My province has been on the hot seat recently in blogs and in politics, as racial and discriminatory issues bubble to the forefront of public consciousness. A Saskatchewan MP once held very ignorant views regarding homosexuals, and was on tape expressing those views. He’s since said he doesn’t feel that way any more. Perhaps he’s lived a little and seen that he was wrong, since that time. People can change, let’s hope he has for the better.
Premier Wall has also had to apologize for immature or inappropriate behaviour on the same recording. He’s not having a good week, after having to distance himself from Small Dead Animals, who is batting 2 for 2 in having premiers say that the often crude, radical conservative blog doesn’t speak for the people of Saskatchewan. Now Kate’s on record as wanting a famine to toughen Canadian socialists up, and for drug users to die faster of disease. I really don’t know what other offensive territory she could tread into next, but I can wait to find out. Maybe I can make some suggestions? I haven’t known her to go after Romainian orphans, or bonspiel volunteers, but there’s still time to branch out and offend everyone!
And an apparent coup took place in First Nations politics, where the disgraced David Ahenakew managed to return to a previous post of power. A new trial being ordered is not the same thing as an acquittal, and we’ve all heard his very offensive thoughts to know he’s guilty of promoting hatred. If he’s not criminally responsible, it’s still shameful for the FSIN to associate with him on purpose at this point. Is he on record currently as being ashamed of his remarks about Jews? Not that I’m aware of. CBC reported he did, but last time I read he did, he recanted.
- UPDATE: Interesting. He declined the offer. That doesn’t let the FSIN off the hook though.
As if that wasn’t enough bad news from First Nations politics this week, there’s criticism that their exemption from tobacco tax is killing non-Natives too. Ignoring the fact that tobacco abuse kills a higher proportion of First Nations people than other Canadians is fine apparently. Any leadership organization stupid enough to reinstate a disgraced person like Ahenakew, isn’t going to have the fortitude to question the health effects of basing their economic culture on gaming and drugs. How frustrating it must be for people trying to work inside the First Nations power structure, to change things for the better? It’s certainly frustrating to watch it from the outside. Perhaps that kind of frustration is too much for some people like Kate, and they deal with it by telling people to die. I must take care not to lose my patience in that way.
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Zhu | 03-Apr-08 at 7:22 pm | Permalink
Wow, that’s a lot in a week!
I’m still a bit shy to speak about First Nations because… well, because I guess it’s still kind of taboo in Canada that they are not given equal chances and opportunities. As an immigrant, it’s sometimes hard to criticize my second home openly. Anyway, I was shocked to read some reports about living in reserves. Canada seemed such a free country, equal opportunities etc. seems like it needs to deal with its past.
stageleft | 03-Apr-08 at 7:46 pm | Permalink
So are ya planning to move to some other less controversial province…. maybe even one with a hockey team ;-)
leftdog | 03-Apr-08 at 8:41 pm | Permalink
Saskboy … you are sure correct about politics in Saskatchewan. For a province of only 1 Milllion we have more than our share of politics. I am also proud of the number of prominent bloggers (left - centre - right) that come from here as well. We punch above our weight class without doubt!
Alex | 03-Apr-08 at 11:26 pm | Permalink
I think the tape speaks volumes to the maturity of Brad Wall and his friend. This fits perfectly into Wall’s record of stupidity and failure, that he has only recently learned to cover up. This is not a message we should be sending to kids- that it is OK to hate.
Saskboy | 03-Apr-08 at 11:31 pm | Permalink
It’s important to remember though that these people were hamming for the home camera. There are probably a lot more red faces in this province for that being released, and I even question if it needed to be. It’s pretty pointless and old crap that amounts to more gossip than revelation. Yet from a historical standpoint, this kind of video is like gold.
John Murney | 03-Apr-08 at 11:45 pm | Permalink
Hahahahaha - what have I been saying for some time now Saskboy? Maybe Brad IS the poster boy for the NDP!
leftdog | 03-Apr-08 at 11:46 pm | Permalink
And they deserve it after the way they all went mental last spring over an alleged NDP caucus personnel matter from 16 years ago - they went on and on about that for days! The RCMP investigated for months and there was nothing to the accusations. Taxpayers paid a fortune and it all amounted to nothing.
What ’s good for the goose is good for the gander …. BUT … Saskboy I agree with you that it is time to get to some real news.
Rezdog | 04-Apr-08 at 2:32 am | Permalink
The Public Hanging of David Ahenakew
I believe racism is over-rated, if not under-rated, from the Aboriginal perspective. Since 1969’s white paper policy, Aboriginal politicians have lobbied to give our children a fighting chance to survive in an unjust society, since then they have lobbied against a predominantly white ruling class society. Last I checked, (depending which stats you quote) Aboriginal people represent 4.3 percent of the overall Canadian population. The politics of race is undeniable conscious reality for Aboriginal politicians. Government policy on Aboriginal peoples is dictated by the status quo, the dominant society of Canadian population, to which is continuously reverberated by the mass media in terms of promoting and maintaining the status quo.(the tyranny of the majority in a democratic society) Some would go as far as to argue the mass media designs and manifests public opinion for the purpose of Government policy agenda. Historical Government policy is reflected in the current continual political and socio/economic marginalization of Aboriginal peoples. Hence, the reason why the Indian Affairs minister and the Sask. Provincial Premier’s opportunity to jump into the thick of the FSIN controversy.
