An Indigenous Opinion on our Canadian and Albertan Education issues from a First nation Filmmaker/Performer and Educator

(Based on articles published in the Edmonton Journal January 23^rd, 2010)

As a First Nations Professional Filmmaker/Performer and Educator, born in Alberta but lived and worked the last 29 years in British Columbia, I recently returned to Alberta to be closer to family, and to begin work on my next project as a filmmaker and secure other work as cultural professional. I was appalled to read about the educational conditions pertaining to Northern Alberta's Indigenous Métis and First Nations children, not surprised by the band-aid solution offered by Alberta's education Minister Dave Hancock and resigned to apathy in reading the four sectional commentary articles in the Saturday January 23^rd weekend newspaper of The Edmonton Journal.

I am writing of the four sectional articles: 

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  "We see success in our kids" by Sarah O'Donnell
  
  
  
  
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  Desperate measures reflect deep problems by Paula Simon
  
  
  
  
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  SOUND OFF! Comments by Not the problem, Banana Republic, Sandy, James, Former Student, No friend of NSD, and In the woods
  
  
  
  
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  And the editorial comments of Dismissing school board good call:
  
  
  
  

But I must response to these authors in this weekend paper in their entirety because we are dealing with a bigger issue than what is being addressed by all the writers of these words. which in my opinion present colonial and neo-colonial attitudes, moronic responses, and autocratic reasoning purely because everyone except the former teachers and former students, are so removed from the territory. This is due to the literacy of the system, and how the Affirmative culture defines our relations in the everyday and what is seen as the normalization of the state and her occupants.

Throughout these articles I keep seeing references to the social , economic and cultural issues pertaining to Native and Non-Native relations, living conditions and of course the historical relationship of residential school issues that exist in this country. Yet no author outside of the writers who actually wrote David Hancock's name and refer to his political decision, make reference to the political issues which formed the crux of the social and economic and cultural issues outlined in all these writers words.

Everywhere it is termed as a social economical and cultural, but it is a political and historical issue because we are living in a settler state mentality of the divide and conquer mentality of the Manifest Destiny of Christendom, and how the Europeans who first travelled to the New world saw a land ripe for the taking of their resources and heathens and infidels ready for conversion to Christianity all in the name of the father, the son, the holy ghost and the holy spirit Amen!

This then brings us to the front page and all these articles which points away from the real problem which is the lack of Canada, her governments and her people from acknowledging and restoring the political and sovereignty of Canada's First People to it's proper place in relation to the settler based society of citizens and governments within Canadian society. We must be given our right to govern and look after our own people to help heal a people whose language, land, laws and customs where stolen from them, just like in the United States of America and the State of Hawaii, where Queen LiLil'uokalani royal government was overthrown by unscrupulous businessmen back by the US Military and where today the Hawaiians and American Natives face similar issues as of Canada's first people.

So why is attendance an issue, is it apathy from the parents or the children? After years of standing up for our rights as Canada's first people, we are still struggling and living in third world conditions. Parents and children give up on Canada and we stay in our comfort zone, where we can live as a family and not worry about the white system coming down on us as a family because we are not assimilated enough for their way of life. No one race on both sides of the cultural divide is not making sacrifices. Turnover for the teachers? Because they cannot buy their own home or land? Well, that is how our ancestors felt under the Indian Act, where we could not own land or hold giveaways or potlatches. It's back to that Settler mentality of ownership of something we have no control of anyway. We are all caretakers of Mother Earth, not owners.

Why do the parents duck away? Why would we want to see or trust white people again after years of broken treaties, lies, accusations, and all around hate by the white man because we were Indian and consider beneath everyone else. Years of racism does that to a person where we lose our sense of worth and simply stay in areas where we feel safe and with people we love. And the phone calls to the teachers, after years of inter-generational abuse, the residential schools, the fostering system, and difficulty in getting accepted as equals in this society, our parents, our grandparents are still hurting and distance in family relations because of the denial of our language and worth as a people, escaping from reality through alcohol, substance abuse, TV programming or just plain sleep as we live in our dream world. Then when it comes to the exams we are dealing with an archival system that is systemic and caters to the ruling ideology, not snare lines, trap lines or the simply forms of living off the land. A colonial system based on the settler's way of life in succeeding in dominant society and moving up the ladder. From the time the kids are born we must change the diapers of the ruling class, change the cultural, educational and political apparatuses of the ruling system so that the children of the ruling class know how to relate to different cultures instead of using stereotypical reasoning or historically defined judgement calls to define a native persons' role in life.

And all this comes back to the next article, "Desperate measures reflect deep problems by Paula Simon" Right away we are offered a perspective of hands on governance by Ed Stelmach's government with one governmental reference to health care and of course this educational directive by Hancock. Of course it smells of neo-colonial measures because we live in a settler's society where white people were given governance over the first people because of the Christendom factor in defining the new world. The Indian agent, the white politician and Dominion of Canada army coming in to overthrown Riel's provisional government because he was a half bred, today it is all the democratically elected natives and Métis fired and the education apparatuses is overseen by one government appointed appointee. (See Indian Agent).

Again we have colonial mindsets blinded by their sense of superiority on seeing the real cause of the problem which is a lack of a real and sound political relationship to Canada's first people and her provinces which should be based on a sovereign based relationship of nation to nation status as defined by our indigenous leaders, academics, and our artists. And supported by the UN Declaration of human rights and not based on this settler mentality of being conquered and under the thumbs of our colonial superiors, which is not seen because of Hancock "risky" broad sweep of fascist control. Simons is correct to say that it would be unfair to base this educational problem on the trustees, the problem is based on the whole notion of how the settler society defined native/non-native relations in Canada and the federal apartheid racist legislative policies of the federal and provincial governments of the past, present and no doubt future governance of this country.

And as far as the legal fight between the board and the Peavine Métis Settlement, that is a result of the divide and conquer mentality that exists in our communities because of the systemic racist governance of this country and the policies that divide us as a people as a means of control and containment on our reserves, settlements and squalor urban conditions. If we are painted as divided, then we are painted as unable to handle our own affairs of which is propagated in the media to show Canada's settler defined society that they are in control and we are not. But let's look at the Canadian and provincial governments and democratic society right now, and you will see how we are all divided and defined by a capitalist expansionist society that defines the success and failure of individuals through material and economic worth and not by the roles and dynamics of family relations and community relations which if is health and sound, we would not have these divided problems as a country.

Simons again hit the issue on the nail with the bringing up of the residential school issue. Harper's apology does nothing when it comes to putting food on the table and managing the cultural baggage we have as Canadians as we begin to examine the true cause of these social economic and political issues affecting native and Métis people and how all this relates to Canadian society. This educational dilemma is a small percentage of the problems that exist in Canada and her relationship with her first people. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission came off with its dismal start because of the Europeanization of its appointed professionals and justice professionals and how LaForme refuse to release his euro-centric defined notion of power to professionals in their own fields who felt that they were marginalized by patriarchal positioning and refuse to go along with LaForme's decisions and recommendations.

Today the TRC may have finalized all its appointed hired professionals through an euro-Canadian defined hiring process, but will these white ratified new appointees truly set aside their differences and seek what will address the demons of Canada's residential past or will their euro-Canadian defined education and professionalism get in the way of the common good, (which is the well being of our children, the healing of Canada's first people and the restitution of a people destroyed by a racist systemic country and its people) or will they allow the own sense of superiority and allocation of power be complacently defined by the constructs of the Affirmative Culture and the Status Quo? I await to see how many of the professionals in this country put themselves on a pedestal and use the media positioning of the issues affecting Canada for their own sense of self aggrandizement.

So where do our dear poor children fit in this malaise of discontent and ideological positioning by the writers in this media, popular media and governmental practice of controlling the masses and the normalization of the everyday? Well unfortunately for all parties involved, in the back seat of the hay wagons as the ones who know what's best for the children hum and haw over who is right and who is wrong. Instead of trusting our Creator's plan in the Great Mystery of life and putting all children at the first of the line of value and utilizing the notion of self sacrifice on all our parts as humans; so that we can grown as a one community, one humanity , as one global village under the guidance of the universal order of truth, sacrifice and trust in our heart where in the Great Scheme of life is where the Creator lives, not in our governments, our churches, our homes or our minds, but in our hearts. So we can live each day with honesty humility and respect instead of the capitalist notion of what defines success in dominant society and what defines our failures in society. The loss of our children's ability to realize their potential in life will be our biggest failure as we continue to play the blame game and use outdated colonial, draconian ideals to correct what is wrong with our cultural, educational and political apparatuses of this country and not use common sense to resolve the historical wrongs of this country and change the ideological condition of our society.

A society that continues to create divisions of race and saying we are the root of the problem because of choices and divided notions of place in society. I say again change the diapers of the ruling class which I interpret as change how the ruling class educates their children in how history has defined native and non-native relationships so that the child is not taught by the grandfather, the father and other family members that all native people are drunks and belong in jail or that those native brothers will never amount to anything. That was told to my brother and my late foster mother Ann Bilan of Alberta by a grade one teacher many years ago when we were adopted by the late Mr and Mrs Bilan from the Mundare orphanage. Well today, my twin brother is a prominent and respected criminal lawyer in Alberta helping Non-Native, Native and Métis people who have fallen in their walk on life's path.  I have had a successful career as an actor, modern dancer, performer, filmmaker and digital film teacher for native based education organizations, and I have not given up yet even though I joined the class action lawsuit against the Alberta Government for the abuse I experienced in 16 foster homes between 1 and 4 years old and the physical and sexual abuse I experienced as a ward of the crown.

