Jan. 2, 2007: Bud Talkinghorn

Update-related posts added below

"School's stupid. It's for white people"

So sayeth a stoned-out Native student in high school. According to the CBC documentary lately on The National, he represents a majority of the Indian students in that school. One native kid was profiled as an exception to that rule however. The second episode of that sad saga showed the graduation ceremony. Only two graduated from high school.

This attitude is partly the legacy of Phil Fontaine, the Grand Chief of Aboriginals. He has consistently turned his face away from modern realities and railed against any attempt at assimilation. He has this grandiose vision of a self-sufficient network of far-flung reserves. However, that extra $5.8 billion Kelowna Accord payout would not be frowned on. From years of canvassing opinions on the government's handling of the native file, I have been able to boil the gist down to "Let them get to hell to work!" And these useless kids portrayed in CBC's "Reading, 'riting and the Rez" are all potential timebombs. Either they will go on permanent welfare (with a little extra from drug dealing). or they will wake up and see the opportunity Canada offers. I would take bets on which path these kids will choose.

If they don't like English language or math classes, then they could become welders and make a mint in the oil patch. I have an acquaintance, who is in his late 50's, but he makes $1,000 a day as a master welder in Fort McMurray. What Fontaine and the other (some grossly overpaid) chiefs of dinky reserves want is to keep the same authoritarian control over their people. Is there any wonder that Harper's government wants to set some limits? The left, of course, wants some esoteric "Native language initiative", which will simply retard any ability to communicate in the language of the majority. How does a fluent Slavvy (Slavey?) speaker even communicate with any of the other Indian tribes spread across the country? Needless to say, that linguistic ability is not going to be a resume highlighter in the North American world.

With the native population's large birthrate, their burden on the welfare system, their health problems, and their high crime rate, Canada is going to face big hurdles to accommodate them. With the current approach, the pathologies will only get worse. It is time for a radical overhaul of the Indian Act and for the natives to oppose Phil Fontaine's myopic vision for them.

© Bud Talkinghorn

Related: Scroll down

Bud: Frost Hits the Rhubarb July 9 - 14, 2006

July 12, 2006: Bud Talkinghorn: Native Education ... & More
Native control of education -- or here for the specific post.

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2006/07/
july-12-2006-bud-talkinghorn-native.html

.... If the drop-out rates, guaranteeing later high unemployment rates, are too high among natives, it is because of the natives' cultural resistance to the wider world of Canada--and by extension, the entire world. Here is a report from one in the trenches of native schooling. ...

FHTR: Frost Hits the Rhubarb July 9 - 14, 2006

July 12, 2006: First Nations' stewardship ... of the land and resources -- or here

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/2006/07/
july-12-2006-first-nations-stewardship.html [specific post]

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2006_07_09_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html [week beginning July 9, 06]

Also, a year ago I posted in Nov. or Dec. 2005 an account from a teacher who had been on a reserve school in the north of one of the provinces, Ontario, or Manitoba -- a sad account of the reality. (Her name may be Laurie Goth but I forget that and the exact name of the reserve. You might search Keesekoose, as well from the same time period.)



Frost Hits the Rhubarb Dec. 17 - 23, 2006

Dec. 19, 2006: Braves' new world
Natives demand release of Six Nations protester they consider 'political prisoner



New Year's predictions

Global security--The cancellation of Bangkok's New Years festivities by co-ordinated bomb attacks augurs poorly for stanching Islamic terrorism. In Lebanon, there is the Shi'ite radical Nasrallah trying to topple the elected government. Should he suceed, Israel will have to respond, probably in conjunction with a coalition of the overly willing among the Druze, the Maronites, and the Sunni. Another scenario is that Hezbollah pulls another mini-war. However, the Israeli response this time will make the last conflict look like a pillow fight in comparison. Invariably, America will have to take a stand, which will in turn further demonize them in the Muslim world.

I see this as the year that radical Islam--Shia or Sunni--will really test the will of the West and the democratic East. Iran has enormous influence now. This allegiance to Moqtada al Sadr among the Iraqi Shia can only lead to greater Iranian influence in the south. The Shia crescent of power is coming along nicely and portends more Middle Eastern instability.

The head of Internal Security in Britain went on TV to announce that the authorities were investigating 300 different potential terrorist cells and were watching 1600 individuals. All were mainly homegrown groups of disaffected Muslims. Needless to say, the multicultural model is taking a beating. Domestically, the future doesn't appear any brighter. Canada unravelled a cell of 17 local terrorist lads, which in turn exposed numerous anti-Western websites set up by others across North America. The Left has adopted Maher Arar as the poster boy of Islamophobia. Through their endless media resources they will try to weaken our resolve to combat radical Islam here. However a horrific terrorist event here may change the zeitgeist on that front.

© Bud Talkinghorn