Of course there is

We took their land.

We did?
I paid for mine!

I think with all the money that the aboriginals are makeing they could now afford to pay for there own schooling... Like everone else does.
I am surprised the goverment is'nt subsidizing the chinese nursing program too.

We did not take their land, Check it out They sold it to the settlers. Hunting, fishing, Anti Smoking, schooling, All by Race...The Government is really just a bunch of Elected Racists.

Hey Don,

seeing Aboriginal people weren't actually allowed to vote in this country until 1960, and seeing that government is elected by the people, then what does that make you as a voter?

AS far as the land question goes, I'm really surprised that most people haven't read the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

Check it out some time when you have time and aren't about to go to bed. Makes for interesting reading.

Big B....Read the 1763 Proclamation, thanks for suggesting it, It says Indian land can only be sold to goverments...Ok..then the Goverments sell to settlers...It also says we can not trade with indians without a licence..How many stores have a licence that says they are allowed to trade with Indians.This Treaty was with the British, who were the Goverment then, Does any thing change when a NEW COUNTRY is formed??? I am sure it does. Thanks again for the suggestion to read about the 1763 Proclamation.

So Don Mackenzie is actually an educated man quite capable of making "good sense" postings.
I bet, in reality, he could educate us all to some degree.
I do not believe we "stole" their land.
I do believe they "sold" it.
I do not feel we owe the natives a free education, and actually, they should stand on their own two feet and support themselves the same as a white man is obligated to do.
They should work and pay taxes the same as the white man-no exceptions!
They moan and groan about how hard done by they have always been, when they are nothing but leeches in our system.
They like the "free" way of life-which the average white man cannot afford.
Many people have a hard time furthering their education, and the native who can attend "free"
makes no attempt to better himself.
If the Governments gave it all to them-they would be out there peddling it back to the whites as fast and furious as possible.
And be right back looking for the hand outs!

Ok Don,

Now that the NEW government is in place, tell me why they have decided to enter into these negotiations with First Nations? Maybe its because they realized, unlike yourself and trusted, that BC was never settled on. Once again, its the government that YOU Don have elected.

Trusted is obviously beyond hope what with the "Indians don't pay taxes BS" and all that rhetoric rednecks like to throw around as if it was fact.

Here's a fact for you Trusted, according to Stats Can the Aboriginal tax base is estimated at $8 Billion in Canada, yet Indian & Northern Affairs annual budget is around $7 Billion/year. If you look at the structure of that organization (a useless one at that) you will see some nice white gentlemen making some awfully big bucks. So tell me, who is getting rich off who?

Also, I applaud Don for actually going and reading something. MY suggestion for you is to go to the CCRA website and read about Aboriginal taxation laws. You might educate yourself and see that *GASP* Aboriginal people do indeed pay taxes (See above paragraph).

Aboriginal people who do take advantage of an education do so at great peril, as people like you assume they are in school because a) it must be free or b) They are in a modified watered down program.

Big B, I voted Independent. Also Big B, A lot of Natives do not pay taxs, If you work for a reserve, weather on the reserve or not and are native you Do not pay taxs, Big B you are starting to sound like a Native Racist. *8 Billion* How much does Canada spend on Indians????...alot more then 8 Billion..Where in the hell did you pull that 8 billion from???..Show us please.....My wife and children are native they had no great peril in school, On this point your full of Bullshit.

Don,

If you work on reserve land and are a registered status indian, you do not pay taxes. Anything outside of that guideline is in contradiction of the Tax laws. YOu can claim a certain percentage as exempt if part of your work duties say you have to be on reserve land, but generally, if you work off-reserve, you pay taxes.

Don, considering the way you talk about natives, your wife and kids are probably ashamed to even admit their heritage. I bet your kids told everyone they were latino or something else right? Or they weren't "those kind" of Aboriginals.

Don, find the Canadian budget online and see for yourself how much is allocated to Aboriginal programming.

BY the way Don, who wrote the RP of 1763?

NO, Big B.. My wife , Children are PROUD to be natives, My grandchildren have Grandma, come to their schools to talk about native culture. What the hell did I say on this site to give you the right to tell me how I think about Indians..Your wrong and I believe you should take back what you printed in your second paragraph....Who wrote the PG of 1763, It is recorded as King and Council of St James, 7 Oct 1763..Who really wrote it??? Who knows, some under paid Clerk I quess!

Big B...I asked you where you got the Native tax base of 8 Billion dollars, I believe there are not enough natives in Canada to pay that much Tax. SHOW ME where you got the 8 Billion dollar figure Please,and Thank you

By the by-there are some very intelligent natives-and they did not require extensive schooling.
They did, however, discover how to help themselves to major funds intended for all band members, leaving a pittance for further distribution.
Not only the white man can be assumed guilty with taking the spoils intended for the natives.
Perhaps we should be tarring and feathering their own people also, as those in control of the money live rather nicely.
I attended reservations where houses had been built by the government for natives.
They were not liveable in less than three (3) years. And the garbage heaped around was disgusting. Kitchen windows broken out so garbage could be thrown out.
I wonder how Indian Affairs looks at this waste, and fortunately the average white man is not
even made aware of how tax dollars are wasted.
Oh my, sometimes, if the truth were known!

I have one aquaintance who is a First Nations person. He told me, and I quote...He said, "White people have the Mafia, and Indians have band councils and chiefs". I myself could not have made that up.