canada,without taking on/exploring indigenous issues.F.N struggles for basic justice & Human Rights, is part of the Canadian context.One must explore this issue to understand Canadian history and how the past is reflected in the present(or visa versus).

One can not talk about democracy in Canada as long as it’s indigenous peoples are denied access to the same democracy and democratic principles.

What truly make this aggravating is that unlike say in the case of Darfur,those Canadians who supposedly care so much about the Human Rights of others.Could actually do something real and perhaps even force a government to act.And not in far off lands but right here at home.

But they don’t,sigh….

Update : Cameron Holmstrom from Peterborough Politics also has a few observations on both the Liberal and Conservative, actions/inaction in Caledonia…

Well, for all of Mr. Tory’s using a racially charged issue to try to win votes, Mr. Smitherman and his party(Liberal) can’t exactly stand tall on this one. The last time I checked, all of this has happened under their watch, and they are the ones who walked away from the negotiating table last week under pressure from local residents. Where is your solution Mr. Smitherman and Mr. McGuinty???