How Much Of The Billions Do The Grass Roots See?

John Ivison: Changes in the Ottawa-First Nations relationship must go both ways

Posted: July 20, 2009, 4:59 PM by NP Editor

Members of Parliament demand respect because they have been chosen by “the people” — a contention that often does not stand up to scrutiny. The vast majority represent safe seats and, in reality, they were elected by their riding associations — typically, 100 or so party activists. But at least voters get the chance in a general election to have the final say. This is not the case in tomorrow’s election to replace Phil Fontaine as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) — a process that will nominally be decided by 633 chiefs, without any consultation with the grassroots.

The winner requires the support of 60% of the 400 or so chiefs who are likely to make the trip to Calgary. One native politician from Manitoba said he was surprised at the lack of interest on the ground. “I think there are a number of chiefs who are so disillusioned that they won’t even go to Calgary,” he said.

Despite concerns about the legitimacy of a national leader who may end up being elected to represent 750,000 aboriginal Canadians by fewer than 300 people, the role of National Chief is likely to become increasingly important to all Canadians. The AFN is the conduit for relations between the federal government and Canada’s First Nations at a time when they are set to play an ever more prominent role in the national debate, on files ranging from resource extraction to labour market supply.

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Focus on First Nations

Metro is focusing on First Nations and Aboriginal news, community issues, arts and culture leading up to the Assembly of First Nations convention.

Chief's role important for all Canadians

John Ivison: Phil Fontaine's successor as AFN Chief has many challenges ahead of him but many opportunities too

At what price 'white man's money'?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other MPs listen as Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine addresses the House of Commons on June 11, 2008.

The candidates vying to succeed Grand Chief Phil Fontaine pretty much agree that economic development is the key to prosperity for Canada's native people. Many others, however, fear the cost.

Some Light Reading For Dullton, Et Al

Wind power and the mob: 'We're gonna make you a windmill you can't refuse'

Posted: May 08, 2009, 2:44 PM by NP Editor

The Financial Times reports that -- apart from being expensive, unreliable and dependent on government subsidies -- wind power can be dangerous to your kneecaps. In Siciliy (where else?) there are suspicions the mob is behind a number of wind-power projects, lured by the easy money on offer from government:

Multinationals are starting to find out something that is well known to Italian investors: that concealed beneath Europe’s most generous system of incentives – supported by “green credits” that industrial polluters have to purchase – there exists a web of corruption and shady deals.

Rossana Interlandi, recently appointed head of Sicily’s environment department, explains that project developers – she calls them “speculators” – were also lured by the appeal of a law that obliges Italy’s national grid operator to pay wind farm owners even when they are not producing electricity.

Several are under investigation, either for shoddy construction or suspected corruption in their approval. But with subsidies flowing, applications keep flooding in.

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Point/Counterpoint

Israel at 61: Denial of Catastrophe is at the root of the 'conflict'

Some facts about Israel and the Arabs

The 1844 census of Jerusalem found 7120 Jews…5760 Muslims…3390 Christians.
In 1869, Mark Twain wrote of the emptiness of the land, of traveling all day without seeing a human being on the roads or in the countryside.
Mark Twain wrote of Arab sloth and filth and flies.
In the 1880s, Americans forced Indians from their land to resettle Indian land with whites. Many Indians had to be killed.
In the 1880s, Australians forced Aborigines from their land to resettle Aborigine land with whites. Many Aborigines had to be killed.
In the 1880s, white New Zealanders forced Maoris from their land to resettle Maori land with whites. Many Maoris had to be killed.
In the 1880s, European Jews bought idle land in what is now Israel, joining Mizrahi Jews continuously there since Abraham.
Beginning in 1882, forty Jewish families settled at Rishon L’Tzion. Four hundred Arab families settled around them. Some of the Arab families were Bedouin. Some came from Egypt.
A British official reported Arabs sought employment, clean drinking water, better health care, and lower infant mortality. The official reported this pattern was repeated across areas where Jews settled.
In the 1890s, Belgians cut off the hands of Africans who did not gather enough rubber.
In the 1890s, Arabs flocked to Jewish areas of Palestine for jobs created by Jewish investment and enterprise.
After WWI, Britain tried to set up a Palestinian governing body of twelve…eight Arabs…two Christians…two Jews. Arabs said two Jews were too many. A cynic might say Arabs knew then two Jews outnumbered eight Arabs.
In 1917, the British Balfour Agreement promised a national home for Jews in Palestine. The British did not mean it.
Arabs turned down two-state solutions in 1917, 1937, 1948, and 2000.
After a Nazi supported Arab revolt in 1936-1939, British-backed Arab religious leader Husseini fled to Germany. Husseini is revered throughout Islam today.
In 1939, A British White Paper severely restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine.
After WWII, European Jews sought refuge in what is now Israel. The Arabist British did all they could to keep Jews out of Palestine. Under United Nations mandate, Jews established the State of Israel despite Arab objections and Britain perfidy.
In the United Nations document authorizing the formation of the state of Israel, an Arab/British/African clause weighted population numbers in favor of Arabs. In 1948, the Arab population was still largely transient. This clause identified any Arab who had been in Palestine for two years as a permanent resident.
Do we give casual Mexican labor citizenship after two years in the United States?
In 1948, Arab countries attacked the infant Jewish nation. Jewish citizen soldiers decisively defeated combined professional armies of five Arab nations.
In 1948, 850,000 Arab residents of Israel fled and/or were expelled. There is evidence Arabs residents were encouraged by Arab invaders to flee to give Arab invaders a freer hand.
Only Jordan offered refugees citizenship. In all other Muslim countries, Palestinian refugees remain in camps sixty years later…anti-Israeli propaganda pawns.
In the months following the 1948 war, 850,000 Sephardic/Mizrahi Jews fled or were expelled to Israel from the Arab countries who lost the war. We do not know how many Jews fled to other nations. We do not know how many Jews were killed. Arab nations claim no knowledge of this flight/expulsion.
Sephardic Jews had been in the Middle East since 1492, Mizrahi Jews since Abraham.
If Palestinians wanted their own country, Palestinians would call a constitutional convention…write a governing document…declare a nation. There is precedent.
Romans called the province Palestine to insult rebellious Jews. Ottomans kept the name.
If Palestinians had lived in peace beside Jews in democratic Israel, Palestinians would own Israel. With the differential in birth rates, Palestinians could have taken democratic Israel with the vote.
The story of modern Israel & Palestine is not what you have been told. Palestinian leader Musa Alami said in 1948, “The people are in great need of a myth to fill their consciousness and imagination.”
The King of Jordan also denied the displacement of Arabs by Jewish settlements. The king said, “The Arabs are as prodigal in selling their land as they are in…weeping [about it].
The popular history of Palestine is myth.

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