How do Americans feel about the way Native Americans were treated?

[Julius Rain]

Maybe Im wrong but I think they get special treatment but now its about how they treat themselves.

[CGM]

Not to diminish the way they were treated, and yes there is a ways to go yet, but a little research on recent land claim settlements in Canada will show that many are doing rather well. And the fact is that a lot of the reservations, at least along the border, are quite wealthy due to casinos, and the way the smuggling and contraband cigarette trade is carried out with umpunity. So it ain't all bad.

[CFH]

Not to diminish the way they were treated, and yes there is a ways to go yet, but a little research on recent land claim settlements in Canada will show that many are doing rather well. And the fact is that a lot of the reservations, at least along the border, are quite wealthy due to casinos, and the way the smuggling and contraband cigarette trade is carried out with umpunity. So it ain't all bad.

I would disagree strongly with that. I've studied a fair bit of First Nations-related things in school over the years and the vast majority of indigenous Canadians live at an economic level that is far below that of other Canadians. Some Casino's end up infusing money into a band, but quite often most of the incoming wealth goes to a few rather than to many. As for land claims, a few positive, limited settlements do not eradicate the all the outstanding issues. I can't speak with any personal experience regarding Ontario groups, but the ones around here a suffering quite badly. Around here, and everywhere else I have been in Canada, racism is rampant. It's almost matter of fact that Natives are looked down upon and sneered at because of the present-day effects of the European policies of assimilation and eradication. This country should be utterly ashamed of itself that with the massive wealth it produces (often from resources culled from traditional Native lands supposedly protected by long-standing treaties which were broken at will) it allows a segment of our population to suffer in the way it does and to live in 3rd World conditions, exposed to deadly diseases and social traumas that would not be allowed to exist elsewhere.

Indigenous people deserve self-government and they deserve land rights.

[CGM]

Not to diminish the way they were treated, and yes there is a ways to go yet, but a little research on recent land claim settlements in Canada will show that many are doing rather well. And the fact is that a lot of the reservations, at least along the border, are quite wealthy due to casinos, and the way the smuggling and contraband cigarette trade is carried out with umpunity. So it ain't all bad.

I would disagree strongly with that. I've studied a fair bit of First Nations-related things in school over the years and the vast majority of indigenous Canadians live at an economic level that is far below that of other Canadians. Some Casino's end up infusing money into a band, but quite often most of the incoming wealth goes to a few rather than to many. As for land claims, a few positive, limited settlements do not eradicate the all the outstanding issues. I can't speak with any personal experience regarding Ontario groups, but the ones around here a suffering quite badly. Around here, and everywhere else I have been in Canada, racism is rampant. It's almost matter of fact that Natives are looked down upon and sneered at because of the present-day effects of the European policies of assimilation and eradication. This country should be utterly ashamed of itself that with the massive wealth it produces (often from resources culled from traditional Native lands supposedly protected by long-standing treaties which were broken at will) it allows a segment of our population to suffer in the way it does and to live in 3rd World conditions, exposed to deadly diseases and social traumas that would not be allowed to exist elsewhere.

Indigenous people deserve self-government and they deserve land rights.

Disagree strongly with what actually? That some are doing well? I ain't saying all is roses, but it ain't all bad either. If you wanna see poor and downtrodden, you wanna see some of the poor people of all colors living way out on Queen West, or around Parliemant street. I'm saying overall it's a lot better than it used to be, and if we can't agree on that, well we'll have to disagree then. Frankly, I think your hand wringing and proclamations of shame are a typical knee jerk reactions of many, and really not too helpful.

[CFH]

Not to diminish the way they were treated, and yes there is a ways to go yet, but a little research on recent land claim settlements in Canada will show that many are doing rather well. And the fact is that a lot of the reservations, at least along the border, are quite wealthy due to casinos, and the way the smuggling and contraband cigarette trade is carried out with umpunity. So it ain't all bad.

I would disagree strongly with that. I've studied a fair bit of First Nations-related things in school over the years and the vast majority of indigenous Canadians live at an economic level that is far below that of other Canadians. Some Casino's end up infusing money into a band, but quite often most of the incoming wealth goes to a few rather than to many. As for land claims, a few positive, limited settlements do not eradicate the all the outstanding issues. I can't speak with any personal experience regarding Ontario groups, but the ones around here a suffering quite badly. Around here, and everywhere else I have been in Canada, racism is rampant. It's almost matter of fact that Natives are looked down upon and sneered at because of the present-day effects of the European policies of assimilation and eradication. This country should be utterly ashamed of itself that with the massive wealth it produces (often from resources culled from traditional Native lands supposedly protected by long-standing treaties which were broken at will) it allows a segment of our population to suffer in the way it does and to live in 3rd World conditions, exposed to deadly diseases and social traumas that would not be allowed to exist elsewhere.

Indigenous people deserve self-government and they deserve land rights.

Disagree strongly with what actually? That some are doing well? I ain't saying all is roses, but it ain't all bad either. If you wanna see poor and downtrodden, you wanna see some of the poor people of all colors living way out on Queen West, or around Parliemant street. I'm saying overall it's a lot better than it used to be, and if we can't agree on that, well we'll have to disagree then. Frankly, I think your hand wringing and proclamations of shame are a typical knee jerk reactions of many, and really not too helpful.

I don't mean to be overly offensive, but you don't know jack shit about this subject. Of course there are downtrodden urban poor, no shit, but a disproportionate number of those people are of First Nation or Metis descent. I've spent a small amount of time on the Downtown Eastside, the worst neighborhood in Canada, and I've done a lot of research on the area for a variety of classes, some of them medically-based, and the numbers of indigenous people living in those conditions are very disproportionate and is a direct result of intentional government policy.

My "hand-wringing and knee-jerk reaction" (what was at all knee-jerk about my reply) are a result of study and knowledge surrounding the subject and the history of First Nation people in Canada's, as opposed to speculative observations like "they smuggle cigarette and grow dope so they must be doing ok...". They are also views held by many people much more intelligent and knowledge than you or I, including many indigenous scholars.

Ignoring the facts and continuing with baseless and uneducated assumptions are far more harmful than any perspective I have.

[VictorCharlie]

Interesting topic. I've never really thought of or really been aware of the Native American situation in Canada. And its really strange to see CGM and CFH disagree so strongly. My great grandmother was 1/2 Cherokee so my mother's family has a lot of ties to Native American culture. I think the treatment of the Tribes in the US is largely glossed over in the name of progress and manifest destiny. I'd like to think that with the ability to go back in time we could find another solution but I doubt it. Maybe a slightly more humane way but it would have been hard to reconcile the steady march of the US across the continent no matter what. The tribes in the US have come along way with the Gov't doing a lot of things to help. That being said there is still a lot of poverty. At some point a group has to decide to step up and make their own solutions regardless of the historical hardships. In summation I find the historical treatment of the US Natives horrible but not sure at this point what else can be done to rectify the situation by the Federal and State governments.