As the CBC issue was raised by the Chiefs and the issue of legal responsibility gets brought into question – even though people detach and identify that they are not responsible for the opinions of others – allowing a forum to perpetuate that could make one liable. I have made some inquiries today about this very issue and find that there is a responsibility to the individuals or groups that manage these forms of media. In fact, we would not have to look far to see how time consuming and costly these types of law suits are at this time. In fact many call this malicious prosecution litigation at both the trial and appellate court levels. It is often referred to as SLAPP. So for my critics that don’t like me to synthesize what ends up here they won’t be standing beside me when I have to defend myself in court.
As for the perpetuating of racism – it is often systemic and underground but recently – even on this blog – comments seem to digress, become personal and breed a level of ignorance that is not necessary and is not supportive of the value of respect.
I received a comment today that indicated we should accept the written words that refer to natives as drunks, criminals or incapable of supporting themselves because if they see 80% of natives in this state that makes it a truth. I would say the fallacy is that anyone seen 80% of the natives like that. To prove my point I will use fact.
Based on Statistics Canada:
- 50% of Métis adults aged 25 to 64 have completed a postsecondary education; A college education was most common, with 21% of Métis having completed a diploma, followed by a trades certificate (16%).
- Between 2001 and 2006, the percentage of Métis with a university degree increased from 7% to 9%.
- In 2006, the employment rates for Métis adults of core working age (aged 25 to 54 years) was 74.6%. The non-Aboriginal population rate is 81.6%.
- Unemployment rates represent the proportion of people in the labour force who are looking for work but cannot find it. At the national level, unemployment rates of Métis adults of core working age was 8.4%.
Based on just one Urban Homeless Study the statistics show the following dynamic:
- 22% Aboriginal Descent
- 72% Caucasian
- 6% Other Nationalities
So based on previous statements – should I now indicate that because what I see is that 72% of homeless, unemployed people are Caucasian that must mean the majority of them are a blemish on our good society and nothing but a bunch of drunks, criminals and welfare burdens.
Or maybe I would indicate what I really think – which is the Aboriginal population is about 4 - 6% of the overall population and we are overrepresented in the number of homeless people because we make up almost 20% of the homeless statistics. And even saying that will I look further to address the number of individuals who have mental health issues and a lack of investment in programming (whether they are Caucasian or Aboriginal) that would allow these individuals to have a safe environment to exist and often find themselves living out of control without access to necessary medical supports to address their health needs – mentally and physically.
Just of the sake of argument – it would be easy to sit somewhere else in the world and judge issues from a biased – right wing perspective without considering all the data that would result in fact.
The majority of Aboriginal people are employed, educated to some level of post secondary and are functioning contributing members of society. To say anything less is irresponsible. The colonialism that perpetuates the attitudes of savage – immoral and inexcusable beings is buying into falicies that do not have any statistical or factual base. One inappropriate european person – does not make for a bad race of people and neither does one Aboriginal person.
4 comments:
"Between 2001 and 2006, the percentage of Métis with a university degree increased from 7% to 9%."
What was the increase in the population of Metis or number of people self identifying as Metis? If you only had say 100K people self identifying as Metis in 2000 and then "WOW, it popular to be Metis" 200K join in the next 6 years making the total 300K in 2006, the extra increase in degrees, could come from adding people with degrees, not more people getting their degrees. Wasn't the increase in Metis self identification between the two census something like 50% (Correct if I am wrong, but I know it was tremendous) And something that Metis stats tend to leave out is those "New" Metis at the time of getting degrees, etc were being treated like normal Canadians with no special status and were no different than the regular population.
The 80% can be perceived as if there is a group of 100 Aboriginals living in close proximity and 80 of them are observed as described then the observation of 80% of the natives as observed is true.
When you use national statistics you can make the whole situation look miniscule. It is interesting that when they want the bad that makes them look bad to look good, Aboriginals always use National stats, but when they want the bad to inhance the "wrongs" done to them (excuses) then they use local stats.
Maybe instead of using national stats, lets go to some local stats and see what you can come up with - especially stats used to enhance the "problems" as outlined for organizations like the UN to try to make Canada look bad. I bet these numbers change.
Oh wait a minute - here is one that you yourself posted
Statistics (-- Assembly of First Nations, Amnesty Canada, United Church of Canada, Statistics Canada
* 19 per cent of Canadians between 20 and 24 haven't completed high school. For aboriginal people in the same age bracket, the rate is 44 per cent.
