Thank You... White People

Thank you. You know who you are.

I was at a Ceremony tonight for a relative and a friend of mine. The Ceremony took place in the Winnipeg Health Science Centre.    It made me think about how good it is to be an Indian. It was a sad occasion, but also one of hope, kindness and sharing. People came to support a relative, Ndinawemaaganag (our relatives).
Pipes along with Bundles were brought out. The people prayed.

I was thinking, wasn't it good that in this big building of doctors, nurses, patients, that there was a place that Indians could go and pray. Not just a chapel, but a place that welcomed the Pipe, the Sage, the Bundles, the Drum.
Isn't that neat?

There are White people out there I want to thank.

The guy that got upset and outraged when a Indian person is harassed http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2013/03/21/video-surfaces-of-first-nation-man-being-bullied/while eating at McDonalds restaurant. Thank you to that woman who gave a friendly smile to my parents as they went about their business in the local store.
Thank you that family that made rocks/Grandfathers available to anyone who needed to pick them for the Sweat Lodge Ceremony.
Thank you to that Police Officer that was actually polite to that Indian guy.
Thank you to that teacher who spent an extra few minutes to help that boy/girl with their reading.
Thank you to the faceless beaucracy that made it possible to hold a Ceremony in a non-traditional environment.
Thank you to all those of you who stood and stand with the Indian people in protecting the Earth.
Thank you to all those that help out when no one else will.
Thank you for not judging Indian people based on misinformation and bigotry.
Thank you for showing that you are indeed kind.
Thank you for not following the masses in discriminating against us.
Thank you for fighting bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia, mysogyny and all those other bad isms. 

I do mean thank you. And for real. 

As they say "I mean that from a good spot in my heart". 

Something Is Amiss With Senate and Indians.

OTTAWA (November 14, 2012) Members of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights will visit Western Canada November 19 - 23, 2012 as part of the committee’s ongoing study on the rights of First Nations people living off-reserve..

The committee’s study on rights of off-reserve First Nations people will touch upon a wide variety of topics and may include: demographics; health care; education; housing and mobility; income and employment; access to services and the role of friendship centres; representation by Aboriginal organizations; and participation in band decision-making.

Ginger Gosnell-Myers http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Com ... /ridr/press/14NOV12-e.htm

Media Advisory
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You know that is quite an undertaking by the Senate Committee, going around listening to Indians talk about racism, with the twist being listening to only those living off-Reserve.

Wonder why that is happening?

What do you think?

Is it benevolent reasons? Does the government really care about the Indian population? The government does not want the urban Indian to be subject to racism?  Seems kind of weird don't it? I mean if you look at the actions, policies of this Canadian government (and many Provincial governments as well), it does not seem like they are very Indian friendly. As a matter of fact some of the policies are down right hostile to the Indian population.  

So if history has shown us that the government is not being fair or is really still trying to get rid of the Indian problem, than why the big show (Senate Committee)?

I'll tell you.

Canada is still pissed at the Indian. After all of these hundreds of years, those damn pesky Indians are still Indians. What the heck is up with that?  I mean the government made it clear that the Reserve thing was just a temporary holding pen for them. They were suppose to become good workers for all the new "real" Canadians that were coming into Canada. Canada never intended to keep the bargain of Treaties and Land deals, heck.  In fact the government made it so the Indian wouldn't survive: they made Indian prayer illegal, they made travel illegal for the Indian, hunting was illegal, fishing, selling products illegal, and being Indian illegal. Shit, Canada even started kidnapping kids and started to indoctrinate them into the Canadian cult. They brought in the cult masters; Catholics, Jesuits, Anglicans.  These masters did the best they could. Sure they got some of those damn little pesky Indians, but they just couldn't get them all. After all those Indians breed like rabbits or rats. Now the Indians are the fastest growing population out there in Canada land. Wha the heck is up with that. Don't they know they cost the government some of its hard earn cash (or ill gotten gain)?

I know eh?  Damn Indians, spoiling the plot for Canada. Canada was suppose to get rid of the Indians by now and have all the riches of the land to themselves. Instead those damn rotten Indians are still here. Still fighting for the riches of the country. Man, didn't Canada do its best to shake down those Indians over the Land?  And still those damn pesky Indians are there. And look some of them even have the nerve to have business. In the resource sector yet? Now they are taking over some of our great Canada cities. What the heck?

So it comes down to this, Canada couldn't kill the Indian way back when and more recently either. So lets have them do it for us. Have the Indians start killing themselves. How does Canada do that. Simple. Divide. Divide. It has worked very well in the past, (you know with the Status and non-Status thing, the enfranchisement thing, the kidnap thing, the indoctrination thing) and now it will work again. This time we use the urban to turn against the Reserve Indian, or vice versa. Its brilliant.

You know how it is going to be done? Easy. Just say that money for Indians will be split. Reserves will not get cash based on their overall population (never mind that the land and treaty claims are outstanding, this will distract them). Instead say the money for those urban Indians is based in the Transfer payments given to the provinces. Let the provinces deal with that monkey. The resulting cash crunch in the Reserve will have a quick and drastic consequence. Services will suffer in the community and the residents will only have the off Reserve to blame. Creating more conflict to keep the Indians busy fighting amongst themselves.

Ingenious  isn't it (or is it ingenuous, never can get the two mixed up)? Not sure if this is the reason for the Senate Committee on Human Rights, but what a good outcome for Canada, don't you think?