Political Correctness , A bottomless Money Pit

If you have been keeping up with national news you have certainly heard about the problems facing our government over concerns regarding living conditions on the Attawapiskat Indian Reserve, or I should say the "Attawapiskat First Nations"(simply in the interest of being politically correct).

Now watching news reports there is no doubt that these Aboriginal People (oops, did it again, I mean "First Nations" people) are living in squalid conditions reminiscent of a third world country or more than likely what existed amongst the aboriginals when Europeans first settled North America. I for one find it sad that in a country as prosperous as Canada that this continues, we need a solution.

After doing little research here is what I come up with, in a nutshell.

According to the government they have provided approximately $90 Million over the last 10 years to the community whose full time population hovers somewhere around the 2000 mark, this breaks down to about $45,000 per head. It seems the tribal Chief, Theresa Spence draws a reasonable salary of $70,000 per annum, so it would appear that the Chief and the band council aren't living the high life, as has happened on other reserves. Lets face it, this is no where enough money to properly house people when you are attempting to build from the ground up. There lies the problem..... building from the ground up.

The Attawapiskat Reserve lies in the absolute middle of nowhere in Northern Ontario, accessible by air in the summer and by "winter roads" after freeze up. This means that transporting people and goods into Attawapiskat is an expensive proposition to say the least. Add to that the fact that there virtually no opportunity for employment (90% unemployment currently!) and you could not pick out a worse location to settle people if you tried. By now I suspect you know where I am going with this......

This insistence by people (both aboriginal and everyone else) that the government (civic, provincial, or federal) must bring urban standards and employment to anywhere a group of individuals choose to live is ridiculous in today's society. At what cost per person do you provide sewer treatment, clean water, power, roads, medical services, and all the other requirements of a city or town in today's society. All of these services become economically possible in larger centers due simply to being able to spread the cost over many, not a few.

So my solution is simple, relocate...... Now I am not suggesting that you force the cost of relocating on the people themselves, it is a cost the government should bear (Yes, I said it!). My reasoning is straight forward,  it would provide the people in question with a much higher standard of living while saving a lot of money in the long run. Yes, I realize that the thought of moving aboriginals off reserves into mainstream society will draw howls of protest from aboriginal groups, human rights organizations, and many on the left. However maybe it is a decision long over due, one that should have been made a century or two ago.

Wait a minute Frustrated Joe, Aboriginal People have rights and treaties?
Of course Aboriginal people have rights, Our society and the Aboriginal (did I get it right this time?) people themselves want these groups to be treated as equals and to have access to the same rights and privileges as every other Canadian as they should. So how does our government and those in charge amongst these groups approach this? Simple they place them on barren land in the middle of nowhere, where employment is almost impossible, permit them to live outside of the tax system, provide them with the bare necessities, allow them to govern themselves to a large degree, and make excuses and lay blame for every woe that befalls them. Honestly, does that sound like the average Canadian. As for treaties, they are contracts, and contracts can be renegotiated in time if both parties are open to the idea. Or, the government can simply do what they have done so many times in the past to the rest of us..... change the rules in the interest of the majority.

The bottom line here is that as long as a society we treat our aboriginal people different from the rest of Canadains they will by default be different and remain outside of the general populace. On one hand the term "self government" is often used, on the other they are expected to be fed, clothed, sheltered and in many ways treated like children. Is it any wonder that there are so many problems, there is no sense of self reliance as it was never expected.

The reality of the aboriginal situation in our country ( like many other parts of the world) is that these groups on do not want to be stigmatized, yet want to be cared for from cradle to grave while taking little responsibility for their own actions. It's time everyone set political correctness aside and looked at a long term solution or we will still be dealing with this in another 200 years.