So in closing, I come to the editorial page and the sound off, where the only sensible comment out of all those words from the writers is the former student who lived through the educational process of that district because he saw the problems from all parties due to his/her history of education and what the district is up against. He/she saw the totality of the problem because he survived and finished school and now looks back and perhaps sees the historical conditions of the native /non-native relationship and why no-one has the support to support the children. The politics of survival takes precedence as the parents struggle just to keep a roof over their head, keep food on the table as well as come to terms of the cultural baggage we all inherit as Canadians but keep putting our head in the sand. The teachers , one from Donnell's article commendably spent "at least 10,000 of her own money' to help the children, but like Hollywood throwing tons of money to resolve the cinematic problem, that analogue of using capital to resolve societal problems will not help either. Like the former student suggest, the grandiosity of the school division must be broken up and we all must get back to a simple way of life in terms of education and finding ways to help our children to feel good about themselves and their families, new ways of increasing the literacy of our children and not be afraid to use a small education base for each community and allocated all of societies resources to help all our children in distinct traditional and contemporary territories urban or non-urban areas and not be afraid t make sacrifices as a family, community, a territory and a nation to show the world that we are a one humanity and not divided by borders or the shades of our skin.

As far as the moronic comments pertaining to the important issue of education , for example the banana republic comments and James, their comments only show the systemic racist society that exists around us because Timbuktwo references and banana republic references are in themselves racist terms relation to the euro-centric relationship to geography and a euro centric reference to the tropical people and their relations to euro centric values of thought, geography , history and distance. The other comments are reasonable sensible and address important issues , but again these issues all relate to how the Affirmative culture defines history, culture education, church and state and our relationship as racial nations defined under the guise of the Manifest destiny, the settlers society rationalization and society's failure to look beyond their own backyard and judge all other nations with impunity of imperfection and on control of their own sense of reasoning, justice, governance , and knowing what is best for the natives of the new world!

No one wants to be accountable to history's role in defining our relations because we have been so far removed from the simple essence of life as one people and allow one people's definition of history and our order in the universe to define a country or series of countries because of a few old men or families of class distinction define what the Creator wanted through their creation of the Manifest Destiny and how they defined Christendom which turned all indigenous cultures from their mother tongue, land and language and gave us the dysfunctional relationship we have today based on greed, selfishness and a capitalist notion of what defines material success educational success, or in this case the failure of a system that has failed the essence of our survival our children. For the editorial to title his/her comments under the notion of Dismissing school board a good call, is deploring in the sense that this paper is not looking at the totality of the problem or root of the problem and fingering the trustees as dysfunctional but not looking beyond the educational apparatuses of this province and looking at the historical and political relationship of native and non-native relations. I left this province 29 years ago as a young "Indian "man because all red-neck Albertans saw "Indians" as drunk or in jail. Sadly to say the justice system still sees our troubled first nation's people in those stereotypical positions, and that is why so many of our people are incarcerated.

If the editorial board says we need the tools to navigate the cycle of poverty, despair and hopelessness, then I say those words are simply saying the system has no intention of Canada's first people of leaving that cycle of worthlessness that was bestowed in every Native child in Canadian history who was affected by the racist assimilation and apprehension polices of Canadian society. All legislation supported by the Canadian people each governing part of history and still exists today.

We as Albertans and Canadians must all make self sacrifices for the sake of our future, our precious children. We are up against a enormous beast, (popular mass culture) which devalues our human relations and family values as inferior to the plastic and digitize imagery of corporate and Hollywood imagination monsters all creating works based on profit, violence and the destruction of the human spirit and our potential as being one with the Great Mystery of Life and our Creator.

It is time to grab the bull by the horn and as the editorial writers say that [the government]... won't tolerate the status quo...' but it is quite another thing to change the status quo of a racist society and create an action plan that will work, and not be doomed for failure because a select few are not willing to sacrifice monetary worth or ideological success or control for the well being of our communities, our children and our children's children which is all our future. I will not doubt have to publish this in my DAM blog because perhaps my ideas and opinions are too radical for a contemporary province like Alberta or nation like Canada to handle. After all, I wrote this for our children who will inherit what is left of our dying planet Miigweech, O'Siem, Miigweech, thank you, all my relations

Accredited Buskers ? Donald Morin's response to this notion during the Olympics as I have buskered hundreds of times in my life as an artist

Sent to <searchgrads-list@vancouvercommunity.net>, an artist training facility I attended in 2003, which was created by The Vancouver Alliance for art and culture to help artist become self-sufficient and marketable.

 

Well with Cavelle's wonderful comments, I hope she is fully acknowledged for her fine irony in this reply. As she is a respected artist , I enjoyed my visit with her  a couple of years ago as she explored possible work   ideas with me at a time in my life when I was searching  for work in my career and she invited me over for a chat.  A fine artist, who now presents very interesting perspectives on  the work we do as artist, and this  comment on accredited buskers is another fine example of her use of irony,  subtle wit, and  a critical perspective of   a time on Vancouver's civil life where, entertainment for the masses takes a new low.

 
 

Just as Gustave Corbert created works in a duly noted exhibit of his work during a time of commercialization, she should as well create an avenue or venue to work in critical parrellel to the crass ventures out there attempting to cash in on the Olympic beast coming into town during the month of Feb and beyond. Next these cash greedy adventurists can put out a calling for accredited homeless people, who can sing and dance too? Cavelle, good work on pulling out the stops in examining another example of an Olympic scheme designed by "another group" wanting to promote art and culture alongside the belly of the beast.

 
 

With a word such as "accredited", the Olympic committee, Vanoc or Van art, whatever these groups or organizations want to call  themselves these days, they are putting themselves on a pedestal to idealize  the notion of a perfect world, a perfect street, perfect entertainment, perfect athletes and perfect cultural politics and a big lie of being an example of the quintessence of  urbanization  on  a international, national, and local level of cultural  consumption for the moronic culture, the masses and anyone else who is caught up in the biggest lie  in Vancouver since expo roll into town. Where after that charade, the richest Asian capitalist came in after the expo lie and bought up Salish Territory for a song. Look at that area now. no better than  the streets next to it, as it is sandwiched between DTES, China town, main street, and the tracks and streets between the rich and the poor.

 
 

No wonder Vanoc is scrambling because there is no snow on Cypress, because Karma is coming back on their lies and use of words to spread the illusion of excellence in promoting the human spirit in all its grandeur! (Right next to the homeless, the sick and mentally suffering, and dispossessed shoved in the dark corner of urbanization where no one can see them.  We tend to forget that first there was the spirit of the word before anything in this universe that was created. That is why we must choose our words carefully, because it is through the spirit of the word that ideas manifest into being creations of good use and consumption as opposed to be words of lies and accusations, disrespected, demonize and left ethereal in the universe to rot and fester

 

I am so glad I moved to Edmonton, so I do not have to see the lies and machinations of golden calves shining on the dirty streets of British Columbia for the entire world to see. Some people will see me moving away from this as an example of running away from the problem, but I seen it as moving to be closer to my family members which is where community starts from, and then we can continue on to help bigger communities in a time of great need in the world...  Hy Hy, O'Siem, Gila Kesla, Miigweech, all my relations

 
 

Filmmaker/Artist

 
 

 
 

Donald Morin, BA
seen at
http://www.facebook.com/donald.a.morin,
http://www.google.com/profiles/donaldmorin,
http://damorin.multiply.com,
http://spaces.msn.com/members/DAMaNDN4MEDIA4ARTS/,
http://www.youtube.com/Willy2Frencheater,
http://myspace.com/donaldmorin, &
http://d_a_m.blogspot.com/

GET OVER YOUR RACISM AS YOU SAY GET OVER OUR GENOCIDE

This blog is written in response to the comments posted to a CBC article at this link: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2010/01/05/north-ahf-funding.html

So for those 2 say to move on, get over, I would say you R callous, & one-sided in your thinking. If we were really to examine the actions required 2 resolve this historical travesty, this lineage of genocide against us, Canada's 1st people, then we should as "Canadians" bring the Canadian Government and her people 2 trial 4 genocide. Bring the Canadian Government 2 court 2 charge them 4 removing the child, family, community & nations from their land, culture, language, & family. Tribal custom usage based on persons ability 2 connect 2 the land, their language & culture. Once the government removes those variables, U kill a people, destroy their connect 2 their mother tongue & take away their worth through attrition. By forcing them in2 residential schools, orphanages, reform schools, & isolated areas of barren land where disease, dysfunctionality, & abuse growths & festers due 2 the inability of a people 2 support themselves and become productive members of a collective society. With Canada's 1st people, representing a very small percentage of the Canadian population, why do Canada's first people represent over 65 percent of the federal and provincial jai population? Why do the majority of Canadians still see us Native people as drunks, losers, or just in jail? It's a 2 way street here, if these naysayers say that the intergenerational sorrows that continue to destroy us as a people must stop, then I say the intergenerational racist attitudes against us as a people must stop too. Stop recalling the racist attitudes taught to U racists by your parents, your grandparents, & your society's apparatuses of education, culture, & power 2 stop disseminating information that still positions Canada's 1st people below all others in this country. Get over it

