Not enough park, too much potential mining. That's the position of the Tulita Dene Band, on whose historical land sits the newly-created Naats'inch'oh National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories. Oh course it is. The natives and their fans seem to want Canada to be one big park -- theirs for the plucking.
Someone has to cultivate and develop Canada's rich resources, but it never seems to be the natives. "Land protection is the preference for our people," said Chief Frank Andrew. "We're hoping for things to change." Well, they won't. "This is how we do national parks," said Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada. "At the end, we create a park that works for conservation and ensures economic development and that's what we've done here." Of course they have. The park will protect 4,840 square kilometres, or 70 percent of the watershed along the South Nahanni River. But for the natives and their supporters, that's not enough. As I said, Canada should be stripped down to one big park.
There are millions and millions of dollars worth of minerals in the portion of the park set aside for mining. Canadians need to develop this resourse. But the natives want neither to develop anything, nor cultivate land for farming. In fact, they don't make much use of any of the reserve lands they have been given, except to hunt and fish (often selling the latter illegally commercially) and then turn around and complain bitterly and publically when anyone touches so much as a leaf in a forest. But when money is made by industry on their lands (not really theirs; it's all federally-owned, but historically "theirs"), they certainly want a big, huge chunk of it. No problem there. Nervmind that these industries provide much-needed jobs for the impoverished communities in which they are located, no, we'd rather stay poor and live in squalor.
It's all very boring and predictable, but Harper isn't buying it. "Science will determine what is mined and how," he pointed out, brilliantly relegating the special interest groups to the periphery of the argument.
As I have said, like him or not, he is a superb chess player.
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Couldn't agree with you more. Like Stephen Harper or not his timing is perfect. I predict
ReplyDeletehe will remain Prime Minister of Canada for the next 8 years.
But dear girl watch for Quebec, from what I hear
they are ready once again to separate!!!!!!
A friend of mine from Ivory Coast works for the
Quebec Government in Vancouver, B.C. Yesterday evening she called to say how concerned she is because all her co-workers recently talk about nothing but how much they hate the English and how Quebec is very very rich and does not want or need the rest of Canada!!!!! Also they are all starting marching again. Red John Ibbiston of the Globe & Mail who says Quebec is going to commit suicide!!!! If John Charest looses
Quebec will separate!!!!! I'd like your take on that. I say let them - it's about time they put they money where their mouths are.
They also told my friend there would be no Canada without Quebec - that we actually could NOT exist.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Quebec believes they should separate, don't forget to drop off that cheque for their owed portion of the national debt!
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