Loose Lips Etc.
Finally the Government of Ontario decides to get involved in the development stand-off by quietly trying to negotiate an agreement that would end the Indian protests at development sites in Brantford. And what happens? This potential agreement has been scuttled because some blockhead at a meeting of the Brantford City Council leaked this confidential document. This person needs to be exposed and if a civic employee, they must be fired and if they are a Councilor, they should be forced to resign. If need be, the police or even the RCMP should be called in to ferret out this person. And if applicable they should be charged. It would be nice if they owned up to this on their own , but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for this to happen.
These protests are one of the most contentious issues facing Brantford at this time and a negotiated agreement that would see an end to them would certainly be welcomed news. Far better than the threats, intimidation, scuffles, injunctions and arrests that characterize these protests now. But that seems to be what we are back to because of this individuals actions.
It also lends ammunition to those who charge that Brantford Council doesn't want a peaceful resolution to this problem. I hope and don't think this is true but this action does nothing to dispel this perception.
Whoever this individual is and whatever their agenda to leak this document was, they need to be held responsible for it and any future problems that result because of the death of this agreement. And let's hope that there is still some way that a similar agreement can be reached.
These protests are one of the most contentious issues facing Brantford at this time and a negotiated agreement that would see an end to them would certainly be welcomed news. Far better than the threats, intimidation, scuffles, injunctions and arrests that characterize these protests now. But that seems to be what we are back to because of this individuals actions.
It also lends ammunition to those who charge that Brantford Council doesn't want a peaceful resolution to this problem. I hope and don't think this is true but this action does nothing to dispel this perception.
Whoever this individual is and whatever their agenda to leak this document was, they need to be held responsible for it and any future problems that result because of the death of this agreement. And let's hope that there is still some way that a similar agreement can be reached.
posted by The Grouchy Old Man at 7:41 PM
2 Comments:
I posted this on a message board, you might find it of interest.
"Anyone who truly thinks this is just about a gang of well-connected hooligans should look at this from another angle. The truth is that the reclamations are the red herring, a deliberate distraction away from a transfer of power. The state is an ecosystem of theft and exploitation, and its lifeblood in Canada is the power it distributes to competing pressure groups, and the mutual support it receives from its beneficiaries. Sometimes an “emergency” is needed to alter the balance of power shared by various partners in the enterprise of government violence. Occupations, blockades and reclamations supply the “emergency” needed by government to gain a broad base of support from all sides to “do something”. With unquestioned support for decisive action, the government and its allies are free to break through the gridlock that people tolerate in more peaceful times.
This would explain the emphasis on “settling land claims”, instead of stopping the spread of violence. Land claims litigation is a gold mine for aboriginal leaders as well as a boon to government departments, Supreme Court rulings are, of course, the Holy Grail. Putting an end to the violence, on the other hand, is a net cost. The parties concerned have a vested interest in perpetuating this violence, until public pressure moves it into the courtroom where a peaceful shift of power can replace the more crude flags and fences. The more honest and intelligent defenders of reclamation are more aware of this than their opponents, and they hold themselves with pride. But the joke is on natives and non-natives alike, as reduced liberty and further impoverishment are always the legacy of such administrative reorganization. Some people just have to keep learning the hard way."
Hey, I am going to offer an alternative take on similar issues to yours....I am inspired by your passion, but want to take in a less "grumpy" fashion.
http://betterbrantford.blogspot.com/
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