CBC News - Saskatchewan - Riders GM Tillman won't have criminal record

CBC News - Saskatchewan - Riders GM Tillman won't have criminal record

Ya, I wonder if they would do the same for a First Nations Person in this sick racist society. I am sick of these white thrash homeboys getitng away with crimes of their desire while our people who were victims of genocidal abuse and pursuasion are charged to the full extent of the law! Casterate all these honkies , especially him

Happy New Year Worlders

WIsh I was there! Wish you were here, Wish The son was everywhere, Happy New


Year here there and everywhere to my enemies, to my friends, to my lovers, to my

haters, to all of our children, let us start the year with honesty, humility,

and respect..HNY2U-All
 
May all your happiness, love and fortunes arrive at your doorstep, bank account, and in your home

Ballad of Norm Bullion Video by Donald_Morin - MySpace Video

Ballad of Norm Bullion Video by Donald_Morin - MySpace Video

#the+music+died?cid=rsstgam

#the+music+died?cid=rsstgam

Getting closer to the Beast, part deux
Well, I saw things like this coming as we moved closer to the beastI would say as in my DAM blog, identify the 2010 Olympic sell-outs, shame them for buying out for the big bucks, shame them for forgetting the less fortunate people of the world, of the Downtown Eastside. Tell them to contribute more than the minimal requirements the VANOCKIANS are doing now. [VANOC says one thing, their actions tell another. They say and publicize that they are contributing to the community as they say when they are giving jobs to residents of the Downtown Eastside, but in reality, they pick who they want to use to publicize their so-called good will, and leave the most vulnerable and most desperate ones in the alleys and jails, hypocrites who prophesize good will, but use clandestine secrecy to promote their real agenda, which in my opinion is the aggrandizement of the self and their greedy egos and pocket books.
So, shave off the edge of the capitalist, and use those remnants and your work to help the ones, time forgot, the ones 2010 Olympics use to aggrandize themselves along the edge of media falsidity. Remind the sell-out artist to use the grand stage to shake up the status quo, do not be afraid of VANOC and their propaganda, and remember my quote "Aboriginal art in the Age of Technological Authenticity" as opposed to Walter Benjamin's quote The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. [Where the 21st century world believers of the Olympic beast use technology to authenticate and politicize what is indigenous to nature, and the quintessence of the human body, and whereas the world believers of the 20th. century used art as a means of reproducing a political means.] So this VANOC symphonic proposed lie which was rightly refused by the artist of the Symphony, is another indication that the 2010 Olympics is still caught up in the old world thought of containment and control instead of embracing the Great Spirit's essence of what the human body can be in maintaining the quintessence of the human body and spirit...So, we R getting closer 2 the Beast and it is scary. They will use illusions, transparent idols, and Olympic bric a brac 2 buy u ...off. Like Inuit artist/filmmaker ex-Wife Laila Hansen of Greenland said, they pay you big $ 2 SHUTUP! Good call Vancouver Symphony, you saw through the transparent veil of the 2010 Olympic illusion. O'Seim, Miigweech, Gila Kesla, all my relations!
Respectfully
Donald Morin, baFilmmaker/Performer/Educator

Getting Closer to the Beast

Identify the 2010 Olympic sellouts, shame them for buying out for the big bucks, shame them for forgetting the less fortunate people of the world, of the Downtown Eastside. tell them to contribute more than the minimal requirements the VANOC-KIANS are doing now. Shave off the edge of the capitalist, and use those remnants and your work to help the ones, time forgot, the ones 2010 Olympics use to aggrandize themselves along the edge of media fasidity. Remind the sellout artist to use the grand stage to shake up the status quo, Do not be afraid of VANOC and their propaganda, Remember my quote "Aboriginal art in the Age of Technological Authenticity" as opposed to Walter Benjamin's quote The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. We R getting closer 2 the Beast and it is scary. They will use illusions, transparent idols, and olympic bric a brac 2 buy u ...off. Like Inuit artist/filmmaker ex-Wife Laila Hansen of Greenland said, they pay you big $ 2 SHUTUP

Support The UMAYC youth centers

I would say, support the centres; very much so, give them the support they need and deserve. From my experience with teaching some of the Coast Salish Youth and Indigenous urban youth in filmmaking, I learned so much from their innocence, their desire for social and political change, and their desire to leave a legacy for future generations. As some say Architecture is politics in Stone. Our Indigenous youth today have the ability to transform Nature's resources into a social and cultural tool for changing the "diapers of the ruling class", through their activism, through their traditional and political/cultural creations, and through our support. As a survivor of the 60s scoop, my mother tongue came from the Queens institutions of the day, and they have tried to define me every day as the historical, stereotypical unban ndn, no matter how much education we obtained as we developed ourselves as fighters against the systemic racist values of the day. Many of our relations did not make it to today to be able write our comments for the world facers to see and read.

Their written history is in the statistical archives of a colonial born country that left our people behind to die on the streets, in the desolate areas of territory, and from the drug/alcohol stained veins of our cancer infested bodies living in a cancer infested world. Our youth know our people from all sides of history, the spectacle and the body. The human body in its many forms can build these Centres, because there is a dire need and urgency to build and utilize these centres as cultural/spiritual/educational grounding and healing place to help heal a troubled world. Miigweech, all my relations and give them the money they need to begin this great journey we can all share to our children.


Go to facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166709714366 and join today, tonight, don't think about tomorrow cause it does not happen then, life happens now!

Dreams from Hera’s Temple on Salish Land

From the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera to the 2,600 years and more years Salish People have been on their territory, culture is re-ignited in every generation, in every dream and this flame is the beginning of something new to many, is the beginning of something un-liked by others. From watching the ceremonies and listening to the "dignitaries", it was appreciative to hear the acknowledgement to the people of the Salish Territory, From the Olympics' Furlong to the Mayors and the premier; then they introduce the PM Harper. He does his salutations to all, but when it comes to the first people of this continent, there is no mention of territory, only acknowledgment of race, "our aboriginal guests", so the Olympics may be intended to represent the best of the Human Spirit, the torch represents the best of the Human Spirit, and then the cauldron is to be lit for our global human family, but it only takes one with his political schemers to use a choice of words to define who holds the allocation of power in this country.

 

Yet, do these unabashed media portrayals of pride, determination, success, and futurist winnings help the less fortunate of our society on a daily basis. Does all the money spent each day on the physical, economical intellectual and technological devices to allow us to watch, read, and listen to this Olympic Dream Story feed, support or love: the ones who have nothing, the ones who live in the alleys, roach and sick infested houses of the countries? Does the money for these games and how the money is spent in covering, celebrating, hosting these games; help the families in the welfare slums of our territory as the flame dies in their hearts. Each of our four nations ask the hosting indigenous territory for permission to land, show their cultural strength and rightly representations of cultural protocol, but does pomp and ceremony help the starving child/man /person/who lives on stolen unceded territory, as bravados shows our class distinction, and the new pan-Indian canoes. We are still the dime store Indian as we are moved by digital dreams and the high dreams of social change. You are not speaking for me, Mister rep. of the four nations. Miigweech, wound a knee, break a leg, merde, here in "Canada"! Not!

Thunder Bay mom wants answers after teacher's aide chops off son's hair

Check this story out!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/21/thunder-bay-hair.html

This is clearly an assault on a vulnerable child and a personal attack on the values of a first nation’s child, his family, their cultural and spiritual heritage, and an unfortunate reminder of the conditions that other native children experienced in residential schools, orphanages, and foster homes. Where a euro-centric validation of what constitute humans defined the affirmative culture and what constitutes family, churches, laws, states, and the orders of society, whereupon theses supposed care takers of our children called them infidels, heathens and savages, and cut their hair to kill the "Indian in the Child" After 500 and some years of worthlessness, of not worthy of "being" We first people of this continent survived your systems assaults against our being, but we lost much as so many of our people lost their sense of worth, their self-esteem, self factualization, and were positioned to skid row alleys, bars, unemployment, and barely secure low paying jobs, Fighting constantly in life to survive the racism, bigotry, physical attacks for the length of my hair, the colour of my skin and for me simply being Indian. This narrative included me as a baby, infant, child, teenager , man, and now a much older university educated man who had to work four times as hard to survive the tricks and weapons of the white person and his/her system of control and containment. Sue the assistant, the school the whole dam system for this assault on this vulnerable child. Miigweech, all my relations.

