Okay, I'm sorry, I have to say something. On the news just now, a cheery announcer chirps: "We celebrate today that, as of midnight, last night, First Nations people now have the same human rights as every other Canadian."
Huh??? And it's only 2011?
Instead of celebrating, these words make me want to crawl on my belly and apologize to the First Nations community, here thousands of years before the rest of us arrived, for what they have endured, as a people, during all that time. Celebrate a long overdue granting of "the same human rights"? Which indicates an unspoken apartheid in Canada?
When I invesitage further, it appears that what this means is that, as of midnight last night, First Nations living on reserve can now challenge their band councils if they feel they are being discriminated against. Or they can appeal to the Canadian Human Rights Commission over inequities on reserve.
Okay, that is a good thing. Many First Nations live in third world conditions on reserve, while some band councils appropriate inequitable portions of allocated funds.
I just choked a little over the celebratory tones and the wording over human rights each Canadian should have had before the law all along.
I have calmed myself down now. I so love the First Nations people and their beautiful culture. I get as wired as Crazy Horse over the long overdue granting of "basic human rights" to our beautiful First People.
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