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Monday, June 12, 2006
Caledonia and Gambling
Is there a link between the land claim dispute in Caledonia, Ontario, and First Nations gambling interests?
One of the people being sought by the OPP on charges of assault, Ken Hill, is a major businessman, and appears to be deeply involved in internet gambling hosted on the reserve.
Now why would a businessman be getting all down-and-dirty and start assaulting people? Is there something about this land claim that is so important to him and his business interests that he's willing to rough people up?
The full story and supporting research at Angry in the Great White North.
[Just in! More links between Ken Hill's business partner, Jerry Montour, and the Mohawk Warriors.]
Posted by Steve Janke on June 12, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
Good work.
Follow the money and the real reasons will magically pop up.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-06-12 10:31:58 AM
Indians ... when I think of them I think of alcohol, drugs, prostitution, gambling, dead eagles, welfare, petty crime, fetal alcohol syndrome, obesity, illiteracy, violence, laziness, huge waste of taxpayers money, graffiti & broken down vehicles, a few chiefs living large on the booty they control while their tribe suffers.
Why is that?
When is our debt to these losers paid in full?
Posted by: John | 2006-06-12 11:08:37 AM
John:
Our Canadian forefathers struck deals with the natives they really didn't have to – I guess – through the laws of conquest.
But being the decent British they were in the interest of fairness to an conquered peoples, the treaty system allowed the native peoples of Canada an opportunity to save some face.
You could rightfully argue this has led to the dependencies you articulate.
Yet ... there is a fundamental flaw in the treaty system that can be easily corrected.
The current deal is between Canada and the chiefs of the tribe, in keeping with the elites to elite negotiation tone of that time.
Here's a different solution I even pitched to a gal I know who makes plenty of money as a consultant to Indian Affairs.
The transfer between governments is good in theory but obviously prone to corruption by the receiving group of chiefs.
Computer technology would allow all registered natives to receive and individual cheque ... to honour the existing agreements by sending cheques to each of whom it is due. Then, the chiefs would have to set up a taxation system to take care of administrative needs.
Really, the solution is as simple as that.
Recognizing the problems and trying to patch them up with a variety of social programs that were not promised in the original treaties solves nothing. In fact, it perpetuates the misery of the average native living on a reserve.
There are many natives who have left reserves and can function quite well in mainstream society ... so it's just a question of making sure the right people get their hands on the monies owed them by the crown.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-06-12 12:12:18 PM
At 1 m natives, they could each and every single man, woman and child, get about 9k per year. A family of four would get 36k. And then they would be taxed, and they could earn a living on top of that. If they chose to trap and trade like their ancestors did, they would still have that amount.
And a family of 8 would get 72k. It would actually pay more for each to have the biggest families possible.
I still do not see where the insentive would be, for each to go out and make a living. It still does not bridge the gap between those of equal ability getting the same amount of money for exactly the same work. It would mean that the non-native person, living in the same regions, would be economically in a lesser position, because of where they would start out at.
Posted by: Lady | 2006-06-12 2:51:32 PM
Thanks for the progressive solution to the po' natives.
I think not paying these lazy spoiled loafers would be a far better solution. They would then have to support themselves and reap the enormous benefits of being one's own purpose.
I could lead to sanity among the Candian Indian population. They would start to realize that there is more to life than what they do with it now.
Most of the people I have met in my life that were living on other people's money developed emotional or mental problems. You know where that leads.
Posted by: John | 2006-06-12 3:04:11 PM
I understand why these folks want to host gambling. If gamblers want to finance these natives chosen life style, I'm OK with it. (not that I think I should have a say in it) I don't live there and I don't gamble.
Would it lower my taxes? Probably not. But if it does!!! It has my blessing.
Question? Is there really a relationship between gambling establishments and laundering illegal money?
Posted by: Speller | 2006-06-13 12:08:53 AM
SYF,
Wherever did you get the idea that the British "conquered" any Indians in Canada and only signed treaties out of the good of their hearts?
Perhaps you can provide some dates and places of these conquests, along with the names of the triumphant british commanders and the vanquieshed Indian chiefs.
On the other hand, compared to John, you seem a fount of wisdom.
Posted by: truewest | 2006-06-13 12:20:26 AM
By whatever process, including verbal persuasion or persuasion at the end of a gun barrel, the outcome is natives were given tracts of land where they could live in their traditional ways.
Property rights were unknown in native culture, since they were tribal and often nomadic, carving out their own territories through military actions against other tribes.
Unlike the US example, where the military were more aggressive against the native populations, the British were generally more successful imposing their system onto the populace through a more diplomatic approach.
My depth of knowledge on this topic is somewhat cursory, so I base my conclusions more on observable outcomes.
The reserve system seems to be counterproductive to its original intent and has expanded well beyond its original scope.
The fundamental flaw of distribution is at the root of the problem and one possible solution, given how computers are so much faster than pen and quill of previous centuries, would be to write cheques for all registered natives, rather than sending one huge cheque to the chief.
