Letter: Treat First Nations like the Third World
"Janet Shaw laments the "Third World" conditions on many First Nations reserves. Tax paying citizens of the Second Nation might agree that such remote communities be treated as Third World peoples.

The masked warriors who show up at blockades are adamant that they are not Canadian citizens. Foreign aid would then be handed over with strings attached. Misbehave and the monies come up for re-evaluation.

Presently Ottawa shells out a whopping $12 billion to aboriginals, a veritable black hole with minimal accountability. Where does all that money go?

Canadians screamed foul over the sponsorship scandal, but when reserves are asked to give some details of the tribe's spending, shouts of "racism" are heard.

Consider water systems. As of 2006, only 43 per cent of the 1,117 workers who operated that essential service on reserves had achieved the minimal Level 1 Certification. If something malfunctions, they probably can't fix it."

Get the Story:
Garry Burke: First Nations people lack leadership and accountability (The Orillia Packet & Times 8/24)