"The Indian Industry in this country needs to be dismantled"

A politically correct way to say that the europeans that came here a couple hundred years ago should have finish the 'job', and assimilate them for good at the beginning? Hmmmm... The 'Indian Industry' as you call it, is a lot more and complex than that. They have been given (by our own ancestors) the status of 'nations inside a nation'. Good or bad, like it or not. "Nations", however, with nothing else than weapons, snowshoes and cultural abilities to feed themselves with game and fishes + some change money from year to year from the Feds.

Treaties (which are, by definition, contracts between sovereign Peoples) were duly signed allowing them to fish, hunt and burry their deads on their reserved territories. What remained then of First Nations - when the Brits and the Frenchies stopped their hussles for the banner to be standing on the southern lands - have been 'peacefully' packed in reserves, mostly set to the far north, where it was about sure that they would not bother us for the next milleniums to come. They gently and peacefully 'agreed' to the whitemen proposals, signed the Treaties and kept on gaming and fishing and burying their deads on their ancestral territories, until the first plane came to land on their frozen lakes and rivers...

It is easy for us southerners to moan against these Peoples, seeing reports with kids starving, addicted parents, and seeming to do nothing about their woe. But there is an History behind that. It's a Reality, and saying that this reality has to be dismantled is an expected, but probably misinformed reaction. I say that with respect. I do not intend to defend the indian people, they have certainly some torts also... and most of all, they have good attorneys to help! Ignoring these facts will lead to a dead-end. Just ask the Quebec Government, now they know how to deal with these First Nations: by treating them as such!

Sorry to enter the debate in a straightforward manner, but having lived a few years up north, working, fishing and chatting with indians, I feel like I have kind of walked a few steps in their moccassins, allowing me to try, maybe, a few words here.

The problem is that not only aliens like Cliffs seems to forget about these Treaties and their whys and wherefores, but also the Government of Ontario. Boy...! I hope someone offered a shelter for the night to Mr Carrabba, because I thing the day has just begun... He will see Sister Moon touching Brother Sun in the nascent Morning by the Mountains!

GLTA.

BaBe.