With that in mind, David Ahenakew is/was an Aboriginal veteran in the politics of race, now I do not agree nor condone the comments he made about the Jewish community. I believe somewhere along the way in his hardened political lobbying against the nation state, in his resolve of politics of race, someone fed him the garbage of a distorted hateful view on historical facts of WW2 holocaust, and ran with it. Our Constitutional right of freedom of expression means to express the right to say dumb stupid things every now and then, but if we do not receive negative feedback on hurtful comments, no human growth will take place. I believe he has learned his lesson (to say the least) because before he made his controversial comments, he believed he was untouchable and thought that he earned the right to say whatever popped into his head. After all, up to that point of his political career he earned a good track record as a former Chief of the Assembly of First nations, FSIN,(Organizations that he helped build from the ground up), an ambassador to the United Nations, and as such received the prestigious award of The Order of Canada, further he had what only few Aboriginal politician had access to; the privilege to mingle within the corridors of power with high profile political power brokers due to his status at the time.
As a consequence, many people within the establishment of the FSIN dared not speak against or disagreed with him on any issues. Indeed, he was on a “high horse” and one thing I learned from my elders is that; it is morally wrong to place our elders or any other dignitaries on a pedestal, because they are only human, and as such they are capable of making mistakes like any other fellow humans among us. Once a person or society puts people on a pedestal it is very hard to bring them down, and when they do come down; THEY COME DOWN HARD with collateral consequences.
I agree with Chief Lawrence Joseph (FSIN), forgiveness has always been part of our traditional value system, when warranted and given in the right way (shaming the conduct, not the person). If a person humbly asks for forgiveness from his people, and has learned his/her mistake, then hope and redemption is possible for any person, there has to be. Traditionally, Aboriginal people never gave up on their people, it is a value system that we are desperately trying to revive in our communities, a customary practice that many of the senators of FSIN hold. I believe as a result of the personal nightmare that David Ahenakew has been experiencing, he MAY morph into a better person, if forgiveness is the prevailing sentiment by the people and the establishment of the FSIN. If not, then he may become a bitter racist old man with unresolved hurtful wounds that will fester and surely blame the Jews for his downfall well into his grave. But guaranteed, if forgiveness is the prevailing attitude and dignity is restored then David Ahenakew will heal and gain wisdom from this experience that he continues to endure, it is an opportunity that the FSIN senate is trying to tap into; wisdom that the FSIN and its representatives can benefit. However, in the long run he will never regain the same status that he once enjoyed before his self imposed demise; those days are gone for him.
I believe the power of our customary practice of forgiveness is something that the culture of the dominant society does not understand in terms of its power to move the hardened to become human once more in our society, exactly what the FSIN senate is trying to do, thus the current public outrage. Unfortunately as a result of the growing outrage, allowing forgiveness a chance to prevail is not going to happen. (Unless our people stand together, including our non-Aboriginal allies)
The dominant society that is strategically expressed by the mass media will not rest until they have exhausted the public hanging of David Ahenakew and any other INDIAN organization associated with him. My concern is that this issue is giving rise for ammunition by the status quo a license to have an open season on Aboriginal peoples of Saskatchewan. This issue of course is causing further divisions, to an already fractured society, among Aboriginal peoples, to take sides and to continue fighting amongst ourselves, to which is a tragedy in itself. Colonialism is still alive and well (Divide and Conquer)…so there you go, I just made some controversial comments. Happy hunting. :)
Darren | 04-Apr-08 at 6:42 am | Permalink
Could you please remove Small Dead Animals from the Affiliates section and from any other place on your website.
Darren | 04-Apr-08 at 7:17 am | Permalink
Have you read some the comments on her website? A lot of her fans are extreme right wing nutjobs. Do you really want to associated with that nonsense?
Saskboy | 04-Apr-08 at 7:57 am | Permalink
Darren, do you mean the SaskBlogs Blogroll? I can’t edit it, and I don’t think I’ll be asking. There are a few blogs on it that I’d rather not have on my front page constantly, but as far as group blogrolls go, I’m in favour of taking the many good with the few bad, and giving the benefit of the doubt to the bad.
Louise | 04-Apr-08 at 8:04 am | Permalink
Ahenakew is a thug and always has been. However, making an ignorant hateful statement remark about the Holocaust is not equivalent to “promoting” hatred. In a court of law, clarity pertaining to such terms is of paramount importance.
Personally, I think that Ahenakew spawned a school of Aboriginal leadership whose crude in-your-face hatred and exploitation of the victim card did more to destroy what might otherwise have been a just cause easily won. Spewing hatred in order to make themselves into the “big guy” became the cause and the rank and file Aboriginal person became the platform upon whose backs they stood. They needed Indian misery to accomplish their self-serving aims. Corruption and brutality at the band level was the all too predictable consequence. He was the cookie cutter petty Idi Amins and Robert Mugabees which replicated themselves across the country, ending with the most macabre example, Matthew Coon Come. For that reason alone, IMHO, Ahenakew should not be reinstated. He led down the wrong path and wasted a entire generation.