[erinjane]

I agree completely, culture.
My brother might not get his daycare subsidy now because of the stupid childcare thing, it looks like his income is going up. In reality he and his wife are barely scraping by with what they have and they really need that subsidy.

All his budget is doing is screwing the lower income people. Fuck.

[culturehandy]

Stephen Harper is a fucking asshole. I benefit from shit fuck all from this budget, in fact my income tax is going up! Well Mr. Harper, thanks for nothing!

[dusty]

Thanks, Sukouyant!

[sukouyant]

It's census time! And guess what...the stats-can software for the 2006 census was developed, and will be processed by, none other than US weapons maker Lockheed Martin!

The website below lists more information about this - as well as the Canadian government's compliance with the makers of weapons of mass
destruction, and great practical suggestions for how to spoil your census information.


http://census.vivelecanada.ca

[bluejupiter]

no budget talk?

[dusty]

The Queen's Park rally a few years back left a bad taste in my mouth.

[dusty]

Cindy Sheehan is speaking in Toronto at Convocation Hall tonight:
http://www.nowar.ca/

[wilhelminawonka]

How come?

[dusty]

Hmmmm. I support the Six Nations, but I'd prefer not to associate with OCAP.

[culturehandy]

I agree, this whole thing is bullshit. Was there also not a whole thing with another reserve where an oil company actually illegally transported two of their little henchmen lackies on to the reserve to set up shop? Nice to see that people don't listen to treaties and such.

[wilhelminawonka]

I'm just so frustrated over the whole thing.

Here's something from the OCAP website.
http://ocap.ca/firstnations/sixnationmeetingandrally?PHPSESSID=e667b686c937ef4af aa00566634a70b5

Rally against Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice in solidarity with Six Nations

Friday April 28th
6:30 at Kings College Circle
north of college (in the field)
west of university ave.

As solidarity actions are taking place in Tyendinaga, Vancouver, and Montreal, including the blockading of the railway in Tyendinaga, its our responsability to bring as much public pressure as possible to bear on Jim Prentice, the Indian Affairs minister, as he comes to Toronto to speak on "First Nations self-governance". This is the colonial master who had the ability to end the threats by the OPP yet refuses to end this matter in a just and responsible way, and has chosen to use paramilitary force instead. So join people on Friday to bring this message to the minister. We need as many people as possible to help build this protest.

For 55 days now, the community of the Six Nations Haudensaunee Confederacy has held a blockade to defend land that is rightfully theirs from further encroachment by real estate developers and the Canadian government. Early Thursday morning, the OPP tried to break the blockade in a pre-dawn raid by sending cops with guns drawn to pepper spray, beat and arrest community members. The government hoped to remove resistance to the development of Six Nations land by Henco Industries Ltd. The Six Nations community mobilized in response and drove the OPP out, restoring the blockade.

The community has asked or outside support, as they know that the OPP/Military could seize upon any sign of weakness to move against the blockade again--night times are particularly vulnerable.

Every night for some time, Six Nations community members have been on alert against the possibility of police attack. Forecasts suggest it might be raining, and people from Toronto are going to provide support through the night to those who have been defending this blockade for several weeks.

For more information,
call 416-997-1562 or
email ocap @ ocap@tao.ca

[dusty]

I didn't say that I don't understand, its that it wasn't clear to me when I heard the interview, although I was aware that I was missing something that was being implied. I think she probably meant welfare.

[wilhelminawonka]

A lot of non-native people belive (at least around here anyways) that native people get a monthly "Indian Cheque", just for being native. (Completely not true)
She could have been referring to that, or the good old native stereotype: Welfare! Cash for life, as I like to call it! Because, as you know, all native people are on welfare! (Again, completely NOT true!)
The fact that is woman is a leader is rediculous, but it eye opening. Some people don't think that racism still exists, but it does. And it is alive in people who teach our children, police our neighbourhoods, and in the leaders of communities.
Canada is a nice place to live, but it sure isn't without it's problems.
Just the fact that the government just sits on these disputes for so long is rediculous to me. They need to take care of it so that these things don't happen.

[dusty]

Ya, I heard that interview when it first came on the radio and I was quite shocked, although I didn't really get where she was going with the regular paycheques. But ya, go natives! I thought it was pretty cool when they blockaded the railway line.

It did sound to me like she had been around for a while. The interviewer asked her a question that I thought was kinda dumb, something about how did it feel to be a small town in the national news and she said, "well we already had a tire fire and a chemical spill". I could check, but the Hagersville tire fire must have been fifteen-twenty years ago.

[wilhelminawonka]

any of my Canadian sisters following what is happening at the Six Nations reserve in Ontario?
Here's a link to the latest news, and also a little bit of a background on the protest.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=39adf356-4634-48b3-805f-8 472d0f08bbf&k=18129

Nice comment by the mayor, eh? Where did they get this woman?

Thoughts/Opinions?

[dusty]

Why, thank you. If you're ever in Toronto, I'll take you for some Greg's.

[culturehandy]

Of course! Isabel's only request is bum scratches. Next time your by Winnipeg, just drop a line, mmmm, there are tons of great places to get yummy ice cream. I'll buy you an ice cream regardless.

[dusty]

Cool. Can your adorable pooch join us?

[culturehandy]

Dusty, I promise the government will fall, if it doesn't then I'll buy you an ice cream.

[pepper]

i'm laughing my ASS off over here. some brilliant mo-fo decided to start stealing bilboards and selling the scrap metal, ha ha! with the price of metal these days, not to mention the amount of eye pollution all over the goddamn place, it's a worthwhile pursuit. i want to say "ooh, stealing, so bad!" but all i can think is "Right ON!!"
fuking funny man. jam that culture good.