Two shameless "industries"

Cancer is one, native issues another.  Sorry, but firstly no one actually wants to cure cancer because millions of people, thousands of companies, corporations and charities -- not to mention billions of dollars -- are at stake in keeping cancer humming along and thriving.

And the more researchers discover about cancer, the more they conclude that no one can actually cure it because there are so many thousands of varieties and mutants.  Find a key to one type and another jumps to the fore.  People used to die before they got cancer; now we all live to greet it on our way out. 

Sorry to all who genuinely, honestly and earnestly "run for the cure", but there isn't going to be one.  That's just the way it is.

Native issues are another shameless industry, which preys upon the most vulnerable and gullible to extract obscene amounts of money from ill-informed and unwitting victims whose cases are taken up by unscrupulous lawyers.  That's not me talking, that's Doug Racine, of the Aboriginal Law Group in Saskatoon, who has written a nine-page letter to the Law Society of Saskatchewan revealing the facts and figures behind many unprincipled lawyers who handle the claims of residential schools "victims". 

According to Racine, the average payout per claimant was $91,753, of which 15%, or $13,756, went to the lawyers who processed the claim.  Problem is, most lawyers argued the case was "inordinately complex", so whacked another 15% up front, making their average take for two-and-one-half days of their time 30% of the take.  Sadly, that's what Racine's research has shown.  Are we surprised?

When I research and write a blog such as this, no one ever "likes" it on facebook and I wonder why?  I guess everyone's drunk the Trudeau/Bellegarde Cool Aid. But  I don't post material that is not backed by facts and figures before I render my opinion, which must grate on those who support the native industry to the back teeth -- regardless of reality.  Actually, I was surprised The Globe and Mail carried this story on its front page this morning?  Maybe a few journalists are starting to smell rats.  If so, that's a good thing because the government and our naïf PM remain in the dark, helping none and exploiting all.  Money won't cure this national disgrace.  Only chucking the Indian Affairs Act and getting people off the reserve will.

Those poor creatures I walked around yesterday in Calgary?  They're off the reserve and have gone through their $66,497, judging by the shape they were in.  But they do not have the skills to cope in the city and certainly won't acquire them in a remote reserve. 
           
The Globe also ran a lengthy obituary of Michael Pitfield, former Clerk of the Privy Council, and the guy in charge when the word "metis" was added to the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982.  Anticipating big trouble down the road, many experts holding the pen challenged the word, but alas it went through.  So now we're stuck.  Good work everyone.