Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Hey Mike,

This is something that I have wondered for some time.

What exactly is the native problem? I've heard all the stories of alcoholic lay abouts, that a significant proportion of the homeless in Vancouver are First Nations, and there was a story on the news recently about a First Nations dad letting his 2 baby / toddler daughters freezer to death on a reserve, but it doesn't really give me the context.

I feel like I did growing up near London in the 1980s. I always heard of the IRA and knew to be suspecious of anyone with an Irish accent because they would likely have just left a bomb in the local train station, but I never knew why.

We have one friend here whose Grandfather is First Nations - she got some amazing grants when she went to uni just for that.

I was also on a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Enviromental Design) course recently and they mentioned that areas near Reserves are likely to be high crime but it got brushed over when I asked why.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

I`ll be interested to read the answer too, as I have heard about the apparent fondness for alcohol in the reserves and wondered if it was just tale.

I do know that even here at the bank 'aboriginals' get special deals and loans and mortgages, and yes LTS i`ve heard also about lots of grants and suchlike for being 'native'.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

I think the problem is that there are official government policies based on race. That is racism at its best. Or worst.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

First Nations kids off the local reserve at Whistler get free ski lessons.

All these freebies sound like discrimination to me;)

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Not sure what you mean here, but it comes over as an example of unintentional racism. Do you mean she had free education just because her GF is native and that this is wrong??

I think the First Nations see it that they shouldnt pay tax to the people who took over their land. Very few natives go to university and college and maybe this is a way of encouraging more students to go. ?
Its a complex subject for sure, hopefully there is someone out there who knows more about the subject as I would like to learn more.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

I think that statements like that take the whole thing too far, so many people could be accused of being unintentionally anything that we'd all never say anything.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Another problem. Us and Them.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Ah, but it makes you think about what you are saying, and that's important.

Sometimes, quite often, in life we say things we dont realise are insulting, or demeaning, and unless its pointed out to us then we carry on with the same mistake. So I really dont see what is wrong with considering other peoples viewpoints, and learning from them.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

I agree totally

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

My Canadian cousins are First Nation Maliseet, feel free to ask any questions regarding racism or special privileges.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

What's a First Nation Maliseet?

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

See your point however one mans meat is another mans poison so to speak.
As an example I have 2 friends who are dyslexic, one gets quite defensive about it, the other is really out there about it.

Now - I know a joke about dyslexics, one friend hates it and the other doesn`t.

Should I go around all the time minding my p's and q's on the offchance that I may offend someone. No I don't think so, - though I don't go out of my way to upset people either though.

It is completely down to an individual how they choose to interpret a phrase, comment or even heaven forbid nursery rhyme so if you are purposefully on the lookout for "unintentional whateveritmaybe" then you'll find it"

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

I'm not saying it is wrong - I'm just saying that I don't understand why.

3 of her grandparents aren't native, her mother is half native, her father isn't native. Her parents have a massive house in White Rock. All their kids have cars etc. etc. so I find it strange that she gets grants for going to uni.

I didn't even know she was "native" until Mr L2S mentioned this to me once. She doesn't "look" native, she doesn't "act" native (whatever that would be?) and she has never lived on a reserve rather a very nice house in White Rock.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Maliseet is the tribe, First Nation or Aboriginal people... whatever.

Re: How do you deal with the racism in Canada?
 

Agreed.

Mr L2S is dyslexic. He's not overly bothered by it, and would most probably laugh at a dyslexic joke, so long as it was genuinely fuuny.

He got lots of special treatment when we did our MSc - a new laptop, extra time in exams, could claim up to 500GBP in photocopying costs (??) when all he ever wanted was someone to proof read his essays!

Needless to say that he couldn't be provided with someone to proof read his essays so I had to.

But I didn't have to pay for any photocopying!