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A Canadian Double Standard
By Dave Hodson | June 29, 2007
I’ve heard all the arguments before… The natives live in terrible conditions. The white man took their land hundreds of years ago. Land claim negotiations take far too long. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I don’t have the solution to correcting the problems currently faced by Canada’s native people. However, the illegal protests being staged are certainly not the answer, and the longer they keep them up, the less sympathy people will have for them.
National Chief Phil Fontaine has called for a united and peaceful Day of Action, however, Chief Fontaine seems to have one thing in common with Liberal non-Leader Stephane Dion; neither of them can control their respective groups.
Here are some of the natives “peaceful” actions already occurring…
Photo below from CTV News
Photos below from CanWest News
According to CanWest reports…Â
Mohawk protesters warned they had guns at the ready as they blocked two major Ontario highways and turned back three passenger trains Thursday night.
One angry motorist was confronted by several protesters as he turned around at the blockade. “Move your f—ing car,†a protester yelled at the motorist through a loudspeaker.
According to CTV reports…
The group of about 40 Mohawks, urged on by leader Shawn Brant, parked a school bus and truck across secondary Highway 2 near Deseronto, roughly 100 kilometres east of Toronto.
They then used jumper cables to trigger crossing barriers at a main CP Rail line, and planned to block a section of Highway 401.
If any non-native group of people pulled a stunt like this, how long do you think it would be before a SWAT team was called in to clear them out?
When there are native groups involved, the game is played by an entirely different set of rules. According to the police, natives have a constitutional right to blockade our highways and railways.
OPP commissioner Julian Fantino said native people have the constitutional right to protest and he doesn’t want police actions to escalate demonstrations into confrontations.
Fantino goes on to tell us that he doesn’t want to be the cause of the conflict. That’s funny, because it seems to me that the blame for any conflict that may result from an illegal blockade should be placed squarely on the demonstrators.
Let us now apply Fantino’s twisted logic to a different situation…
Suppose someone is hurt while the police are trying to take down an armed bank robber.  Are we to blame the police or the bank robber? Any sane person would say the police were just doing their job to stop an illegal act of violence, and the fault would lie with the bank robber. But then, let’s not forget that the rules are different when there are natives involved. You see, they’re never the ones to blame!
Personally, after acts like this, I don’t have a single shred of sympathy left for our natives. And if they keep this up, nor will very many other Canadians.
Natives are not helping their cause by staging these demonstrations. Our police and politicians are not helping the cause by allowing these protests to occur. A lack of police response encourages further protests by sending a signal that natives will not be punished, and it angers other Canadians when they see a different set of rules are applied when natives break the law.
If the natives want to peacefully protest without causing any harm or inconvenience to others, then fine. But the time has come to clear the illegal blockades, and apply the same laws and punishments to natives and non-natives alike.
UPDATE:Â It seems that a warrant has been issued for the leader of one of the native protests this morning!
A warrant was issued for Shawn Brant, 43, of the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, for mischief and breach of recognizance relating to blockades at Highways 401 and 2. Three Via Rail passenger trains were also turned away near Deseronto as part of a “national day of action.”
Perhaps there is hope for the rule of law to prevail? However, I’m not holding my breath. A CanWest report included the following statement…
Const. Sandra Barr said this morning that Mr. Brant was not in custody, and could not say when the warrant would be executed.
It could be that the OPP are issuing a warrant so they appear to be applying our laws against these illegal blockades, but is it just window dressing? Will the police have the guts to actually make arrests and enforce the law?
Stay tuned…
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Topics: Law & Order, Natives, Politics |
June 29th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Good Report - for complete info on these protest - go to: http://www.caledoniawakeupcall.com
June 29th, 2007 at 8:19 am
http://www.taxpayer.com/main/news.php?news_id=368
The chief and three top guys at this 360 member reserve all take salaries of over $400,000 a year while the band cut it’s solvent abuse program and spent a measely $2340.00 on daycare.
So who’s responsible for the conditions on reserves?
How much does Phil Fontaine take a year?
June 29th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Dear Sir,
Excellent comments.
Obviously the government and the OPP have forgotten their roles in society were created to make laws to protect all of us and enact on those laws when needed. I feel badly for Canadians trying to get home for a dying loved one, to work in health care, or to attend a funeral. Will ambulances be let through the blockades???
June 29th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Yes - many natives live in squalor, there are many problems on most reserves in Canada.
BUT……I really question that it is due to “the white man taking their land”. My take - it is due to the tribal system where the Chiefs and their families want to keep control and to do that they need to make sure that their people think they have been victimized.
It is much easier to play the victim than actually pull yourself up by your mocassin straps and say - I am taking charge of myself.
Many natives have left the reserve -(that is an option) - have educated themselves and have become highly successful.
There are so many programs that Natives can take advantage of, including post secondary education, that there is absolutely no excuse for the continual victim roles that many play.
Politically incorrect - you bet. Do I care anymore - NO!
It is time to grow up and take responsibility.
June 29th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Any group who compells business’s to close shop, hinder the nations freedom to move, advertises their ability to exercise leathal force , and threatens physical violence is a terrorist organization.
No Canadian reguardless of nation , colour ,sex , or creed should be excempt of penalty when freedoms or lives are threatened by any extremist element.
The laws against such action needs to be enforced , and if violence ensues the military should be engaged to enforce conditions of peace. These insurrecting criminals need to be brought to justice.
Timothy Coderre
July 1st, 2007 at 6:51 pm
*
Try this yourself some time… get a bunch of your buddies AND their deer rifles and TRY blockade a four lane highway for a couple of days.
One caveat though… if you’re a middle aged white guy with a regular job and a family… the local SWAT Team is gonna drop you like a crazy girlfriend if you don’t immediately disarm and assume the position.
*
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:49 pm
http://dilrob.freehostia.com/test.html
Check our my ranting site. I have fairly similar, if now harsher, views on native people in Canada.
This seriously has to stop. The double standards are really disgusting.