“You know the notion of non-taxation for Indians is a, is a fraud essentially, played on 95% of Indians since they have no income to tax. But it greatly benefits the system, the chiefs and councillors, the rich Indians, and what is happening is that it’s a very close...
Aboriginal Futures
An Elder Speaks: “Deprive The System Of Its Money And You Empower The Ordinary" “The reason for bringing in this radical change is the imutability of the system and its ability to resist any change over the years and the necessity of doing what they’re now proposing...
First Nations’ Water
As we enter 2021, Canada and Indigenous communities should finally commit to making the systemic reforms that will ensure First Nations have drinking water standards that are the same as the rest of the country. For starters, Indigenous communities ought to...
"Remember that the games that were played on land in the Prairies had to do with money. It didn’t have to do with breeds or Indians, it had to do with money. But you use the fact that they were Indians or breeds or something to justify a behaviour. As a justification....
Featured News
Free Trade among the Prairie Provinces: A Boost for Their Economies
Trade barriers among provinces in Canada are a problem. Canada has signed trade agreements with foreign countries like the U.S. and regions like the European Union. Yet, trade barriers still exist in Canada even though countries like Germany or Belgium don’t have...
“Capitol” Punishment: A Betrayal
The attack on the Capitol in Washington and its aftermath have taken a toll, but unfortunately, the incident will remain remote and extraordinary for most. It has been politicized, sensationalized and reconstructed, but its tragic impact on those on the front lines is...
The Rosy Past
Most of us tend to be nostalgic about our ancestral past. Researching one’s family tree has become a popular and passionate pastime. We imagine that when our forefathers lived, things were simpler, and in some ways, better than the complicated lives we live now. But...
‘It was satire’ Says Former Judge That Penned Controversial Column in Thunder Bay
A former judge from Manitoba who compared rights of status Indians to a gravy train in an opinion column for a Thunder Bay newspaper earlier this month says it was meant to be taken as satire. And Brian Giesbrecht is surprised no one saw it that way. “It was satire...
Andrew Scheer Must Put First Nations Issues Back on the Agenda
Indigenous issues didn’t play a large part in the recent federal Conservative leadership race. They were mentioned but took a back seat to other matters. But Conservatives must understand that indigenous issues are of vital concern to all Canadians. For instance,...
Chiefs Call for The Abolition of the Indian Act
Craig Blacksmith was a candidate in the Association of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) recent election. He ran on a platform of getting rid of the Indian Act. While he made it clear that he was not calling for an end to the lucrative relationship that Status Indians have with...
Cornwallis and Ryerson: Heroes or Villains?
How much of a hero do you have to be to warrant a statue? How much of a villain do you have to be to have your name stripped from streets, bridges, or schools? The brouhaha surrounding the memory of Edward Cornwallis and Egerton Ryerson means that Canadians and their...
Missing Women
There is turmoil within the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson, from northern Manitoba, has called for the resignation of the Inquiry’s chief commissioner, British Columbia Judge Marion Buller. At...
Tax Breaks Don’t Help First Nations
First Nations populations and on-reserve commerce are growing faster than the Canadian average. This growth should be welcomed by the rest of the Canadian family, save for one problem: unjustified tax exemptions for on-reserve commerce and individuals. Loopholes in...
So Long Hector-Louis Langevin: Wiping Away A Nation’s History
For the crime of being a man of his times, Canadians are being asked to wipe the memory of a Father of Confederation clean. "We do not allow the dead to rise up against us. ... You will be lifted clean out from the stream of history. Nothing will remain of you, not a...
University of Manitoba Succumbs to Politically Correct Nonsense
Why is the university pretending indigenous knowledge and science are the equivalent of our written knowledge base? I recently listened to an interview of the new head of the University of Manitoba's Indigenous Knowledge department on CBC radio. She articulately...