Federal Election of Canada 2011, Part 6, The Aboriginal Question

When I was installing satellite systems, I quite often go into some of the Aboriginal communities. At time it felt like I was going into a 3^rd world country. Why is that? All the Aboriginal responsibilities fall under the Federal responsibilities. So here are some of the main issues facing the Aboriginal peoples.

• Housing – many of house are in disrepair and some of these houses will have more then 1 family living in them.
  
• Clean and safe water.
• Rundown infrastructure.
• Education – there is a very high dropout rate
• Health - majority of them have to travail over an hour to see a doctor.
• Very high unemployment rate
• Very high suicide rate within their youth.
• Very high crime and substance abuse.
  

I am just scratching the surface. So what can we do about all these issues? Here are some of my ideas, and not everyone going to like them on both sides.

The first thing we need to do is to look at all land dispute, both sides are going to have to give and take on these issues. The Aboriginal people are going to have to decide what land are the most important to then and let out of some of them, and we are going to let some land go even if it is in Caledonia, Ontario (Just south of Hamilton, Ontario). Now that we have the land disputes settled we can move on to some more issues. So how should we solve all these issue? Let the Aboriginal people decide on their on direction by allow them to government themselves, take most of the responsibilities for themselves. They know what their communities needs and wants. Lets look at Ontario, in my area, there is few Aboriginal communities. Kettle Point (including Ipperwash), Muncey, Moraviantown, Walpole Island and Six Nations (they are all in southern Ontario). Now if we take all of these communities in southern, eastern and northern Ontario link them together and setup a system of government. Giving them the same rights and responsibilities as the provinces.

What will this do and how will this benefit the the Aboriginal people? And how will this be paid for?

Let look at the second questions first, how will all of this get paid. Now the Aboriginal people may not like this, but they will need to pay their share of taxes. They are currently being exempt from paying taxes. This method of getting moneys from the Federal Government isn't working. They don't have a voice in government, they don't have a say on how moneys are spent in their communities. With in their communities they can set a “Provincial Tax Rate”. This will create a win – win for everyone. Because the non-aboriginal people won't have to pay for all the programs for the Aboriginal people and the Aboriginal communities will have a new source of income to pay for their programs.

This is an example, let take Ontario, let call this new province UACoO (Unite Aboriginal Communities of Ontario), they will have their on legislature witch they can vote for members. They would also receive transfer payments from the federal government. Responsibilities, would be the same as the provinces, with includes Health care, education, welfare. So now what we have done here is to take these responsibilities from the federal government and put it into the hands of the Aboriginal peoples. They live in these communities and they know what issues need to be address. They can also look at there youth and develop programs to keep their youth in school and after school programs. With these programs, will help with the problems that they do have with their youth, (namely substance abuse and the high suicide rate). Giving their youth hope for the future and not despair.

The biggest issue and maybe hard is the unemployment, but they can create some opportunities to employment, for example:

1. Policing their communities
2. EMS
3. Fire Fighters
4. Community health centers
5. Infrastructure programs
6. Education

It a fact that if unemployment rate is low, the crime rate goes down as well. Of course this will not happen over night but again we are giving them something that is very important, hope for the future and not despair.

I believe that this could work and could be beneficently for everyone in Canada. Canada will have new strong, proud independent Aboriginal Communities. They will have their own voice in government determining their on direction on solving their own issues.