Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Brazeau symbolic of
Harper's indifference to First Nations
By: Don Marks
Posted: 1:00 AM
·
Senator Patrick
Brazeau (CP)
The latest problems of Patrick Brazeau raise much
bigger issues than his personal fall from grace and Senate reform. Brazeau
represents all that is wrong with the Harper government's approach to First
Nations.
First Nations have long claimed the Harper
government doesn't take their concerns seriously and that they can't trust the
prime minister. These feelings started when Brazeau was paraded out as the
Harper government's "go-to boy" on all things "native".
At that time, Brazeau was "chief" of the
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples; the derivative of the Native Council of Canada.
Notwithstanding the fact CAP's credibility had been in decline for years, that
its leaders were routinely re-installed by acclamation by a small control group
of bureaucrats and that it loosely represented so-called non-status aboriginals
in just a few provinces, the Harper government increased funding for CAP while
decreasing funds for the official and accredited representatives of First Nations,
the Assembly of First Nations.
Brazeau was completely in line with the Harper
government's imposed policies of fiscal reform; a good Tory in all ways. First
Nations people throughout the land decried Brazeau as an "apple" (red
on the outside and white in the middle) but he was Harper's toady and the
government was sticking with him.
Some concerns about misspending at CAP were
dismissed by claiming they took place before Brazeau became chief, but with
allegations of sexual harassment and drinking on the job swirling around, the
Harper government decided to try and hide Brazeau in the Senate.
Despite the fact the Reform/Tories had campaigned
against all things Senate, they tried to sell the idea Brazeau would provide
value by providing them with expert advice about aboriginal affairs from the
red chamber.
And Brazeau, ever the dutiful soldier, proceeded to
criticize the Idle No More movement and make fun of Chief Theresa Spence.
Unfortunately for the Harper government, Brazeau also got embroiled in charges
he was falsely claiming his primary residence was back in Maniwaki, Que., which
made him eligible for a Senate subsidy (as if his $132,000 a year stipend to
set a record for not attending Senate meetings wasn't enough).
Then, on Thursday, he was arrested at his home in
Gatineau, across the river from Ottawa and charged with domestic violence and
sexual assault.
Oh yeah, his salary is being garnisheed for falling
behind in child support payments.
It is bad enough the Harper government trotted out
such an individual as representative of First Nations and relied on him for
advice on important issues; it was obvious to First Nations people the Harper
government doesn't care enough about their issues to undertake even the most
cursory research.
And it has continued to do this.
Everybody knows that changes were needed at the
Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. So what does the Harper
government do? It changes the name to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
Development Canada.
Anybody who knows anything about First Nations in
Canada knows that the term "aboriginal" is on the way out. Yes, it is
going to cost a helluva lot to re-print business cards and letterheads, let
alone office signs, but the only reason most indigenous organizations are
sticking with that name is because government is so choked up with it and that
affects policies, programs and funding. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has
gone so far as to say it won't do business with organizations that use the word
aboriginal in their name.
Next move: The Harper government makes the request
by First Nations to have the Governor General attend meetings appear naive and
frivolous.
Yes, the Governor General has very limited power
over Parliament, but the sacred treaties signed by First Nations were with the
Crown, and the presence of the Governor General indicates the federal
government, which represents the controversial Indian Act, is taking this
process seriously and is willing to return to the treaty negotiation process
seriously.
Impressions are important and if it looks like you
don't care, then people will think you don't care.
The Harper government doesn't care because it
appears not to care.
Don Marks is a Winnipeg writer and the editor of
Grassroots News.
Republished from
the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 11, 2013 A11
___________________________________________________________________________________
From: Terrance Nelson
Sent: February-11-13 9:27 PM
To: Gerald McIvor
Subject: Re: Redford says Pipelines will proceed to Quebec
To: Gerald McIvor
Subject: Re: Redford says Pipelines will proceed to Quebec
Gerald
The
attached article on Patrick Brazeau is written by Don Marks in the
Winnipeg Free Press. The picture of Sandra Brand and Patrick Brazeau is
attached. Sandra Brand is a Colombian who came to Canada in 2008.
Brazeau is on a summary charge not an indictable offense. Perhaps a
little favor from high up, a parting gift. Harper was given the gist of
the 911 call made by Sandra. I am not sure if Sandra Brand has a
Canadian citizenship but if she doesn't, she is likely to get one if she
wants one. The 911 call is "privleged".
Brazeau's
drinking history is well known and has been known for several years.
Several incidents regarding women are known. There is very little
sympathy for Brazeau amongst First Nations people in fact a lot of
people are celebrating his fall. The Harper Government had been
concerned with him for a while but he got in trouble when he went
against the Harper Government in his public support for a National
Inquiry on the Murdered and Missing Women. The cover for his actions
seems to have disappeared since then.
I predict that Brazeau will beat the charges.
Sex,
Politics and Power. A milder version but something like President
Clinton and Monica. The Red Chamber doesn't get this type of attention
on sexual stuff because most of the male Senators are asleep or in need
of Viagra. I don't think the Tabloids in Britain and the United States
even care about this one.
Harper
survived the Colonel Russ Williams story. The pilot for Defence
Minister Peter Mckay, killed two women, raped many women and broke into
homes of women. He operated right in front of the Harper Government for a
long time. A serial killer has just been caught in Ottawa but Ottawa
has a lot of stories of M.Ps and Senators and Bureaucrats that never get
in the news because the media refuse to investigate or file stories on
the "private" lives of the powerful politically connected
If
a National Inquiry into the 600 Murdered and Missing Native women in
Canada ever was done, a lot of information would come out in public,
something that many in Ottawa fear.
These
are the same people who condemn the treatment of Iranian women. When I
was in Iran, I saw many women who were part of all government
departments; still I realize that every society can improve. Seventy
percent of the University students in Iran are women. I wonder if other
people in the world would condemn us for how women are treated in
Canada. In Manitoba, the government licenses alcohol, gambling and
cigarettes. They profit by hundreds of millions of dollars every year
from all the "sin" taxes. To help bring in customers to the beer
parlours where gambling is done, the Province also licenses nude
dancing. What do Iranians think of our liberated women? Is it liberation
or exploitation to be a nude dancer? Aren't Canadians great? They get
to tell Iranians how they should treat their women. I think if enough
women in Iran are educated, they will create the changes they want
without us trying to force them to live like Canadians.
Brazeau
is finished but the story of the 600 Murdered and Missing Native women
is an unfinished story.The 600 Murdered and Missing native women died in
as much terror as women stoned to death in Iran or raped on a bus in
India but no National Inquiry will be called by this government. Whether
the native women's groups put pressure on Harper on the Brazeau issue
remains to be seen. Brazeau, the "scout" who was riding against his own
people will now discover that once the white man tires of your services,
you get to join the "Indians" on the Brazeau ride back to the
reservation. Crazy guy, he may have pissed away the next 35 years as a
Senator.
Terrance Nelson
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