Zipperfish Zipperfish:
I wasn't intending to be obtuse, I was trying to point out that an apology doesn't cut it, despite the "legality" of the actions. Slavery was legal. The Holocaust was legal. Apartheid was legal.
I think most Canadians agree which is why this government is moving towards reconciliation.
Holding those long dead responsible for their deeds isn't going to change anything. Neither is holding me responsible. What more besides an apology, equality, reconciliation, and moving towards honouring it's treaty obligations can Canada offer?
Zipperfish Zipperfish:
"Might"? You can't even bring yourself to acknowledge that there is a problem of racism against indigenous peoples in Canada.
Yes, 'might'. I don't doubt that there are people in Canada experiencing racism. But I look around me, and in my direct team of a dozen or so people, 3 are European (or 'Canadian' if you like. I don't see myself as 'White' even though only something like 33/64ths of me is). Two of the 12 Directors in the building are European. We get a weekly newsletter from the company I work for , showing the dozen or so people hired that week. One or two might be European.
Some people in Canada experience racism, but I don't see it as systemic nor institutional. And, not from me. I don't really deal with many First Nations in my line of work, so I don't see what they experience today. However, working at the Provincial Tax department, I do see how they act towards us. Hateful, resentful, belligerent - those are good adverbs. We are in the way of them selling Cigarettes and gasoline on reserve, and they hate us for it. But taxes must be paid, even if they are exempt.
I did grow up with some First Nations. The local Band had no high school, so they were bused to ours. I saw some people who did discriminate against them, but I also saw they had exactly the same opportunities as the rest of us.
In fact, last night a old friend from that reserve posted something on Facebook on this subject. She couldn't believe how some Ineshenabe were being fooled into thinking Colton Boushie was murdered by a white farmer, and how could they not see Boushie and his friends were the criminals, not the victims. 'Followers, not leaders' she called the FNs that were joining the protests for 'Justice for Boushie'.
So yes, Canada 'might' have a problem with racism against First Nations. But it's not all First Nations people, and it's not all Canadians.
Zipperfish Zipperfish:
$1:
It's also telling that you want to hold me responsible for things that happened before I was born, but don't want to hold the family accountable for how they raised the child. When I was growing up, it was more than rude to drive up to someone's house with a rifle and try to steal their stuff. Kids learn things like that from somewhere, either from example or by inaction. That leads to his family bearing some responsibility for him.
Kids do learn things. The kind of things learned on a reserve--where most of the elders were taken from their families to residential schools, is probably a lot different. The elders didn't learn from there parents. They were taken from them and taught by nuns to get the Indian out of them, often beaten and abused. Then sent back. So that's clearly going to create a big schism and you shouldn't expect that their upbringing would be similar to yours.
I understand the family instincts were driven out of these people by a cruel and horrific system. I don't expect them to be like me, or think like me. But I also understand if they want the justice they seek from Canada, then they also have to apply that same Justice.
Kiora Wuttunee, Boushee's girlfriend, was subpoenaed to testify at the trial. She did not show, and had a warrant issued for her arrest. Her father is a former Chief.
Cassidy Cross-Whitstone lied in his statement. His father is also a former Chief.
Basically everyone in that car has a father who was a former chief of that first nation, and every one of those Chiefs has been removed from office for corruption, or was at the same time as the Gerald Stanley trial was proceeding, were themselves on trial for corruption.
I don't want to sound like I'm blaming the victim here, but the fact is that everyone in that vehicle, with the exception of mystery person "Belinda Jackson", has a past with some sort of run in with the law. Except, Gerald Stanley. It doesn't make a death any less tragic, but it does put some perspective on it.
Residential School may very well have played a part in the poor upbringing of people on the Red Pheasant First Nation, but learning by example would be the prime fact it seems. And using Residential schools as the reason for poor behavior only will be valid for so long. If the former Chief wants 'Justice' for his son, perhaps he should conduct himself in the way he wants his world to be. As Ghandi said, "Be the change you wish to see in the World".