Catholic Church Pope and A Chief, Our Survivors, Elders and others

"About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996."
The pope says some words as our people listen.
Chief Fontaine says , It's a "very significant statement..." .I disagree. As one colleague of mine says in our song, "...I don't need no apology from you...!"
Restitution and Proper compensation for the sexual and physical abuse, and much more for the murdered missing native children..
As for the all you racist people on this site who make fun of our Chief, Elders and others, shame on you all! . Your ignorance and lack of respect will be your downfall!
As for teh above statistics "About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996."
Whose initiative is devaluing our worth in words and numbers again? After the burning of church and school records, , and the abuse of governmental and societal power, I would estimate a much much larger set of children apprehended from their families.
Shame on Canada, in the past, present and future. Shame

Donald Morin, ba

Prentice defends oilsands following National Geographic article

I just produced and co-hosted my radio show last night in Vancouver with three folks from Indigenous communnity, who aired thier concerns for thie communities affected by these tar sands. For Prentice to defend the practices fo this evil industry shows he, the oil industry or the government does not care about our health, our land, our water, or our air of which we all share. These tar sands, these new developments for the benefit of corporations and the wealthy has to be stopped or we and our future generatons are all dommed to death and misery.
Donald Morin, producer of When Spirit whispers on Coop Radio, Vancouver, 102.7 every wednesday night at 11pm

First Nations community struggling with the death of another child

First Nations community struggling with the death of another child
2-month-old child died last November at Yellow Quill reserve
Last Updated: Thursday, January 8, 2009 1:31 PM CT Comments0Recommend3
CBC News
The Yellow Quill First Nation, still coping with the freezing deaths of two toddlers a year ago, is now in the grips of another tragedy involving a child.RCMP confirmed Wednesday that on Nov. 29 they received a call about a baby who was not breathing. Police said the two-month-old boy could not be revived.Police are investigating and a coroner is also looking into the case. An autopsy has been ordered.Meanwhile, a social worker on the reserve has raised concerns about the safety of children in the community.Margaret Roper told CBC News that the latest death is not being discussed openly."This one, I think, was kind of, you know, … swept under the rug," Roper said. "It just seems so weird because, who's here to protect our children?"The results of the autopsy are expected to be available in February.The Yellow Quill First Nation is about 270 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon and has an on-reserve population of 900.My response posted along Web Story
My heart goes out to the community of YellowQuill, The parents of this late baby, and for the soul of this little child of our Creator. B 4 anyone begins their diatribe about the issues of this poor child's death, let us not forget how Canada's 1st. People where pushed into a position of containment, dependency, legislative apartheid, and left with useless parcels of land to live their lives in despondency and worthlessness for just "being". Why the death of this child was not acknowledged is tragic, but when assimilative social mechanisms like foster care, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, and residential schools are utilized to kill the "Indian" In the child, we as a society are left with the aftermath of a failed colonial system which perpetuated genocide against our people merely because of the colour of our skin, our cultural and hereditary systems, and because we as a 1st people had the best land and resources when the "settlers came to town" to find the Canadian Dream. To acquire said lands and resources, the governments and churches of the day did their best to assimilate the "Indian" into society, residential schools, forbidding to speak their language, distanciation of former residential students from their family and relatives, 2 the denial of acceptance by the general population of Canada as "Indian" attempted to move to urban centres to find work or a standard of living similar to the euro-centric Canadians who settled into a country which was once part of our first people's ancestors. Needless to say, systemic racism grew larger and more insidious as grandparents passed on the racist views of their forefathers to their children and their children's children because of us simple "being". How did this affect our families, our notion of bringing up our children and providing a future to them? Well not very good as we look back at the statistics of Canadian History, U take away a language, a family, a culture, a land, and pushed them into a racist society of devious Indian Agents, uncaring social workers, and a racist population, bent on using any means of persuasion to subdue the "Indian through alcohol, racist laws, and arbitrary beatings and violence, then what does the Native individual take back to his people; Shame, worthlessness, violence, incest, and no sense of value to oneself because the assimilation and apprehension policies of Canadian Society worked in killing the "Indian' in Canadian society and Canadian History.
Donald Morin, ba

'Top-level' panel to pick new truth commission head: lawyer

In response to CBC story December 15th, 2008 0n their website!
Good Day: Wound A Knee on the national stage, as you Canadian pundits banter out your informed/un-informed rants and raves! I certainly hope we as a global family can move forward each new day with honesty, humility, and respect. Now if only our government’s leaders can begin each day like that, then maybe we can heal the present, so we can prepare for the future. The Past is what it is, and apologies and compensation means nothing if the ignorant and the racist ignore the truth, honesty, and humility of themselves, and what was taught to them and their ancestors to make them think what they live, say and speak contains some sense of irrational truth.
As a first nations man, abused sexual and physically as a child under foster care, I am disappointed that the Alberta government is appealing the class action lawsuit launched against Alberta for Native and Métis Children abused as Wards of The Crown! Yet, I must believe that attitudes will change and the governments and churches, and Canadians responsible for the abuse against Canada’s First People's children will accept and acknowledge their complicity and involvement , and help healing the inter-generational problems that exist due to colonialism, and feuding of governing legislative ruling parties. I may not agree with how this appointment will happen, or that these two women from the original IRSS agreement are still on the board, but hopefully these women can begin each day with honest, humility, and respect, and not allow their ego get in the way of the common good. that goes for me too

the first ministers will... [had ]been a major cause of ongoing native poverty.

"the first ministers will ultimately end the turf war between federal and provincial governments that has been a major cause of ongoing native poverty."

Tell us something we don't know!

Brother of slain aboriginal protester gets Order of Ontario

"Sam George, the brother of an aboriginal protester killed by an Ontario police officer at Ipperwash Provincial Park, has been given the province's highest honour.
He received the Order of Ontario in a ceremony on Thursday at the Lieutenant Governor's Suite of the Ontario legislature for his work following the death of his brother, Dudley George..."

AllforEquality wrote:Posted 2008/11/20at 5:35 PM ET Booooooooo Bad Decision. This man is no hero and neither was his brother.



AllforEquality YOur abject denial of The Ontario Governnment decesion to honor our aboriginal activist is racist, shows your ignorance, and shows why Canadians like you do not deserve to be part of this great aboriginal land, which was systemically built on the colonial aspirations of previous governments, racist corporations, and the many colonial settlers who had no regard for first nations people which is stil evident today with systemic comments like your Sincerely, Donald Morin, ba Salish Terrtory

John (Johnny) Brian Altinger

John (Johnny) Brian Altinger

I was shocked to see his picture in the news Nov 3rd as I was getting ready for work. I immediately copied his name email my son and asked if he was the man he knew. I worked as I normally do, trying to keep some sense of normalcy in my life. Dorian emailed back and confirmed my inquiry. I met John 1998 when my son Dorian, John and their other friend Shawn. Three young men moving to Edmonton to find their fame and fortune.
The only reason I remember Mr. Altinger was he was polite, respectful and going on a journey with my son, who was leaving the nest so to say at the time. I met John again around 2002, then again at my son's wedding 2006. Good man and I am saddened by his death. To see his picture and actually remember a man I met three times in his relative short life shows just how close we are all connected on this fragile planet. A body is space just as fragile as John's body in this space we live in. My condolences to his family, his friends, and co-workers who had the opportunity to know this gentleman. May the Creator help his family in this time and loss and we as his collective neighbour and human family must remember he is our loss as one in a society, and the society that raise him and the perpetrator of his tragic demise
Miigweech, all my relations

The Apology

It has been a few days since Stephen Harper spokes his legislative words of compassion, mercy and grace with respect to our people. Yesterday I was angry, today I was angry, I thought I was okay , working , doing what I had to do to work, rest, play, and everything else in between. Yet the slight mis interpretation of life, people, and the system, I raant and rave the injustices of this "white world"!.

From "Rio Island to the Great Spirit, I search for grace and our Creator of our times. Was I angry at Canada and its history regarding us NDNs. I cried like many as they spoke those words of asking for forgiveness, mercy, and what happened to us as children. God`s children hating and killing our children!. Kill the NDN in the child was a truism to me as us little indians working in the child slavery homes of foster parenting.

From my years as child, I cried and cried. Crybaby I was called when I was one , after that all I did was cry as I was shuffled through out the 16 foster homes of hell! Hate was an emotion I knew too well! Locked in rooms , pissing and shitting on the floor and in pails and boxes. I only know the dirty child NDN they made me be! Some fifty some years later I still remember the hate and the anger at me as i cried and long gone from my mother, and family. Get over it, they say!.. I`ll think about it as I take your children away from you forever! But then a young blonde man came to me as I scream out to people around. I understand your anger, I know your pain, You don`t realize who I am!...Was he an angel of grace, mercy, Oh I am a fool crying over you!

Regarding Globe and Mail article and comments about Aboriginal highschool dropout rates

As long as we share the notion that we all have the ability to realize our potential, anything is possible, even for me, a Métis who survived the physical/sexual abuse of the fostering system of the 60s scoop, & the worthlessness that was bestowed on EVERY NATIVE &f METIS CHILD who was forced into the residential schools, fostering systems, abusive priests, nuns, social workers, foster parents, policing people, & all others who felt that they were above & better than native people because of their heritage, class background, colour of their skin, etc. As a media teacher, I always instill in my aboriginal students to realize their potential in life instead of settling with the status quo. It is a fight because racism is still a problem today even in 2007. I still struggle, it is life as we know it; our Creator gave us life to learn, from our mistakes, achievements, & failure. Who said it was going to be easy. Our native & Métis youth struggle because racism in the school system is evident, & carry on from the systemic history of colonialism & how colonialism is instilled in the education teachings, the family structure from grandparents to parents to the child, because of the old way of thinking. As long as we change the thinking & mindset of the old school elders of the colonial system, the education teachings, the family structure from grandparents to parents to the child, & critique the racist literature, & history books, then we can remove the barriers that are not conducive to the potential of our youth. Such problems do not come from the notion of some of the racist & stupid comments noted to this article, but from the mindset that derived from the racism that is subconsciously shared to others or directly taught due to bigotry & superiority over others because of either because they work, pay taxes, & they are entitled to share their uneducated view to others. Tolerance, peace, compassion, & love all others. I can learn & change too.

