Mailing address:
3536 - 106 Street
Edmonton, AB T6J 1A4
403-436-5652
Fax: 403-437-0719
February 23, 1993
Attached for your information is a copy of an editorial regarding
the plight of aboriginal people in Canada.
* * * * *
Editor's Corner, The Eastern Door, Volume 2 Number 1
PLEASE, MR. MULRONEY, DON'T MAKE US A PRIORITY!
Finally, Mr. Mulroney, after 25 years your government admits, not
in so many words, that the Davis Inlet experiment is a failure.
Forcible relocation, (by the Newfoundland Government but still a
part of Canada) from the mainland to an island to keep a
community from retaining its nomadic lifestyle was diabolical in
its intent and tragic in its results. Not only was the idea bad,
but the trail of broken promises of water, sewers, adequate
housing, schools and health services only served to highlight the
incompetence of your government and your attitude towards our
well-being.
After years of protesting to the government, the Innu of Davis
Inlet got precious little results. It took the near tragic death
of six children and the international attention it brought to get
another promise of action. Mr. Siddon, after promising to
relocate them on the mainland, then had the gall to say that the
recent publicity had nothing to do with his decision. And you
wonder why Natives are cynical about the government.
There are many other examples of foot dragging. A few years ago,
the Crees of James Bay took the Province of Quebec to court over
the lack of water and sewage service that was supposed to be
supplied under the terms of the James Bay agreement. Although
this was a clear violation of the agreement, Quebec nonetheless
forced the Crees to sue them for breach of contract, with your
government standing idly by. It took an outbreak of gastritis in
the communities caused by contaminated water, to get the
governments to cooperate on fulfilling their obligations in the
James Bay Agreement.
In 1984, then Minister of Indian Affairs David Crombie, stated
that the Lubicon Cree would be a priority. Having been promised
a reserve in the 1940s, and after using every possible domestic
remedy, the United Nations chastising Canada for violating the
rights of the Lubicon Cree, an outbreak of tuberculosis, a
blockade in 1988, there is still no settlement.
Mr. Crombie's predecessor, John Munro, promised to make
Kanesatake a priority also in 1984. To date hundreds of millions
of dollars have been spent, a police officer has died and there
is still no solution in sight.
So, please, Mr. Mulroney don't make Kahnawake a priority. We
don't want your contagious disease to break out or our young
people to make a suicide pact to get attention, or wait forty
years for a resolution to our problems with our relationship with
your government. Just leave it in the hands of your regular
incompetent, insensitive, bungling bureaucrats.
This way we may last a little longer.
Nia:wen
Kenneth Atsenhaienton Deer