Laila Yuile’s 24 hours column, Monday January 7th, 2012
This week’s topic: Does Idle No More address the real problems?
“I’d like to start this week by thanking Kathryn for her warm welcome and agreeing with her immediately. She’s definitely right about hair colour being our only similarity, and I offer the comparison of oil (ethical, of course) and water.
I really look forward to our weekly duels because our diverse backgrounds definitely lend to great debate. I’ve worked in the corporate world, and on the front lines of a non-profit society, dealing first-hand with barriers like mental illness, poverty, addiction and homelessness. That background is what drives much of my writing and my perspective, which plays right into today’s question.
Kathryn has done an excellent, albeit myopic job of focusing on one essential element in addressing the real problems faced by First Nations across the country, and that’s leadership.
(Read Kathryn Marshall’s column here.)
But let’s talk reality here. The real problems are about much more than just firm leadership — if only it were that simple….”
You can read the remainder of my inaugural column in 24Hrs Vancouver, here… http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/01/06/idle-no-more-empowers-first-nations-to-demand-change
.. and, for those of you out of area who like to flip pages… here is the E-edition, simply select todays date from the calender! http://eedition.vancouver.24hrs.ca/epaper/viewer.aspx
Remember, you choose the winner in this debate, so leave your comments below the columns at 24 Hrs!
Westcoast Views with Laila Yuile 
Well, its not quite black & white, but I’ve gotta go with Kathryn Lailla. Perhaps my indenture with Indian Affairs last century predisposed my sentiments.
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All killer, no filler!
Really looking forward to reading your column every week Laila.
.
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Not a fair competition.. pitting a featherweight rank amateur against a pro journo
Kathryn relies on supplied dogma .. n that’s real thin ice
p’raps dispensed by hubby Hamish or ol Ezra
over a sumptuous fish broth dinner n all the slim or none fixins in the ethical oil teepee
But drop Kathryn off somewhere near Hartley Bay for a week
and surely she’ll catch her balance.. see things different.. maybe..
The locals will certainly help her ..
To the winner… Laila, goes this prize ..
a small set of images I keep at the very top of all my bookmarks
to remind me how indigenous folks can.. uh .. just not take it any more ….
I have zero doubt you can easily transpose them to a confrontation
in the BC rain forest .. Nobody was hurt.. no shots fired
but I suspect the dudes in military gear had to adjust their dogma ……..
mebbe change their underwear …
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/07/18/the-moment-nasa-indians-drag-colombian-soldiers-from-hilltop/
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Such babble diamondwalker! Although I believe Kathryn is spot on! Even though to even think about transparency in finances re: Indians is considered rascist. There are aborigionals in my family and they have the same opinion of their leaders… it’s all about the status quo.
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It is quite obvious that some First Nations bands are capable of self gov’t ( and are economically sound ) …. others however must accept outside help. They need to put their pride aside until their situation (whether housing or education or finances) improves with the help & coordination of others.
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From the Tyee and a comment by Lynn. We all need to read the report.
We have a lazy, lamestream media that doesn’t research, it regurgitates:
Case in point, big story today on Chief Spence and conveniently-timed release of audit by the Harper Cons:
Yet not one journalist seemed to notice that the audit just released by the Harper Cons was for the years 2005-2010….and that….
Chief Spence was elected in 2010.
If they had also actually read the report they would find that there were many constraints put on the reservations as to how and where the funds could be spent, with funding for housing limited by these same constraints and a pathetically meagre amount of the total funding designated to address the dire flood and sewage conditions….and thus greatly restricting the potential to actually remedy the situation.
The media has failed to see the constraints put on this funding to First Nations and the complications of this very complex issue. Their superficial reporting has done a great disservice to First Nations and to Chief Spence.
(Thanks to Lynn for bringing this to our attention.)
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I’m with Laila
I think the F.N. school programs are so poor, their children can’t go on to a higher education. F.N. kids have to compete in a high tech job market. They need to be able to attend University, College and Trade Schools. How can we expect the F.N. people to become more self sufficient, without the tools to do so? How can they?
As far as the media? Most of them are a disgrace to their professions. I canceled my newspapers, when Campbell was still in office. BC has the best bloggers in Canada. Laila is one of them. From our bloggers, we learn the truth.
Good work Laila. That’s my two cents, for what it’s worth.
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Thank you for your support. It is never easy, when dealing with delivate topics like this in particular. Your two cents are valued here, as are the opinions of all, barring the racist hate rants send via my contact page…. I dont think anyone should have to read what I have read in the last 24 hrs.
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