Of course they want more!

Give them more money or they'll throw a wrench into the works.

We have to obey our own laws, sorry.

"He says there needs to be work on revenue sharing"

Anyone who wants to save time, that sentence from the Chief sums up the entire article.

OMG!!! Those bad, greedy natives want what is rightfully theirs. We must hate them and diss them! How dare they demand that the government quit screwing them! The nerve!

Why don't we move them off this good land, that we have found a use for now, and stick them somewhere where there is nothing of value.... heck, they don't even need safe drinking water. And when we DO find value on the land we've placed them on, we'll just go and take it.

How we wish for the good old days where we could flood their lands whenever and however we wish to. Where we could take everything of value and leave them with nothing.....

Maybe we should round up all their children and lock them away in institutions where we beat them and abuse them and indoctrinate them with the 'right' thoughts so this doesn't happen anymore....

We can mess up two or three whole generations, break the hearts of parents and grandparents, and ensure that the children, when grown, don't fit in anywhere.

Then whenever they try to make things work we can criticize them and do everything we can to make sure it doesn't work for them.

This ensures that we will always be 'better' than someone... will always have someone to look down on, will always have someone to blame when things aren't going exactly as we want it to.....

Keep up the good work jales4. Always the victim. Always the victim. Never let it be said or thought otherwise. Never. No matter how the universe unfolds.

Ummm, I'm white. Try again.

But you are correct - the natives have been victims of our government for several generations, and victims of racism since European contact.

Both have had and continue to have negative impacts on the native people.

As for your comment "always the victim" - just read the earlier comments to see what happens when the natives stop being victims and stand up for themselves.... increased racism.

So yeah, you pretty much hit it bang on.

Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

Who is 'we'? I would like to know who 'we' is. I know in the past 'they' have done some bad things to the natives, but I see no evidence that 'we' are part of the problem. I think the more 'they' can be identified properly the better off everyone will be.

Lots of isolated issues don't make an omelet IMO.

Part of the problem or part of the solution? I wish it was that simple. Any other minority in any country in the world receive over TEN BILLION dollars a year from their government? Be specific.I don't see a solution. Nothing will change. Nothing has. So why should I care? I will just go on about my business, keep paying too much tax, be polite where needed and let future generations work it out. Simple, eh?

If I had an aboriginal neighbour, and he wasn't a jerk, I wouldn't hesitate to lend him my lawnmower. Racism? Ya right.

No amount of apologizing will change anything, unless there is forgiveness as well.

Healing cannot happen until forgiveness has happened.

This applies to everyone, not just natives. Hopefully a day will come when we will all respect one another, where we can all work together and where we can all care for one another.

"We've had the jobs, we've had the contracts."
"there needs to be work on revenue sharing."

He says they have the jobs and the contracts.
The provincial and federal governments collect taxes from any business' that make a taxable income, then they hand the money back over to the Tahltan thru the Indian affairs.
I'm not sure what else Rick Maclean wants other than full ownership of all ventures thru no investment of thier own.

How about I really throw a wrench in Jales4 rant - I am one of the "racist" comments he refers to... yet I have enough native heritage to get my status card. Guess what - I dont want it. I am Canadian and I have used education and hard work to pay for a lifestyle that many are jealous of. I have no ill will towards the native population as I am related to alot of them. Having said that, this is still a MONEY GRAB.

The one thing the native population has to get away from, is that they are not the only ones that can claim stewardship to the environment. Their historical past, will clearly allow them to stake that claim 80 years ago. But today, I think they have no problems running a white mans boat, and run a net across the entire river. The first nations have no problems going into the bush and shoot every moose they see with a 30-30. They have no problems selling whiteman, sockeye for $5.00

They want credibility, I can't give it to them, they have not earned it

The only thing the natives are passing to future generations is the culture of victimhood.

I am personally just getting really tired of this response from the first nations. Consult us, involve us, support us etc etc. I know they have some valid points, but I also wonder how they are enjoying the hyrdo they have right now?? It might be time to start getting on the bus instead of constantly standing in front of it. I bet that once the mines are up and running they won't be turning down the $30 an hour jobs!

money money money,that's the bottom line on every issue that crops up on their traditional land.get a job rick boy,put something into the system for once.

Their voice shouldn't carry anymore weight than anyone elses.

I love it, finally a Chief with some balls, it must be pissing off the sell outs, you know who you are!

Some of you idiots don't get it, you need Native approval and it pisses you off, so what!

We don't need your approval, you need ours!

Hey, yah, those bad indians, why must they have say over anything, Oopps the government didn't negotiate treaties or beat them in war, who knew, it would come and bite you in the A$$!

So let me get this straight, some First Nations are against a major project that impacts their land and they are the "enemy", yet at the same time, we also have a handful of farmers who are against a major project that impacts their lands (Site C) and they are "heroes"?

Can someone please explain the difference to me?

"Oopps the government didn't negotiate treaties or beat them in war,"

You must be referring to the government of Great Britain, which grabbed from your ancestors whatever it could during the colonial days of the *Empire upon which the sun never set.*

Why rant against the government of Canada which did not become a sovereign nation until pretty well recently?

Perhaps your anger can be directed against the descendants of those who committed the imperialistic oppression of your ancient ancestors in the first place???

BTW, don't call people idiots just because they are tired of paying for sins that were committed by others hundreds of years ago.

Not every non-FN person is filthy rich and yet most people I know are very much in favour of progress for everyone who lives in this country.

Attacking people won't be helpful at all.

