This letter, in 'The Calgary Herald' today, refers to a column yesterday by native leader Doug Cuthand. In it he claimed that natives would turn the tide and determine the outcome of the election.
Problem is, Doug, that half the natives in this country don't vote in non-native elections. Pretty hard to decide an election when a specific cohort doesn't even show up to mark an X.
I blog a lot about natives and their never-ending demands for money from the beleaguered taxpayer, but I also research the other side of the coin and am quick to point out how governments at all levels have made thousands of promises to natives during election campaigns and immediately broken them when in office.
In Singh's case, he rattles off a host of nonsensical promises he knows can't be fulfilled unless the constitution is amended -- something, as I say, will never happen. When Trudeau-the Elder did this in '78 to come up with the Constitution Act of 1982 (B was on the team, so knows what he's talking about) it was a dog's breakfast of money demands from all the premiers and only really got done because the Queen was coming to sign it, so they had to finish the job. And the only purpose in amending it then was so it could be patriated from England to Canada. Something ostensibly so simple, but was a mess.
So the next time you think I am going too hard on the natives, remember that everything I write is backed up by research -- including when I take their side. But let's not forget that, according to a recent issues' survey, only seven percent of Canadians give a toss about native issues. That's why it beats me why politicians everywhere trip over chairs to accommodate their every demand.
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