>It is certainly happening here in Canada and it is tragic. Such titles as
>'God and the Constitution', Quebec bashing, ALberta stands on bilingualism,
>and others are very worrysome, and despite the fact I treasure these freedoms,
>the situation is right for some lunatic to promise the world then take away
>all freedoms.
>WE better be on our guard or else we can lose it all !!
My recent post on the sad situation at Beecher Bay, here in B.C., and
the situation wrt the Lubicons, makes it clear that freedom is an
empty, meaningless word when it comes to reality under Canadian law -
these folks lost it a long time ago, and will probably _never_ get it
back.
The Beecher Bay situation is absolutely classic - forgive me if my
dates aren't precise, but rest assured the story is essentially
correct:
Prior to WWII (date unknown to me), the federal government, through
the "Department of Northern Development and Indian Affairs", those
folks who "take care of" "our" Natives, established two reserves on the
southern end of Vancouver Island. They were called "Reserve #1" and
"Reserve #2".
The people who were to be shuttled into these reserves were
traditional enemies who annually suspended their amnity long enough to
share the rich fishing grounds - as I recall, one bunch was actually
from across the Sound, in Washington State. The Indian Agent came to
the fishing camp (now known as "Reserve #2") and insisted that (1)
everyone provide a "name", and (2) everyone move to either reserve #1
or reserve #2. Never mind that these folks already HAD names - when
they didn't respond with a Christian, politically correct, name, they
were assigned names. The result of that peculiar practice can be seen
today, with sisters and brothers of the same parents having different
names, and being considered by the government to be (for instance)
sister and brother rather than husband and wife.... if none of this
makes sense to you, don't be upset - it doesn't make sense to the
folks at Beecher Bay, either, although they clearly understand that
the government was really displaying its utter contempt for their
heritage and culture when it imposed PC names upon them.
At any rate, the two reserves were created. Along came WWI, and the
Canadian Navy's need for a mutitions dump (can you say "nuclear?").
Since there was already a strong military presence in the area
(Esquimault), the Navy simply decided to take Reserve #2 away from the
folks who owned it, both by tradition and by law. They advised the
Indians that the land (no completely surrounded by high wire fences,
barbed wire, and armed guards, except for the ocean perimeter) was
"too dangerous" for them to continue living there, but that they could
return "after the war."
The Natives, knowing full well that the government wasn't tellin the
truth and never had, resisted. The government burned down all the
houses and cedar community hall, and forced them to move to reserve
#1, which was already full of folks they didn't get along with too
well.
I visited Reserve #2 a year or two back, to try and get a handle on
the truth. After signing in at the military police barracks, I was
given a key to the gate, which had all sorts of warning signs on it,
large enough for anyone to read. A small sign, down the road a bit,
identified the land as an Indian reserve.
This is probably the most valuable real estate in Canada, bar none.
I visited the ruins of the common lodge, where the lodge pole still
can be seen, and I visited the only structure left on the reserve - a
clapboard and tarpaper shack on top of a hill, with a spectacular view
of the Strait. Pakki Chipps, my guide, told me the story about how the
government had created an amazing "Catch-22" bizarre reality for them
- when they expressed concern about losing the land, the government
said "as long as it is habitated it would not be taken away." The
Natives asked "but you will not permit us to build homes there, or
live there - how can we prove it is 'habitated'?"
The government replied that they would consider it "habitated" so long
as a home stood upon the land. (I know you can figure the rest out,
but what the hell....)
There was, at that time, a 100+ year old cedar cabin atop the hill -
it would probably have lasted another 100 years or so... but back
sometime in the 80's (86?) a movie was made at the site, called, if
memory serves, "The Grey Seal." The producers didn't like the
100+-year-old cabin, so they burned it down and built the tarpaper and
clapboard shack. The seal pens can still be seen there, by the way, if
you can get a Native to show them to you, and if the Navy will permit
you to enter.
The tarpaper and clapboard shack won't last much longer.
Surprise, surprise, the Navy has now said that it is going to take the
land for its own use, and the government is going to "give" the folks
at Beecher Bay some other land.... of course, they won't be able to
reach their fishing grounds from THAT land, which is conveniently
located near a jail - handy, given the fact that over 80% of the
prison population in Canada is Native, don't you think?
When I first told this story, some folks in Germany picked it up and
wrote letters of protest to Tom Siddon. Mr. Siddon responded with a
promise that the land would NEVER be taken away from the folks at
Beecher Bay.... although, of course, they couldn't actually LIVE
there. Mr. Siddon, it should come as no surprise, was lying through
his teeth.
(Mr. Siddon, you are a liar, and your government a thief. If you find
this comment libelous, sue me.)
So you see, Dave, there IS no freedom in this racist nation of ours,
and the Natives don't have much left to lose. Ask the folks at Beecher
Bay what they think of this prattle over "distinct societies" and
triple-EEE senates, and ask them about how they enjoy their Canadian
freedoms. Then ask the Lubicon, if you can find any, or the Cree in
Northern Quebec, or the Algonquin, or the Mohawks...
The next time you chat it up with your Liberal friends, ask them how
THEY intend to deal with the problem....but get it in writing, won't
you, Dave - the Natives always do. Ask Gordon Wilson about Reserve
Number 2 - ask the Alberta Liberals about the Lubicon... then shut up
with this "freedom" crap.
--
The Old Frog's Almanac === kmcvay@oneb.almanac.bc.ca
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a
little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider
price only are this man's lawful prey." (John Ruskin)