More comments on Harpers position regarding UN declaration

Violet, some people call it communism that is your opinion. Others see it differently, reading your comments; it appears that you would embrace the notion of capitalism entirely regardless if your ideals are helping propagate the notion of profiting from rape mother earth and her resources, leaving nothing for your descendents, your unborn relatives, and anyone else that will inherit the leftovers of a capitalist expansion system. No doubt, you seem relatively balanced as a person, but democracy in this country under your ideals will only implode an already self=destructing government bent on its self pompous positioning on the world stage. You are so worried about your taxes paying for reserve living costs, but you don't mention the fiduciary relationship this CDN government has to Canada's First People. BECAUSE the ancestors of Canada's first people gave up their land in lieu of what was offered in the treaties, the Canadian Government has a legal responsibility to our ancestor’s descendants, so get use to that! Race politics is insidious, but such ideals are needed to give native people and people of colour some leverage in obtaining some sense of opportunities and freedom in this country, Canada and BC have an obligation to settle the relationship between the provincial government and all the unceded territory BC first nations legally own, but no-one mentions how the land was outright stolen from the First People of this area. Maybe, if you were more knowledgeable of the exactness of Canada’s sordid relationship to Canada's First People, then perhaps others will not see you as one of this boards G and M nay Sayers. All my relations

Another Comment on PM signals Canada unlikely to back UN declaration

Gran2006 skipper, Miigweech 4 your comments, The UN Declaration was handed to me during the United Church Conference on the residential School Settlement Agreement issues in June 06. My colleague residential School Survivor Gunargie O'Sullivan and I broadcasted deconstructive reviews of the IRSSA and the confusing, and obscured hidden data in the agreement & subsequential media releases since April 07 on Coop Radio's When Spirits Whispers. The government, its lawyers, advisors & its courts have decided to settle with respect to their decision to not acknowledge their guilt and complicity in initiating cultural genocide against a people so they can take control of the land & its resources. Nothing has changed as of then, & the CDN government knows it is in an illegal position regarding the notion of landownership, title, aboriginal rights & their fears now are governing their lack of accepting the UN declaration, and Canada's relationship to International law parameters. Everyone these days has an opinion on native/non-native relations, & I am no different. Sure at times I fall and fail in my ideals, but then I was taught to be like the white man, get educated like the white man, & live like the white man, but if we as native people decide to asset our ideals as a cultural sovereign people, others begin their escalated critical review of our actions, intentions and economic initiatives. You are right regarding “Let's not blame Harper...regardless of who is in power." Nevertheless, Harper is too ultra conservative for my likings, and perhaps it is time the people of this country form a new political party to take on the conservatives, Liberals, Parti Quebecois, NDP, Greens & Others.. I an not talking about fringe lunatic parties like the Marijuana Party, but a party which is based on egalitarian reform, non-capitalistic development and an equal division of power, economics, & natural resources. Idealistic, even some natives will disagree with me.

Commet on PM signaling Canada unlikely to back UN declaration

nYu non-indigenous folks may very well agree or disagre with Harpers stance, debate the ideological framework of Canada's government to the UN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE have been forced into a position of placid acceptance of the democratic initiatives circulating in the free world today. Where freedom comes at the cost of living in abject poverty, abysmal living conditions on the reserve and in the urban centres, and demographically separated by class division real estate allocations , financial buy-offs for the aboriginal intellectuals and economic developers, and others who see the "NDN" below their cultural worth due to the historical conditions which shaped this Country, and the euro centric descendants who were told to contain the NDNS straight down from their grandparents, to the blue blood elite who run the financial and political halls of power. Harper is only an extension of the status quo and should be eliminated. eradicated, disposed of and striped of any form of decision making, humiliated in from of the aboriginal residential school survivors, like we were in front of the nuns, the police, the judges, and teachers, when we did not fit into their assimilation plans and policies. The only thing that will teach the people in power anything about equality or fairness is the blade of a guillotine coming down to their neck. A cultural revolution is in order for Canada, so let’s just do that, okay?

Main stream Media and the IRSSA August 20th deadline

There is an Overall sense of MEDIA censorship to alternative first nations views regarding the Indian Residential School Sttlement Opting Out Deadline and its connection to the contemporary issues of our time. As a native filmmakers, artists, and radio producers, my colleague Gunargie O'Sullivan and I have constantly shared information to Canadians about the complex issues pertaining to the residential school deadline today (Aug 20th., 2007). We understand and respect that Elders and others have a choice to settle with the defendants in this suit. Yet after much study , debate, many of us recognize that the settlement and propaganda campaign was flawed, deceptful and the opting out portion of this settlment was hidden with layers of newspeak to confuse all who take it upon themselves to study this nine court approved series of public documents. Apathy and limited comprehension by the media, has created a false sense of potential closure to the "NDN" problem, and that the setlement will heal Canada to heal. That notion is so far from the truth, it is the same old trickery the governments and churchs used time and time again since contact. aboriginal residential school survivors, and their understanding of the issues surrounding the IRSSA and the opt out or settle clause. Even today, I discussed the deadline with one native woman by Coop radio She understood the issues, but was too high to do anything.

Colleagues, it is tiring as we deconstruct the idealogy of Canada with art and politics. Disheartening as we see less and less people in the media caring about the tragedy of the most dis-possessed people, Canada's First people and how trickery and red tape is used by ideologues, lawyers, and government servants designed to contain and maintain the status quo. We must provide and dessiminate alternative perspectives on the issues of our times. How does the MEDIA and her their hired hands expect to know Canada without supporting the first nations artists and people who volunteer, collect and research others ways of Seeing in this world we call a global village? Do you expect us to stay in the age of feathers, ink and rawhide? Or with trinkets and beads. Is the MEDIA and their people so short sighted that they can not see beyond their place of priviledge as responsible community members? Perhaps its time to throw out the old and bring in the new? Do we all have to wait again for the okay from the Great White Chief in Ottawa? No matter how arms length we position ourselves from government policies, initiatives, clandestine meetings and manoeuvring, there will always be some subversive directive in the background monitoring the politics, media, events, words and times of the everyday.

I have more pressing issues to look at regarding the most dispossessed Canada's First People of this country than my pitful needs. Meanwhile the politicians in Ottawa will pronounce their grand schemes and dreams, while Canada's First People get @#$(W by the colonial mindset of people who think we should settle with life and what others think is best for them.

IN our numerous attempts to show the alternative aspects of the IRSSA data, the main stream media and others ignored the truth and published the propaganda that is utilizing the new pursuasive tools of genocide! Miigweech, all my relations!

refering to globeandmail story Letter was God's will

Why will T & G not publish this entry? Stirring Debate?
Each to his own, but I would preferably to rely on the goodness of the Great Creator and the Great Mystery of Life, rather than to reply on the judgement of the people on both sides of this argument. Is the act of a physical union between a man and a woman an act of procreation, an act of love, or lust? With animal procreation and human procreation, our physical urges may be similar to animals regarding emotional needs, genetic patterning, social relations, and the physical pleasure of physical entities and species of all life’s genetic programming of procreation. But as well it is through the Great Creators' designs that we are allowed to utilize the physical union of a man and woman for spiritual love through intercourse and as well procreation. Perpetuating ones immortality through our descendants is maybe every ones desire in leaving some aspect of our lives to the living earth outside of a material object in a time capsule. Sure two same sexed beings can enjoy the physical act of love or some sort of physical connection of body parts or what not to define ones relationship to someone they care about, but is it part of the Great Mystery of Life, love, lust, or just part of the normal urges, desires and choices we make regarding what we can do to something we truly own in this world, our flesh and blood. In some camps it is said, that we do not own our bodies but our bodies belong to God, Jesus Christ. Our bodies are truly temples for our Creator, but the unseen powers of this world con all of us to disbelief and doubt regarding The spiritual world, and what we cannot see, or prove in the physical world, so do what you must in this world, but I would prefer eternity in paradise as opposed to the hatred, anger, lust and gluttony of fire and brimstone and gnashing of ht teeth. Each to his own though!

Re" Globe and Mail article of 05_23_07 Stop trains or natives will: chiefs

I'm sick of all you armchair pundits giving you two bit crap about what to do with the issues of us Native people doing what we have to do to assert our rights and protect our interests as caretakers of mother earth and our culture.

It is not a matter of us not having the guts to be suicide bombers, because that is an option as far as I am concerned. Maybe we should just strap on a couple of vest bombs and come knocking on your door? But then on another hand, we value life and we are not in the NDN wars of the last couple of centuries where we had to kill to survive or be killed by all you Indian hating ancestors!

