I recorded Rae`s lecture to the silent audience members last night off CTV.I watched it over and over several times just to make sure i got it right.Much to my dismay,the three things that jumped out at me were,first,verbatim,that quote..."we`re laying the ground rules for the beginning of talks".In other words,we`re starting to discuss talking about talking . Oh good.

Second,as YOU,"Jonesy", also correctly observed and state...." I think some people were worried about asking a tough question".That would be the understatement of the year.Trepidation,fear perhaps,was what i saw on the faces of the couple of hundred working business people in attendance.Rae ran his LECTURE on his own terms,on OUR nickel.(Remember,it`s the "Aboriginal Budget" that pays the bands.That`s us.Feel free to correct me if i`m wrong,as i`m sure a couple here would love to)And he will continue to do so as HE sees fit for many years to come.And why not ? He`s nothing else to do and the working tax payer(us) continue to be forced to pay him.And anyone dare challenge him he`ll just drag it out further.The Aboriginal Budget isn`t going anywhere.

And NEVER forget the most important one, and what this is really all about.As Rae mentions prominently..."REVENUE SHARING".In other words,how much we`ll have to pay for archaic centuries old deals made between Britain and people who`s ancestors were born here before my ancestors.I`m native Canadian too,but i`m just not included in the "revenue" sharing part.Just the work part.

So easily solved.Pick a percentage of what the ROF is estimated to be worth in the long haul,give`em a percentage,along with the airport and everything else they wanted a couple of decades or more ago when this first started,pay`em off, and let`s get this ROF thing going.

It`s still all going to come down to how well we grease their palms to let the working man/woman get to work.At least a big part of it,according to their lawyer`s own words.