[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

In the US, we tend to see assimilation as a good thing.  But then again, we don't take assimilation to mean that you have to completely give up your culture, more that we will just absorb some of your culture into ours.  If you're Italian, we don't make you give up pasta, we just start eating it, too.  And besides, you stole it from the Chinese, anyway.

Even in the US your natives view assimilation as a very bad thing.

[PRC]

Physicians choosing not to move to Alberta is not the same as physicians currently in Alberta "fleeing" the province before the change in the agreement was even announced.

That's semantics.  The changes are resulting in real issues, to which I'm sure the UCP will tout the need for the privatisation of our broken health care system, while neglecting to point out that they're the ones who broke it.

[Barrister]

Physicians choosing not to move to Alberta is not the same as physicians currently in Alberta "fleeing" the province before the change in the agreement was even announced.

That's semantics.  The changes are resulting in real issues, to which I'm sure the UCP will tout the need for the privatisation of our broken health care system, while neglecting to point out that they're the ones who broke it.

I'm sure there will be effects.

My dispute was with CC saying that even prior to the announcement physicians were already fleeing Alberta.

[crazy canuck]

Head, firmly planted in sand

[crazy canuck]

In the US, we tend to see assimilation as a good thing.  But then again, we don't take assimilation to mean that you have to completely give up your culture, more that we will just absorb some of your culture into ours.  If you're Italian, we don't make you give up pasta, we just start eating it, too.  And besides, you stole it from the Chinese, anyway.

Yeah, the irony is at the time Canada was making a big deal about the importance of multiculturalism and the assertion it was different from the US melting pot, government white papers were still being put out discussing how to assimilate Indians.

[crazy canuck]

If one of your stated goal is to assimilate, it doesn't matter at all what other goals you tacked on after or before.

@CC sure, I could or just point to the 3 post by BB since you told me that.

I am not sure it is fair to assume BB's views are shared by all or even most Christians.

[Barrister]

Any comments on Trudeau's government coming to an agreement with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs (where was the elected chief and counsel?), but won't announce what that deal is other than to say it doesn't involve the CGL pipeline, and doesn't include asking other native groups to stop barricades?

[crazy canuck]

I am not sure what the Libs are thinking on this one.  There is no agreement about anything except the Federal government has made some broad promises about dealing with the hereditary chiefs who do not have the support of most of the community.

This is going to cause a lot of turmoil within those communities.  I imagine the Minister is receiving a lot of angry phone calls from the Nations who are in full support and actually own part of that project.

[Barrister]

I am not sure what the Libs are thinking on this one.  There is no agreement about anything except the Federal government has made some broad promises about dealing with the hereditary chiefs who do not have the support of most of the community.

This is going to cause a lot of turmoil within those communities.  I imagine the Minister is receiving a lot of angry phone calls from the Nations who are in full support and actually own part of that project.

Except this agreement doesn't actually cover the CGL pipeline!

[Zoupa]

In the US, we tend to see assimilation as a good thing.  But then again, we don't take assimilation to mean that you have to completely give up your culture, more that we will just absorb some of your culture into ours.  If you're Italian, we don't make you give up pasta, we just start eating it, too.  And besides, you stole it from the Chinese, anyway.

Whoosh.

[crazy canuck]

I am not sure what the Libs are thinking on this one.  There is no agreement about anything except the Federal government has made some broad promises about dealing with the hereditary chiefs who do not have the support of most of the community.

This is going to cause a lot of turmoil within those communities.  I imagine the Minister is receiving a lot of angry phone calls from the Nations who are in full support and actually own part of that project.

Except this agreement doesn't actually cover the CGL pipeline!

Re-read my post - perhaps you were meaning to respond to somebody else?

[Barrister]

I am not sure what the Libs are thinking on this one.  There is no agreement about anything except the Federal government has made some broad promises about dealing with the hereditary chiefs who do not have the support of most of the community.

This is going to cause a lot of turmoil within those communities.  I imagine the Minister is receiving a lot of angry phone calls from the Nations who are in full support and actually own part of that project.

Except this agreement doesn't actually cover the CGL pipeline!

Re-read my post - perhaps you were meaning to respond to somebody else?

Why would first nations who support the pipeline call to complain when the agreement doesn't talk about pipelines?

[crazy canuck]

All the Band Councils and most of the hereditary chiefs have agreed to the pipeline - and no wonder they own a piece of it.

The hereditary chiefs who are now speaking out and purporting to speak on behalf of the same Nations were the small minority who opposed throughout.  The position of the Feds has been that the Nations have already spoken.  But all of that is now being put into question and uncertainty now that the government is giving the hereditary chiefs some unknown status to somehow speak on behalf of the nations.

[dps]

I am not sure what the Libs are thinking on this one.  There is no agreement about anything except the Federal government has made some broad promises about dealing with the hereditary chiefs who do not have the support of most of the community.

This is going to cause a lot of turmoil within those communities.  I imagine the Minister is receiving a lot of angry phone calls from the Nations who are in full support and actually own part of that project.

Except this agreement doesn't actually cover the CGL pipeline!

Re-read my post - perhaps you were meaning to respond to somebody else?

Why would first nations who support the pipeline call to complain when the agreement doesn't talk about pipelines?

Because they want to get that issue resolved and probably aren't going to be happy that it wasn't addressed?

[viper37]

I don't know, you live in a first world nation and enjoy some of the highest standards of living in the world, yet you bitch and complain about "colonizers" on a regular basis.

Because French Canadians are treated as second class citizens in this country.

I strongly suspect it's because you have a lot in common with these religious people you hate.

I don't think so.

You want to enforce conformity,

Not really, no.

you want to force others to think like you,

Certainly, that is what everyone who is interested in politics wants to.  Convince other people their way of life is better than theirs.  Not impose, unlike religion. But convince.

and at the end of the day you want just want people to push around.

Whom am I pushing around?

It exists in every country, including mine.  Some gather around religion, some around language, some around race.  The cry is the same everywhere, "They are ruining the flower of our culture!"  Whether it is Bolsonaro, or Wilders, or Le Pen, or Trump the story is always the same.

I believe people have the right to protect their core identity.  Our identity is our culture, based on our language.  Canada was founded on the principle of two founding nations, one French, one English.  Indians and Metis didn't really count for anyone at the time, it's sad, but there's not much I can do to change that.  I sure want to find a way to really integrate them into our society and at the same time let time preserve aspects of their culture, but it's not up to me and the question is way too complex to be solved in a few years.

Quebec is doing good so far, but we have only 12 nations on our territory.  Mohawks are as problematic as ever, but others are respected and the provincial government negotiates in good faith, ever since the first James Bay damn.  Lot more progress has been made over the years, but there's only so much the Constitution allows a province to do.  Still, a lot more needs to be done, but we can't solve every crisis in the country in 2 years after so many years of neglect by the Liberal party.