‘Canada is Indian land,’ new chief declares

no it isn't not anymore. Sorry please move along...

Which Indians, the Sikhs, the bengalis, the Punjabis or the Dravidians? And while we're at it, if you're going to base your rights on the notion of race, shouldn't we start doing some DNA testing to see how many 'real' natives there are. I know plenty of status and non staus who have 50% or more European ancestry. There are also plenty of 'whites' who have an ancestor or two that were 'native'.

Our local Wendate Chief is about 7% native.

Sorry I was born here and have had family for at least 300+ years here in North America, like many Canadians.....there was no Canada before Europeans arrived., and without Europeans Bellegarde wouldn't be here either seeing as he is Métis.

I've seen more blonde haired, blue eyed Indians than I care to count.

All wearing designer jeans, Nike shoes and driving Fords.

Heritage my ass.

I look more Indian than most Indians.

Indian land you say? Cool let's conquer it. No tax free concessions this time.

? ... like he sez ...

Indian's, really Canada has them . I have to agree with Shep. Here in the US, if you DNA tested the Native American's less then 5 to 15% would be actually still Tribal Member's by DNA. I could name a few tribe's here who lowered there threshold to still hold claims and racist silliness. Most of them type are in the US Upper Midwest and East Coast. I cant be sure about the West or South-West Tribe's. As for my Family both sides where born between the US Canada dating back to apporx 1600's. So If your family history is like that, then you are Native American of North America. I have no Euro DNA left, at 1% to 10% the Euro heritage dies. I consider the same applies to the Tribes of the US and First Nations of Canada. Although please note I am still learning about Canada and the First Nations and issue's, and I try to look at similarities between the US and Canada. I am being open minded.

This land isn't your land,
This land isn't my land...

As long as Canada has the Queen/GG/Crown your land and rear is her majesty's

The Crown made treaties with many native groups but not with all of them.

BC has almost no treaties, and it's big trouble coming down the road. Other places, the question is the interpretation of treaties - take them literally the natives get diddly squat. So far neither the natives nor the courts have shown any inclination to take them literally. Seems to me that FN's outside BC can't claim Canada as theirs, but the BC ones sure can and are starting to get very assertive.

Personally, I think we have to acknowledge we took their land and if anybody tried doing to us what European settlers did to the natives, we'd be screaming bloody murder and probably going to war to get our ass kicked.

OTOH, I don't believe we should have a nation with one race having special status for eternity. We should do what I understand Alaska did - pay each FN a generous sum and declare all claims null and void. Invest that money, don't just hand it out to be spent on booze, so that Natives can further themselves with education and counselling to join our wonderful society. Assimilation, as the Natives would call it (and call me a racist for suggesting it). But hey, then can do their multikulti thing same as our immigrants, just that we all follow the basic rules. If a group (ie nation) of natives wants to pool their money, buy land and live there communally, let them. But they have to be able to generate their own living from that land, not just sit in some god forsaken place and demand welfare.

On chance, does Canadian FN's like US Tribes use Gambling as leverage/blackmail financially ie run/Own Casinos and can Non FN Canadian's own run casino's? Interesting post andyt on the FN, BC relationship and on Alaska. As a Lower 48er I didn't even know what Alaska was doing.

Well, turns out I was wrong: