And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 18:25:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: John Shafer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Manitoba Legislature "riot"
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.95.iB1.0.990417182122.2476K-100000@vtn1>
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MANITOBA NATIVE PROTEST REFLECTS DISCONTENT
The Saskatoon Star Phoenix, April 16, 1999 by Doug Cuthand
It would have made a great music video. Four hundred
aboriginal protesters trying to break into the Manitoba legislature on April
6 while the band played O Canada. On the other side, 500 members of the
ruling elite and the landed gentry tried to look the other way and pretend
they were in control.
Meanwhile, outside, the mayhem continued.
"Our home and native land "
The riot police whaling on the protesters while they break through the
barricades.
"The true north strong and free "
Members from northern First Nations hold up placards denouncing their lot in
this country. The smell of pepper spray fills the air.
The pomp and circumstance of the opening of the provincial legislature is
shattered by 400 aboriginal people demanding recognition.
First Nations in Manitoba have not been treated well by the Filmon
government. During the last election, the Tories set up a
vote-rigging scheme to split the aboriginal vote and give themselves the
edge.
This is a clear indication of the contempt they have for democracy and the
aboriginal vote.
The protesters wanted to meet with Premier Gary Filmon and hear his apology
directly. Instead, he gave an apology to the legislative assembly.
At present, there is only one aboriginal MLA, Eric Robinson, who holds
Elijah Harper's old riding of Rupertsland.
Indian people are fed up with constantly being left out of the economy and
the mainstream. The protesters at the Manitoba legislature wanted an end to
welfare and high unemployment, and a better way of life.
They are not alone. All across the country aboriginal people are fed up with
our sorry place in the scheme of things. What happened in Manitoba only
serves to highlight the situation.
In Winnipeg, we have the country's largest aboriginal ghetto. The inner city
is not unlike other Prairie cities with a large aboriginal population but
Winnipeg is Manitoba's only large urban area and aboriginal people are
naturally drawn to it.
Its inner city is typical - with slum housing, high unemployment, drug and
alcohol abuse and chronic poverty. It has received a lot of bad press, some
justified and some not.
According to some reports, aboriginal gangs rule with impunity. I recently
spoke to an aboriginal police officer who told me that the gang situation is
blown out of all proportion and only two per cent to three per cent of
aboriginal youths actually belong to gangs.
When people see a group of young Natives on the street, they naturally
assume it is a gang and they call the police. It's the old racist
stereotyping. They say if you see a white person running down the street, he
is jogging. When you see an Indian running down the street, he just stole
something.
An aboriginal social worker who works in Winnipeg's inner city told me that
what most young people really want is a job and a better life for
themselves. The gang mentality exists in the heads of the public.
For those who don't think racism exists in the workplace, ask aboriginal
young people who try to get jobs and rent apartments. They come up against
it constantly.
It's no wonder aboriginal people are fed up. The scene at the Manitoba
legislature is a reflection of the frustration felt across the country.
When questioned about the demonstration, Filmon said he didn't know what
they wanted. What planet is this guy on not to recognize his province's
single largest social problem?
Oh Canada! And the band played on.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
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