* The infant mortality rate for aboriginal babies is 20 per cent higher than the rest of Canada
* Aboriginal people are three times as likely to have Type 2 diabetes
* The unemployment rate for all Canadians is about 6.6 per cent. On most reserves it is 29 per cent. Among aboriginal people overall it is 19.1 per cent.
* Aboriginal Canadians have a median employment income of $16,000. The median employment income for other Canadians is roughly $25,000.
* One out of every four First Nations children lives in poverty compared to one in six other Canadian children.
* First Nations families are three times more likely to experience poor living conditions.
* Mould contaminates almost half of all First Nations households.
* More than 100 First Nations communities have to boil their drinking water.
* One aboriginal child in eight is disabled, double the rate of all children in Canada.
* Overcrowding among First Nations families is double the rate of that for all Canadian families.
Looks different - maybe because you use "Metis" instead of "FN's" in the description. I thought the CBC problem was with FN and not Metis?????
Very well put Metis Mama, I've heard it said before that statistics are only as accurate and unbiased as those who are developing them.
Okay Frank – I have allowed you this post but let’s be honest none of the statistics you want to quote say 80% of Aboriginal people are drunks, on welfare and criminals. Not one – hmmm let’s see what we have …. In this country many non-Aboriginal people live in Metropolises and have sewer and water. The Canadian Taxpayer pays for the infrastructure to put sewer and water in their communities. On First Nations communities you are upset that Canadian Taxpayers are being asked to support the infrastructure of those communities to ensure they have safe drinking water, sewer, garbage disposal, etc.
Aboriginal diabetes is not an alcoholic disease – in fact many of the Aboriginal people that I know have been afflicted with this disease and have never been drinkers. But just maybe their lack of access to what would have been seen as traditional foods but the change of their diets to processed foods that are more readily available has caused their bodies to respond in a higher rate of diabetes.
Unemployment on Reserves – many living in abject poverty on reserves because there are no jobs – not because they drink. Do not forget Frank – it wasn’t that many years ago that First Nations were not even allowed to come and go from reserves in this country – freely. Also – let’s not forget that the Canadian Government was the creation of these isolated communities to try and segregate them from the rest of the civilized population. First Nations over the past several decades are leaving reserves – not because they want to live on welfare – but because that is where they can access education, employment, infrastructure, health care services, etc.
Child Mortality – what do you think Aboriginal babies are all dying because they are drunk? Why can’t it be because many of the health services – that are available are not affordable to some of our Aboriginal families. Some First Nations have limited access to the necessities that would assist in changing these statistics. Most of these deaths are often preventable – but truthfully Canada statistics on infant mortality even in main stream have been seen as high compared to many other developed civilizations. Maybe someone would have to look at environmental causes and we certainly are not about to blame anything on the environment because that is a good meal ticket for multinational companies.
Now you want to hold yourself out to be a special Native – “Métis” and try to identify this as a First Nation issue. When people say things like [“If 80% of the natives they see are drunks, criminals, or incapable of supporting themselves (on welfare) then isn't what they have spoken "the truth"] how do they know who they are looking at is First Nations, Métis or maybe even another group of individuals. Don’t forget – what you see and what is real may be two different things.
I will reiterate what I have said in the past – I am not anomaly – my family has been – for many generations – since the late 1600’s or early 1700’s – contributing members of society. Many of them were educated or skilled in their trade and earned money to support their families.
They had a cultural, traditional approach to life – which allowed us to extend our hand to other members of our family who may not have been as successful in their employment or for what ever reasons struggled. We brought them into our homes – fed them, cared for them and provided – they were our family. We are a family.
Did many of us face racism – o yes – sometimes even within our families. Has that stopped us – no it has made us stronger. Were we all Metis - no some of them were First Nations. I do reiterate to you none of the statistics – even the saddest ones of our over representation in the social institutions of this country – support the irresponsible representation you present of “Native people”. Internal discrimination is ugly and like you said earlier – “If the Shoe Fits Wear It”.
Just a quick response to the problem of alcohol amongst aboriginal people. There is no question it is of serious concern but to paint all with the same brush is disingenuous to say the least. Statistics Canada reports that there are fewer drinkers in the off reserve population than in the general population. 77% of general population vs 73 % of off reserve population reported that they had a drink in the previous 12 months. Amongst Aboriginal seniors 52 % report being nondrinkers.These stats are from 'A Portrait of Aboriginal Seniors in Canada" from the APS 2001 survey.
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