OnTheIce OnTheIce:
Then we end the reserve program and remove special status from First Nations people. Equality, right?
If you want to do that then you have to treat them as equals and account for the land that encompasses Canada. A simpleton might think that is as simple as passing legislation that denies Aboriginal people the rights that are afforded to them because of their occupation of this land prior to anyone else. You might think that you can just change the deal because it suits you and in your narrow minded expertise, them.
But that is not legally possible. We've been doing the same thing over and over and over again, trying to absorb the Natives into the body politic of this country ever since the treaties and the creation of reserves. Now we are faced with a growing population and and shortfall in the education of Natives.
Equality under the law means that the Natives rights as the original inhabitants are protected just as well as your property rights are. If we listen to more of your rhetoric we are going to keep paying through the nose for Natives claims against Canada.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE LEGAL OPTION OF IGNORING NATIVES RIGHTS TO THIS LAND! Equality means recognizing that we have obligations, and we have spent billions ignoring those obligations at the expense of the Natives and at the expense of the taxpayer. I am no longer willing to sit "idle" and let ignorant people develop policy that further contributes to the erosion of the integrity of the Canadian Crown nor am I happy that thieves have stole and defrauded from the said Natives leaving the taxpayers on the hook for those frauds.
It is despicable that you and I have to account for this theft. Why are we on the hook instead of tracking down the people responsible for those thefts and making claims against them or their kin in court? Instead the rednecks blame the Natives for being endless money pits and insist they are not justified in making claim for this theft.
You want to end reserves and special status - educate. Education is transferable across Canada - education will open some eyes and some will leave, others will stay and try to make the community a better place, others will take over he band council and we can have educated people running the bands, the possibilities become endless. Or not, and you keep footing the bill.
There are only two choices.