It is not a matter of one law for all people in this country, because other wise if your capitalist pig dog excremental living developers and other purveyors of capitalist destruction did not bend the law, or evade to law to get the best land of the time and racially segregate NDNS, then perhaps life would be different now. No, because aboriginal land WAS STOLEN from us and now there are over 900 outstanding lands claim cases b4 the system, which’s to say what laws have been broken or ignored.

Instead of hiding behind your web name on this list, publish you real name so we can really see who the hate mongering racists of this country are really like. I encourage all native people in North America to start suicide bombing to show the idiot who accused us of having no guts. Otherwise you racial idiots, let us demand and secure justice, restitution, and a decent life for our children and grandchildren instead of the activism we have to encourage to get the government to take our issues seriously.
Like AFN's Fontaine said, we are not breaking the law, and if the tractor protest and the transit protest is not consider unlawful and a right for these people to protest, then why are we call law breakers? Why? Because CANADA is a racist country run by Racist politicians & capitalists from the old school of colonialism. Miigweech, all my relations!

New Video on YouTube for Metis Winter Morning Film

that's right, google me for you tube and you will find my works. Have a nice day

Condolences to Family of Amber Stewart

My condolences to family and relatives of the late Amber Stewart, daughter to Deloras Dallas and sister to Danien Dallas. Her memorial will be at GlenHaven Memorial Services @ 1835 East Hastings on April 5th. 07 at 3:00pm start.

anna Niciole Smith's mom being disrespectful

It is totally disrespectful for Anna Nicole's Mother "Vergie Arthur" to air out her comments about her late daughter's supposingly drug usage, and to spout off her moral intentions on "Good Morning America" today Friday!

What gives her to right to immediately criticize the late woman's lifestyle, friends, and her position and assumed "drugged up"-ness? If this Vergie Arthur had any moral values or sympathetic values, she would have allowed grieving to take precedence instead of her jumping on the bandstand to get her two bits worth into such a sad and tragic ending to a young woman, wanting to experience life on her own terms.

Regardless of family estrangement, people still need to respect the moments in and around the passing of ones life to the next world. Anna Nicole Smith's mother had none of any these traits that show any decency or respect during a time of tragic endings. Shame on you, Vergie Arthur. Keep your assumptions and opinionated notions to yourself.

Black CLoud covers fireworks (Province A3 story Jan 31st. 2007

Why should I care about this " Black cloud covers fireworks" trivial loss when it comes to placating the desires of the masses of people who want to see these fireworks to ease their worried minds, take their mind off reality and to ease ones life? Spending that amount of money on fireworks is vain, selfish, useless, stupid, idiotic, wasteful and every other adjective I can not think of right at this moment. When Canada and its cities resolves its homeless crisis, build homes for her homeless, her seniors, resolve the problems of her first nations reserve system and urban poverty and clean up the streets of all those really bad people, who continue to get let off easy, then maybe I will support Canada and her cities to celebrate the fullest of life. Instead, the system uses such resources to appease the masses with something to do when instead today's population should seriously consider how they are spending their time in earth's prophetic days!


Respectfully,

Donald
@
http://groups.msn.com/TheDonaldMorinWebSitehttp://spaces.msn.com/members/DAMaNDN4MEDIA4ARTS/ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Donald+Morinhttp://www.myspace.com/donaldmorin& http://d_a_m.blogspot.com/

From Globe and Mail Blog about OPP toughen stance in Caledonia standoff

Wow the pros and cons of the Land Claim issues of North America are battleing it out again! Wow JUst like in the Middle East n'est pas? Who's right, who's wrong? We're all wrong, we're all mad, we're all going back to the land, so why are we still fighting and why are we in a hurry to defend what is right? EIhter way we are being pushed over the edge of madness as the new millenium moves faster and faster towards the face of our demise! We will head back to our homeland, and wonder what the fighting was all about when we were alive. As long as the developers and capitalists attempt to re=develop the natural world, we will always have the defenders stop or attempt to stop the concrete madness of the new world My advice, let the bombs fly, the sabateurs bring in their ball bearing suicide packs, and let the language of blood define this new age of terror. Either way, the new world and old world is no longer the sane, they are now the insane face of ourselves slowly dying to get to the other side of life. After Death, where we are at peace B4 we go to heaven or hell. Depending how you fight your battles here in the flesh I guess! Have a good day world, I really want to get off! I see my stop over by the dark side of the moon! I am a metis , born of two worlds colliding in the bearded faces of the fur trade, and now dying in theface of the development trades. What's wrong with our picture of democracy in this Canadian Middle East Quagmire.

B.C. artists memorialize missing women (Globe & Mail Jan.12_07)

Col. Akula
As far as I am concerned, you are an idiot and totally void of any sense of reasoning and only angry because so many people called you on your words and opinions. Awareness is important B4 and after any fact, and if you had any sense of humility, you would take your criticism with a grain of slat and move on, but no, instead you begin to rationalize your words of anger with assumed historical reasoning, and spout off validations of your father. So what! Your reasoning is after the fact too.

Regardless of B4 a tragedy or after a tragedy, life's events happen for a reason, and no effort by society, community, or individuals will stop these acts of horror if providence continues day after day. And if acts of heroism or community efforts do create change or stop a tragedy, then it was part of providence and the will of our Creator.
SO Colonel Goof, keep your opinions on your side of the fence and accept people's act of valor, recognition, or homage for what it is , a desire to acknowledge what was, what is gone, and what will be, and as far as issues from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, don't judge a person till you walk a mile in their moccasins. And if anyone really agreed with your irrational sense of outrage, then perhaps we would not honor the World war one and two war dead every November 11th, after the fact. So take your wounds, and move on to your dead end street of misguided reasoning.

TO artist paying homage to DTES missing women, (About Globe & Mail Arts Article published Jan11th., 2007

Col. Akula
Get your head out of your patriarchal stupidity. This work is no different than what Rebecca Belmore did with respect to honoring the missing women. Ms. Belmore created a performance piece in DTES where she held a rose in her mouth, placed the rose at each of the last location of the missing women, and called, (yelled) out her name. Not for money, not for respect, but for acknowledging their person, their being, their soul and heart as a woman. Here in CDN, women are still marginalized in some circles by patriarchy, and the old school of thought, where men still think women should be barefoot and back in the kitchen. Here we have an artist who is creating a work of homage to these missing women, who died due to catering to the sexual misguided desires of men. Men who should be doing better things with their life instead of taking advantage of less fortunate people. If these men have more control over their sexual urges and though more about their humble beginnings, then maybe they will have more respect for themselves and the women they abuse. Just because you pay someone money to take care of your urges, does not mean you have to mistreat them or other women who are the care-givers of our future society of children growing up to be adult. Our artists touch these ideas without saying a word, but by using an art brush to paint what's left of the blood and souls we once had on this planet earth!

NDN bishop in Canada

NDN bishop is a wonderful move considering that politics and religion together makes a firey mix, when we want to erase past mistakes. As the commenter said eariler, we are all God's children, so race should not be an issue, I am Metis and sit on the board of a United church Longhouse Native ministry, and the pastor is a wonderful non-native man, who conducts wonderful services. Incidentally, I was rasied RC, and I have no quelms against their teachings, after all we are all God's children and only should be leary of humankind, when they twist the sacred words and politicize such words. I do not see this as the case, it is a annoucement of sharing the word, so lets get to work and change the world through the love and work of our one Creator, not through past divisions of humankind's interpretivie grace.

Goodness revails over Chld help line (Globe adn Mail Jan. 5th, 07)

Kudos to this young child and to the law-enforcement officials and citizens of the world, who utilized an a potential technology which is increasingly being used for nafariouos ultraistic deeds. This shows , that the "good" prevails over en entire world, if we give goodness a chance to work with the internet sytem instead of the system being used to help those who go on raping and destroying our children of mother earth.
Every time a child cries for help, that cry is heard in the heavens, and bowels of the earth. For once, a child's cry is taken serious, considering the many times our chidlren are not heard. Good work folks, our chidlren are our precious gift from the Creator of our Times!

Re: Globe and Mail article of Jan 2nd. 07: Child care so costly immigrants sending babies back to China.

The question to ask regarding such an important parenting issues is why does systemic racism still exist in a supposingly democratic country such as Canada?

Outside of governmental polices, social initiatives, legislative laws pertaining to immigration, and economic development, nothing the government initiates is going to change the attitude and mindset of a Euro Canadian population which is sway and defined by the Affirmative culture. A culture which is defined by the historical conditions and development of a colonial culture which created the systemic and racist capitalist system we have today in Canada.
Our new Asian Canadians and other new immigrants would not have to break up the family unit if the potential private/public institutions and employers of these new professionals did not devalue the academic, and professional experience of this people, based on a Euro Canadian value of what is worthy and affirmed in North American society, by the constructs of the Affirmative culture. These families are no different than the descendants of the European immigrants, who came here to better themselves in the new world. Today it is no different, for the new immigrants who only want to better themselves and their career opportunities to provide a better life for their families. Such devaluation of their professional skills is blatant racism, and not until the Euro- Canadian descendants realize and deplore their systemic views and attitudes, will our Asian Canadian families be of equal par with the majority of the Canadian population. So Canada, Harper may describe that Canada is the greatest country in the world, but he is only paying lip service to the status quo and is creating a racist government and country just like the days before and after confederation. Miigweech, all

Coming back to Edmonton, NDNs and violence

Tansi Edmonton
Well it is good to be back in Edmonton, I moved to Vancouver from here 26 years ago due to the extreme attitudes of people here. I was a young First Nations, and I was tired of the negative attitude Edmontonians had towards Native People, and tired of the sucker punches, assaults, and derogatory remarks because of my heritage. I was seen as a drunk, or only in jail. Sadly enough, my twin brother told me last year and this year, that people still see Native people in the same darkness, so the choices and attitudes of people determine our relations in the past, present, and future.