LOL, angry I am the furthest from being angry, lol. I am revelling in this, I love this stuff. What did you ever pay for, lol. Progress, you have no clue as to what your talking about, go and get some education on this topic.

How much sense does it make that they want to spend 400 million on a Transmission Line that will go to subsidize a mining company? Think about this, Yes mining companies will pay $37 per mega watt hour and the latest call for IPP by BC Hydro was for $126 mega watt hour, who pays for this, YOU!

Did you know in the last 5-years BC Hydro signed 29 Billion in IPP power calls, did you know that by 2013 your power bill will double because of this, did you know that the first power increase was 9.9 percent on April 1st, 2010!

Did you know that if you subsidize mining companies your power bill will even higher after 2013. Did you know that Taseko Mines if opened, on top of killing a lake would get 30-35 million in power subsidize per year.

How much sense does it make when you see classroom overcrowding and schools closing and overcrowding in hospitals because they don't have enough funding, wake up!

They could never recover enough corporate taxes to cover off the Transmission Line and Power subsidize, believe me when I say this, I know what I am talking about, this is all fact!

And I talk in fact, not mindless rants like you suggest.

30 buck an hour jobs, please, what a joke!

Jeez, notatallcost11, I think you need to post a few more comments!
Its the inevitability of it all. Government, industry, community and I'm sure First Nations "study" something for years until finally we are ready to do something and then along comes an alternative First Nation (oops, we didn't talk to the correct one, or maybe there was a change of leadership) and we have to start again. And yes, I am quite sure that mine workers are paid very well, $30 an hour can't be far off. They are not planning to build a string of Timmy's up highway 37.

" Hey, yah, those bad indians, why must they have say over anything, Oopps the government didn't negotiate treaties or beat them in war, who knew, it would come and bite you in the A$$! "

"Beat them in a war.." That can be arranged. Should be over in a weekend I would think.

"Jeez, notatallcost11, I think you need to post a few more comments!"

Yes, please do! What a rant. Some people just don't like electricity.

jales4, when do non aboriginals born in Canada get to belong here, and where are they to go back to? There aren't a lot of pure lily white people in Canada, we don't have a racial identity, so we have kids with whatever's handy. Where is someone who is say, part English, French, German, Ukrainian, Portugese, and perhaps Chinese and Indian (dots, not feathers) to return to?

That's what bugs me about the, "It's not your land, it's " nation land." It's totally racist, if it weren't, someone would be able to immigrate into one of these nations and gain acceptance. Is Civil War the only way to address this?

"jales4, when do non aboriginals born in Canada get to belong here, and where are they to go back to"

Surely you jest. If you looked around, you would realize that there isn't a major city in Canada where non-aboriginals would feel like they didn't "belong". In fact, there are loads of cities all across Canada where only heterosexual, white Christian males drving 1 ton trucks would feel like they "belong". How's that for irony?

"That's what bugs me about the, "It's not your land, it's " nation land." It's totally racist"

No it's not, it simply legal arguments. It's no different that if I wanted to start excavating your backyard and you said to me "get off my land". I wouldn't have the right to say "pound sand I'm going ahead". The courts, through our legal system, have determined that First Nations need to be consulted on issues like these and that's the bottomline. Don't like it? Talk to your MP and have the laws of Canada changed.

jeez your an idiot, looks like you can't figure much out, lol!

Quaddin your not to smart either, go ahead start war, please do!

NEXT!

"BTW, don't call people idiots just because they are tired of paying for sins that were committed by others hundreds of years ago."

The Cheslatta community was flooded in the 1950s with one day notice.... they lost everything. Bodies from the graveyard, their homes and possessions all floated away.

The last residential school closed in the 80's.

The natives didn't get to vote until the 50s.

These things were done by people who are still living to people who are still living.

Don't you think you'd be a little pissed?

If the facts speak for themself and laws are in place, what else can you say!

Some people struggle with basics!

jales4:"These things were done by people who are still living to people who are still living."

I am NOT one of those people who did any of that and I did NOT vote for or ask any government to do such! Neither did I have any power to prevent the government from doing so! I am against the war in Afghanistan, I say so whenever I get an opportunity. I vote accordingly. Has it stopped the war? Of course not.

So, what am I, me personally, guilty of?

Obvious answer: Nothing. Everyone I personally know is in the same boat. Let those who did the crimes be held accountable and pay for them.

"Progress, you have no clue as to what you're talking about, go and get some education on this topic."

I recommend the same for the one who posted that.

Bingo PrinceGeorge, well said!

NMG: "So let me get this straight, some First Nations are against a major project that impacts their land and they are the "enemy", yet at the same time, we also have a handful of farmers who are against a major project that impacts their lands (Site C) and they are "heroes"?

Can someone please explain the difference to me?"

Yeah, I'd like to hear this explaination too.

"Obvious answer: Nothing. Everyone I personally know is in the same boat. Let those who did the crimes be held accountable and pay for them."

Uh, yeah, that is what the natives are trying to do..... the government needs to be held accountable, but whenever the natives try, the comments 'all they want is a handout' start flying.

As long as negotiations are in good faith, fair and reasonable you shouldn't let those comments bother you.

Jobs and contracts are where the money will come from with the future development in the area. Plus the opportunity to start successful businesses which will support community development and social infrastructure with their taxes as time goes by, with hard work and dedication.

That's up to those who live there. Good Luck!

"the government needs to be held accountable"

Where does the government get its money from? Taxpayers... aka people who personally had no say in what happened in the past.