No Soft Bigotry of Diminished Expectations Here, eh? -- & More

This morning I read an article that began with recounting natives' success in law school that, instinctively, I knew I should read further. I felt that, in the spin, I was being told how to think.

Inuit program produces first law graduates -- 'To get to the pinnacle, as a clerk for the Supreme Court, that should dispel critics' Sarah Schmidt, Jun. 21, 05, CanWest

[. . . . ] the multi-million-dollar cost of producing 11 Inuit lawyers . . . . affirmative-action university admissions programs

[. . . . ] Graduates Madeleine Redfern and Aaju Peter were co-recipients of the McCarthy Tetrault Prize for excellence in contract law in their first year, beating out more than 100 other law students studying at UVic. And Ms. Redfern, who was also awarded the Osler Hoskin Harcourt Award in property and contract law, begins her legal career as a clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada -- a posting for which more than 200 leading law graduates in Canada vie every year and only 27 are awarded.

That is amazing, considering the past performance (see below) and the entrance standards waived, standards that other law school entrants are expected to meet. Who benefits?

Follow the money and what is going on with development in the North: mining, oil, gas, promotion of language and culture. Remember the agreement signed by Minister Scott with the natives in Labrador? A component included promotion of culture and language, I seem to remember. The promotion of native languages and culture in the face of the problems in places like Netuashish . . . well, it boggles the mind. Let's see, now, will agitation for recognition of native languages will become the next right discovered in the constitution? I see a proliferation of language rights and other rights that will render Canada unworkable . . . and who would benefit from that?

The background to the above-mentioned success:

[. . . . ] A decade ago . . . . alienated from their culture and isolated from their families, the students all dropped out and returned home.

[. . . . ] didn't have to write the Law School Admission Test.

[. . . . ] Of the 15 students accepted at the beginning of the four-year program, six dropped out. Two additional students joined the program in September, 2002, and caught up to their peers to join them at today's graduation.

The students, many juggling family responsibilities, were provided with an annual living allowance of up to $52,000 to ensure money was not a barrier to completing the program. The sponsors included the governments of Nunavut and Canada, the Kakivak Association and the RCMP. [. . . . ]

A Google search reveals that the Kakivak Association "is the economic development arm of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association" and the "Association’s job is to support training programs, business start-ups". Search for yourself to find the funding; for example, one of the articles listed is "Aboriginal Human Resource Development Council of Canada" which mentions "Danny Eegeesiak, Kakivak Association, Iqualuit". Two items looked promising:

www.qikiqtani.nu.ca/english/about-intro-controlled-kakivak.html

www.ahrdcc.com/resource/gc_training_old_schedule.htm


Compare the above with the treatment of the budding law school student in your family who:

* must pass difficult entrance exams to enter law school as do most students, the successful of whom must be prepared to foot their own rather high university fees and other expenses

* is not given $52,000 a year to attend law school while raising a family -- in fact nobody outside the family and a few friends cares how the children survive

* is not hired to work in some capacity at the SCOC upon graduation, usually -- Think about it, a green graduate off to clerk at the SCOC. . . . What are the odds of that happening with your child?

* does not have his/her work and life experience--at the local fast food outlet or call centre, for example--count toward law school entrance

* is not taken under the wings of some high powered groups such as provincial and federal governments, along with the first nations association(s) and even the RCMP. When did this become part of the RCMP's mandate . . . in a time of diminished funding and increased security concerns?*

* has to compete with all the aspiring law school students, presumably on a level playing field

Will oral history become a large part of the assessment of rights--to land and other people's money--in future?

Are we dumbing down for "diversity" or does it just appear this way? Now that the Metis, it seems, are included--or at least the native percentage is, sort of an assymetical component of treating with culturally favoured individuals--in the special programs and funding department, who is to pay for the expanded finances this will require? What is the plan?

May I suggest that Canadian parents join--or start--a linguistically and culturally identifiable group to pursue rights; include need for funding. Start investigating your family's ancestry for an ancestor who belonged to a currently favoured group. If you don't, there may be so many special groups that, in future, you may be unable to afford to educate your own because of group rights accorded others. Guess who has brought you this?




Dust My Broom: Alberta Floods -- Photographs June 19, 05 -- How much money has been allocated by the feds for Alberta's flood victims?

Where Oil Is Mined, Not Pumped -- High Demand for Petroleum Makes a Boomtown in Northern Alberta By Justin Blum, Washington Post Staff Writer, June 15, 2005; Page A01

Recent government appointments Compiled by Bea Vongdouangchanh -- Note that Helen McDonald, is now acting Chief Information Officer for the Government of Canada and Assistant-Secretary of Policy and Service Transformation, Treasury Board of Canada.

Export of personal data has Canadians worried -- poll Chris Cobb, National Post, Jun. 21, 05

[. . . . ] survey commissioned by the federal Privacy Commission. . . . Under the act, all U.S companies . . . U.S. security agencies. If that information involves private individuals, it's illegal . . . . much of it outsourced by the federal and provincial governments.

From the Supremes, an illusory 'right' David Frum, June 21, 05, National Post

As a practical matter, then, Choualli v. Quebec has created not a new right for the citizen, but a new power for the judiciary.

Smoothe, Useless -- PETER WORTHINGTON RECOUNTS CASES WHERE CANADIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIALS DID LITTLE OR NOTHING TO HELP CITIZENS IN TROUBLE ABROAD June 20, Toronto Sun

That's how our diplomacy works -- as it did in the 1970s when David Somerville was imprisoned in Tanzania as a suspected spy, and then external affairs minister Mitchell Sharp insisted Canada was doing everything possible for Somerville, when it was doing nothing. [. . . ]

Sharp's negligence was exposed when Somerville became a Toronto Sun reporter and told all. [. . . . ]

Check the rest.