I walked Whyte Avenue last night a day after my son's wedding to reminisce about the times I strolled this famous strip, and much has changed since the days of my youth. The place was not as violent as I read today about former stabbings and fights last year. My brother told me to not hang around that area, but for me I saw no reason to leave, till this morning when I read comments, and former articles about the actions of various people.

Ultimately people will blame many factors for their actions, but it all boils down to ones ability to make either a good or wrong choice when dealing with confrontations, anger, emotions, and self control. Raising children to be responsible children is an arduous task that takes in many factors of life, history, religion, beliefs, and understanding our place in the universe and the wholeness of time. I am proud to say that my son has made wonderful choices due to his own understanding of the factors I mentions, and how his mother and I raised him to believe in his potential instead of settling with life. Sure he gets influenced by others, the media, and the government and gets angry; mad at aspects of life like us all, but it is how we control our action which defines our character. Believing in the Great Mystery of life and how it defines us, speaks to us, will help us in our relations.
Life is a highway of moderation. Earthlings will experiment with the highs and lows of life, and we as humans must live the rest of our life with the consequences of our actions. So no matter how opinionated we are, blamable we are we are not the judges of life on planet earth, only the participants in the wombs of time.

We can watch all the sports we want, it may incite our anger, emotions of madness, boil our blood, but pulling a knife, sucker punching a fellow human is the result of one persons choice and how he/she wants to continue his/her life. Goodness and Evil is real in and around us. Make no mistake, God is real, and so is the Devil. I am not a religious person, but history tells us this grand old story of human conflict, it all depends how we read and live life, remember life and how we want to exist in the hereafter.
So I will continue to walk the streets of this life regardless of how violent and hurtful people can be to each other. If we give love, we get love, if we give hate, we get hate. Violence begets violence, so make your choice in sharing life or condemning life, but we are all in the same canoe floating on the universe's river of energy. How we use that energy defines how we live and die. Today, I still live in Vancouver, while my son and my brother moved back to Edmonton. Will I, God only knows because it saddens me that after 26 years in Vancouver where I realized my potential in life and I still am working on it, nothing has changed in this oil capital when it comes to our relations. So some of you Edmontonians, you can do better than pulling a knife, or calling out a derogatory name! Miigweech! Happy New Year Edmonton worlders from a Vancouver worlder. I am coming back to this neck of the woods again to begin my next film project, so, I look forward to meeting you Edmon-chuks again. 2 learn more about moi, see http://groups.msn.com/TheDonaldMorinWebSite Take care, God bless you all

Email reply sent to CBC regarding October 16th article, but published here due to CBC not often publishes my words

Email reply sent to CBC regarding October 16th article, but published here due to CBC not often publishes my words
link was at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/10/16/native-prisoners.html#skip300x250My Reply belowThe audacity of Stockwell Day to quote "[that he ]will consider the findings of Sapers' report...[and then says that]...there is no evidence of systemic discrimination against native offenders in the prison system."Well Mr. Day, the evidence is in the report itself, in the federal statistics regarding the federal prison system, and in the systemic nature of the Canadian racial legislative system of the Indian Act, the deploring justice institutions, and the systemic nature of a colonial mindset which has existed for the last two hundred years, and then some.Get your head out of the sand Stockwell Day, and do something good for a change.

Christmas In Edmonton

Merry Christmas World, my son is married, and my twin brother is out of the hospital. I am truly blessed
Ciao

Calgary to Vaccinate their 2000 homeless

1. Living around the outbreak in Vancouver, I understand the trepidation people have regarding this outbreak. But at the same time, I will not take up the offer the local health board is doing to prevent catchng this latest flu.
   
   As long as I take care of myself, eat well, drink lots of water, and take my own medicine, I will not allow these people to vaccinate me with "God Knows what they have" in their little kits. For all we know, it could be some subverted scheme to create a new killing virus and the homeless, the dispossed, and the poor are the lab rats to begin this New World Order eradication of less fortunate people. R we to trust everything we see in the media, the government reports, and other venues of dis-information? We are in a New age of cladinstine initiatives, global conspiracies, and the eventual releasing of data and material technology and hyper aesthetics, which are designed to control the masses and elevate the few in power. Watch your back, reality is being twisted Regarding this outbreak, I saw one of Globe and Mail's headines which is;
   
   Six foreign health workers condemned to death in Libya(Comment16)
   
   Five Bulgarian nurses, Palestinian doctor convicted of deliberately infecting children with AIDS virus; ruling sparks outrage..."
   ... We live in dangerous times!
   

Guns can protect women: Advocate: From Vancouver Metronews front page Dec 19th. 06

"Guns can protect women: Advocate"
While I agree with the notion that women would be able to protect themself if they have the right tools/weapons to defend themselves, modelling ourselves after the United States is not the answer. While guns do not kill people, only people who abuse the use of guns; arming ourselves like a Canadian Rambo or slick hotshot will only create more anger, strife, and petty arguments over egos, territory, or material assets, which could escalate into someone losing their cool and simply pulling out a gun and pulling the trigger.

I think it is pretty arrogant of Sharon Gregson to position herself as some sort of femme gunslinger, which is signified on the Canadian Firearms journal. Self-Defense comes in alternative forms, so perhaps a debate will bring out other options, but Sharon, guns are not the answer. To be a microcosm of the arms conflict only exacerbates the global problems we as humans have with weapons that kill, just because someone can pull out a gun and pull a trigger or point it at a criminal. Criminals will always threaten our personal safety if we give then the opportunity to fight back like arat once we corner them. Gun or no gun, criminals are opportunists and will find away to evade the bullet if they use trickery to disarm their opponent

Chubby Harper Correcting History, by allowing Farmers to buy back expropriated Mirabel land!!!!

Old Chubby Harper and his "correcting a mistake of history" is a falsidity of expropriated proportions. I only see this latest media ploy as a vote grabbing initiative to continually appease the Eastern Conservatives hoping to keep thier dying government in power. While Canadian Time Magazine is totally wrong in naming him man of the year, Harper is totally out of control in his appetite for consuming more power in a season of cultural correctness, and consumer richness. Meanwhile, the poorer folks of this land continually eat cake while those in power eat steak, pronounce their grandiose schemes to appease agricultural fields of broken dreams. Now if King/Queen Steve Harper would only honour the first people of this continent and give back what was stolen from the first people, he may lose his grip on power, upset his Mirabel farmers near Montreal, upset his Delta resident's constituents near Tsawwassen, but he would gain respect from the majority of Canadians who wants Canada to resolve the land claim shuffle/problem. He would gain more votes by having a more honest relationship between the first people of this continent and the euro-Canadian descendants who are the results of two nations coming together and immigrants travelling to new lands to find their dreams. If only their dreams did not trample on my ancestors, then maybe Canada would be a more respected country today. And what about the Mohawks near ? The Monks in the area sent the Mohawk away, to only steal the Mohawks land from them and sell it to the farmers in the area. If anything Chubby Harper can correct that History there and correct the history in BC. So Chubby Harper, get your appeasing brain out of your ass, and correct the true history of Canada, you arrogant Basterd!

Comments from Globe & Mail article of Dec. 7th, 2006 on New Brunswick Court ruling

Dan Van Gageldonk and all the other dissatisfied Canadians, Well; sorry to disappoint you all, but out here in and around Vancouver, the early governments of BC did steal the land from the First People of this territory. Unceded territory, do you and your prejudiced minds know what that means? Fiduciary responsibility. Do you know what that means? IN fact all you Canadians who disagree with the new ruling, Why not climb on your big ship and head back to your ancestor’s homeland and fight for your former territory, since, then you will know the land claim shuffle. We, as native people have every right to re-claim what was stolen, tricked and cajoled from our ancestors, our relations, and realign our soil, wood, animals, marine life, self-esteem and self factualization as the first people of this territory, who helped your ancestors to survive in the first winter during contact. IN return, your ancestors became turncoats, liars, and schemers. Not much different from today’s' capitalist expansionists. Otherwise, does your research, get your heads out of your stereotypical ass, and do what is right for our future generations. Miigweech, All my relations!

Racism In Canada; In reference to Globe & Mail Article Nov 9_06

Racism is not owed by any particular race, but by the systemic ideologues, who define how we live and die in a democratic society. As a Native person, don't bother telling me something we as Canadian Indigenous people already know when it comes to how the judicial, economic, cultural, and political systems attempts to contain us as a people.
For example, I left Edmonton in 1980 as a young native man to realize my potential in life instead of settling with where the foster parent system and society wanted us young "Indians" The powers to be, societal and judicial institutions at the time only seen us (Indians) as drunks, dead or just jailbirds.

