Harper in a Fix

Smoky Lake Signal Article No. 251 (January 9, 2013)

Whispering in the Wind

This is the time of year that political junkies like me take time to quietly reflect, assess and judge the country’s political landscape and its leadership.  But recent events have overtaken this more traditional, passive approach to year end analysis. 

“Idle No More” Movement

The “Idle No More” grassroots movement of aboriginal peoples has emerged as a formidable force of primarily young aboriginal people who are well connected through the social media.  The movement is apparently without leadership but has already caused considerable disruption through spontaneous marches and blockades.  What is so surprising and quite dangerous; the so called leaderless “Idle No More” have spokespeople who want immediate change to the First Nations leadership and how that leadership deals with the federal government on aboriginal issues.  Sounds and smells quite suspicious to me but controlling a leaderless movement has got to be of major concern to the political establishment, whether they be First Nations leaders or government leaders.

Attawapiskat Re-surfaces With a Vengeance

Thirteen months ago (actually, December 21, 2011) I offered the following views on Chief Theresa Spence and the Attawapiskat First Nation:  Attawapiskat, Harper’s Achilles Heel

Attawapiskat is proving to be a festering wound in the side of the federal government and the smell that is emerging is a clear indicator of a very rotten system.  Prime Minister Harper has agreed to a meeting with the First Nations hierarchy on January 24 and hopefully that meeting will be the beginning of the end for a broken system of privilege and dependence.  In the short term, the financial situation in Attawapiskat is a mess (and there could be many mores messes in other aboriginal communities) – the RCMP should be sent into Attawapiskat to assure Canadian law is upheld and the appointed “third party manager” is able to do his job.  I think what the Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat First Nation is claiming is outrageously wrong and her decisions are an affront to Canada.  Interestingly enough I do see some parallels between what is going on in Attawapiskat today and what went on in Quebec in the 1970s and 80s regarding Quebec separatism – it’s time a strong leader like Prime Minister Harper takes on these issues and settle matters once and for all – after all he does have a majority in both the House of Commons and the Senate so why not take on two particularly thorny issues.

The CBC has received and published a “leaked” copy of a scathing audit report on Attawapiskat, (commissioned by the federal government) indicating a lack of control by the government and a total lack of accountability by the Chief Spence and the Attawapiskat reserve.  Prime Minister has agreed to meet with the aboriginal community on Friday to defuse a very troubling circumstance for the First Nations people