And, the guys and gals in Caledonia are going about it the wrong way if they hope to gain any sympathy.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-06-13 1:50:53 AM
Face it. There is not a poster here who would not slobber and drool for the kind of money they could make running a casino. Sure, many would scorn the issue of casino, but none would walk away from the money.
Posted by: Lady | 2006-06-13 10:20:19 AM
The $9billion is the Fed. indian affairs budget. Tell me 1 Fed. dept that does not have other funds for indians? Industry Dept. has loans and grants for Indians. Tell me one Prov,\. Gov't that does'nt have special funds for Indians. Local city gov't - hell Winnipeg is the largest reserve in Canada. When thy knife each other police come- ambulances come - the city emergency hospital patches them - not Indian affairs. Its more like $20k each or more! And why don't we expect the Indians to honour the treaties signed - they did not have chain saws, electronic fish finders sky does or high powered rifles - let them use the technology they had then or join the rest of us in the salt mines paying their bills!
Posted by: MIke W | 2006-06-13 11:22:34 AM
Children on the reserves are already treated as a commodity,traded amongst relatives and friends.Giving money based on population would undoubtely lead to larger families. The U.S. tried this in the early seventies with a program called Aid for Dependent Children,(ADC). This welfare program has led to many of the problems associated with the ghettoes today.Most teens cannot look after even one child or themselves for that matter,but the monetary gains often trump common sense. Welfare does not work,EDUCATION does.
Posted by: wallyj | 2006-06-13 8:48:06 PM
Mike W,
Somewhere along the line, you missed out on some important information.
The gross majority of Aboriginals in Canada do not live on reserves, and of those, the minority are on welfare; and of those off reserves, very few have access to any of the Indian Affairs dollars. All of the Aboriginals who live and work off reserve, pay taxes just like everyone else, without exception. This includes medical health care premiums where applicable.
And of the Indian Affairs dollars, fewer and fewer services are being provided to the average Aboriginal on reserve.
I believe the issue has become muddied by ignorance. Perhaps it always has been that way.
We as Canadians, including Aboriginal Canadians, need to get back to some of the basics. We need to get back to the principles of equity, and consider all people as equals, and be inclusive, without creating a situation where one group is disproportionately benefitted at the expence of the other. Since Canada is the sum of us, whatever resources are Canadian, should be allocated in the manner that best represents the interests of Canada. This includes both economic, material and human resources. Due to the inherent propensity for humans to slide downhill in a corrupt communist system, Canadians should refocus analysis from poverty analysis and archaic notions that the more we know about poverty, the better we will be able to get rid of it, to wealth development and wealth creation.
Poverty inspires no one.
The idea of getting rich, causes people to swarm.
Let's get real. We have a fine capitalist system, with some excellent collective services. Time to move on into the real world, discard that which is a major failure, and engage in what works!
A smart person will fail. But because they are smart, they won't do that again. Only fools will commit the same failure, over and over again. Smart people perservere whereas fools are perseverant. And everyone knows a fool, whether here or elsewhere, who will embibe of a way, and no matter how much it fails, they will continue to do the same thing, like bashing their head against a concrete wall!
Posted by: Lady | 2006-06-15 10:35:00 AM
wallyj,
I have a few issues with the education system today.
1) It has been over run by dogmatic commies.
2) Teachers educate; they fail to train.
3) Good schools are not praised and rewarded; whereas bad schools are not shut down. There are always people who would want to keep bad schools open, because they are such an important part of the community. Good grief!
4) Good schools only get more money when they diagnose every other kid with a learning disability. Bad schools get more money, because they have no problem with diagnosing every other child with a learning disability. And besides, it gives them an easily accessible excuse not to educate. And besides that, education is not training any more. That is something the parents are left to do at night, when the children reach the end of grade three, and have not learned how to read or write, or do basic arithmetic. And their children have been diagnosed with so many learning disabilities, even the parents believe the teacher's excuses.
5) Schools that are close to a University, will be University geared whereas schools far away from a University will be trade geared. There is a need for both.
6) Educators hate it when schools are ranked, and yet they have no problem ranking the students. And some educators hate testing children, because they believe it will create test anxiety. Good grief!
7) Educators have no problem testing the children, and yet they scream like mad dogs when someone suggests they need to be tested to ensure they retain contemporary skills.
8) There is no motivation for educators to improve their education, beyond basic professional development on D days. Whereas most educators in Germany beyond elementary school hold a Phd, most Canadian educators have not seen the inside of a class of the peers for 20 or 30 years. And why? Because there is no capital incentive in most parts of Canada. And don't get me started on report cards....
9) Sports coaches are not considered an integral part of the education system in most Provinces. In the US, coaches are paid like teachers. When teachers strike in Canada, the first thing they do is drop all their volunteer activities. And we wonder why our children are getting fatter and fatter all the time?
I could go on, but it would ruin what looks like a superb day!
Posted by: Lady | 2006-06-15 10:51:27 AM
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