Twenty Six years later, my twin brother, who now lives in Edmonton and is a lawyer adamantly told me in the fall of 2005, that the police, prosecutors, and judges still see Native people as drunks, dead or just jailbirds. From recent reports regarding the current status of native people living and dying in Canada, nothing has changed in the 26 years, since I moved from Edmonton to Vancouver for those very reasons, my brother mentioned in 2005. The small societal advancements that did happen since then is the result of the work of our Indigenous activists and warriors, plus some of our community society and business leaders, and the mercy and works of truly good non-native people, who felt that the apartheid two tier system of life in Canada is unacceptable.

Comments on article about conditions of incarcerated Canadian aboriginals a 'disgrace': ombudsman

Email reply sent to CBC regarding October 16th article, but published here due to CBC not often publishes my words
link was at: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/10/16/native-prisoners.html#skip300x250

My Reply below

The audacity of Stockwell Day to quote "[that he ]will consider the findings of Sapers' report...[and then says that]...there is no evidence of systemic discrimination against native offenders in the prison system."

Well Mr. Day, the evidence is in the report itself, in the federal statistics regarding the federal prison system, and in the systemic nature of the Canadian racial legislative system of the Indian Act, the deploring justice institutions, and the systemic nature of a colonial mindset which has existed for the last two hundred years, and then some.Get your head out of the sand Stockwell Day, and do something good for a change.

Two views on the Fishery comments by Harper to Calgary Herald

I wrote an earlier comment to this issue, (It follows this Globe & Mail Posting) just when the globe & mail posted the article about Harper's letter to the Calgary Herald. As a First nations Metis (Descenta of the first people), I disagree with any form of funding based on race, particularly with aboriginal filmmakers which the original comments were using as an analogy to Harper's letter. However, after some thought and meditation on my life and point of view, I would have to agree with AFN's Chief Phil Fontaine, and all the other native people who will stand up against Harper's provocative letter. Equality is important to all of us, but in a systemic society such as Canada, it is a misnomer, when it comes to hidden intentions, clandestine meetings and political maneuvering to accommodate the economic interests of industries, and ultra right wing conservatives. The old school wants society as it was before, where 'the good old boys' run the country, [most] women are put back into the kitchen, and minority groups, and NDNS put into their place and just settle with life. Well, good old boys from Calgary and any other conservation bastion, your political and business life will not last long, and we have many great leaders who lead by honesty, humility, and respect. Let's not forget that before Cartier, Cabot, Columbus or Captain Vancouver found themselves here after wandering the 'flat earth' The First people live a life which involved a fair amount of commercial relationships. While “paper money' was not used, other forms of commercial transactions were utilized to provide for the community and families. Just because today capitalism changed the commercial role of native people, that does not mean we can not continue creating commercial relationships with others. It is the narrow mindedness of people who still see their world in terms of black and white, instead of seeing the shades of gray which make up much of the demographics of a country. Get with the 21st century folks!

FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH

Original first comment on Harper issue, not published by Globe & Mail:

As I have always stated in my private and public discussion avec Native and Non-Native relations, I do not entirely agree with funding based on racial defined polices. Unfortunately, I relatively agree avec S. Harpers comments about opposing racial divided programs. I have a short conversation avec Bill Hurst formerly of Telefilm Canada and disagreed avec Telefilm's decision to place my film proposal into just the aboriginal funding envelop as opposed to the English and French envelops. My feature film "7 Fires 4 U...Kitchi Manitou screenplay at the time was a narrative which contained Aboriginal, English and French language to represent Canada's main identities as a microcosm of the Canadian landscape.I told Mr. Hurst that I disagreed with the notion of funding aboriginal and Non-aboriginal filmmakers on the basis of race. Funding based on race is just another continuation of the segregation and apartheid positioning of native people in Canada. While with the fisheries department the criteria of its infrastructure are quite different, its allocation of fishing districts and seasonal placement is based on the value of race. In closing, Even though affirmative programs in the United States and equity employment programs in Canada even out the opportunity boards of employment and economic potential, racial divisions will only increase the anxiety and temperament of Non-Native North Americans everywhere.

NDNs, Stolen land, Greedy Chiefs/Moonyasses & the Iron Horse in Caledonia of Turtle Island

Considering that the owners of the "iron horse" ploughed across the first continent with much disregard for the first people of this continent, they carried settlers, and rifle men to take over the land, carry disease, kill the buffalo, and involve themselves in other nefarious development. I fully support blocking off the iron horses path to help bring a resolution to the Caledonia theatrics of war and peace. IN this Age of Terror, the manipulated masses will say, write and support whatever the cultural authoritarian rules propagate in the media. All people; who are considering their place in our present Age of Terror time or the end of these times; should refute this Affirmative Culture propaganda and begin the revolution now. People power can work if we all stand together and get rid of all of the consumerous capitalistic developers and the developers which initiated this stand-off.

Land development destroyed the land and her people:
(1492 - 1595 during first contact) + (1595 - 1695 with the colonial wars,) + (1695 - 1795 colonial wars, romantiziation of NDNs in Novels) + (1795 -1895 Fur trading schemes, kill off the buffalo, NDN wars,) + (1895 - 1995 New NDN wars , The NDN ACT, Reserve System Slums,) + (1995 to 2006, Gustaferson, Ipperwash, Sun Peaks, Buffalo Lake, Downtown East Side, Vancouver) = {to the culmination to KKK arriving to Caledonia propagating their "...the Final Solution pamphlets propagating over five hundred years of racism and hate.}

All because Canada's First People re-appropriating back thier own land from Euro-Canadian land developers.)

SO NOW NOTHING HAS CHANGED, as the same social, economic, and politcal factors are being utilized to expand the territory of the New coporate adn governtmental cultural Terrorists, who currently controls the Free World today, but not forever. Amen, miigweech, all my relations.

The RightTo Blasphemy (Published in Globe & Mail)

As a first nations person, I take offence to the notion of the Right To Blasphemy "." We should all be ashamed to think that we have the right to make fun of our Creator, and the prophets who came before us. IN an increasingly cynical world, where the historicity of religion is pushed aside in favour of democracy and freedom of expression, we should walk gently on this earth, as we get closer to the end of this age. The Islamic people have every right to defend their beliefs, while us westerners should not be so smug in the notion of democracy and the freedom that comes with our life.Shouldn't re have some more reverence and respect to the Great Mystery of life instead of publishing our proclamations, our indignant caricatures of people who spent their life getting closer to their Creator? Shame on all you democratic lovers of life and expressions. Our public and secular life is being overshadowed and influence by entities, whose duty is to cloud our minds, our spirits, and our words.
No doubt Earth's Creator has a sense of humour, but not to the point of making fun of the Great Mystery of life and the prophets who came after the creation of this world. Christianity and Islam may be two different angels, but let's not rub mud in the face of what we don't know, but only hear about through images and the written word.

Alberta's Cheques and skeletons in the closet

With respect to Klein's Santa Claus moment, I congratulate the Alberta government in sharing a bit of the wealth to its citizens. Now if only the Alberta government would resolve the indifference to the Class action suit initiated by former Native and Métis Foster children (Wards of the crown) who were physically and sexually abused under foster care in Alberta's jurisdiction in the last century. Then perhaps I would have more respect for the oil province. As a former Albertan, I left Alberta for BC in 1980 because at the time, people in that province only saw Native people (Indians) as either drunk or in jail. Last year, my twin brother R. Morin mentioned to me that judges, police and prosecutors still see Native people in that perspective so has life improved for Alberta First Nations people? Maybe for the ones who receive their rebate, but Alberta still has a few more skeletons in their closet to reveal, before I can respect the crown's representative, and their two bits they are giving back to the people. Ralph Klein, it's commendable to see you offering back these rebates, but clean out Alberta's closet and give compensation and restitution to those foster children who were screwed by the foster care system. I was one of them, and I want closure, so that I can finish my life with dignity and respect. You should do the same. Miigweech, all my relations

Métis Leaders say vote Liberal

Submitted to CBC Website "Your views"
Due to the possibility , that the article may not be posted due to many reasons, here it is!

With respect to the National Métis group’s statement, I disagree with their political positioning. With the current election promises, polls, discussions, debates, and grandstanding, we as a people must do what is best for everyone, particularly for the most dispossessed people of our country, We must go beyond regional politics, race politics, historical politics, Métis politics and utilize this current opportunity to create real social, economic, cultural, and political change in this country.
The current Status quo only capitulates dominant society into the on-going destruction from capitalist expansionism, and the under-mindment of cultural and socially conscious groups who want a better world for the following generations. Am I an NDPer, Green partier? No, I am with the Creator, nothing more, and nothing less. Economic marginalization through lobbyists, political persuasion, grant and loan payoffs only will create economic divisions between the people who strive to obtain and define there material and capitalist worth. Are we to emulate what we desire materially or spiritually? I find I enjoy life more when I am content with a roof over my head, food in the fridge, and the love of others, than what popular culture pushes in our faces in the media, and educational and cultural apparatuses of this world system.
Be grateful for our breath, our life, and what we should strive to be, instead of what others want us to be. Miigweech, all my relations

Original article may be seen at http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/06/elxn-metis-liberals.html