Attawapiskat First Nation
As a first year student I am learning how media can manipulate and change the context of a topic. This can be seen in the portrayal of the community of Attawapiskat. How does such neglect and maltreatment happen in our own Country? In our own province, only a few districts away from where we live.
The neo conservative views on human nature are that, "people are isolated and selfish individuals. They determine behaviours by pleasure or pain. It is necessary for humans to live in society” (Mullaly, 2007, p. 79). This describes how the emergency housing state was dealt with in the Attawapiskat community. Immediately, the Federal government put blame on the community. The community had to prove to the federal government that it was not the mismanaging of money that led to the crisis. This was proven in court in August of 2012, when the Attawapiskat community won over the Federal Government. The government’s response was very selfish, and isolating, forcing this First Nations community to relocate into another community, Timmins.
DeBeers Diamond Company donated a few trailers in 2009 to be used for temporary housing while families awaited permanent homes in their community. These same trailers were condemned in September of 2012. Once again many families faced a housing crisis as they still had not received permanent housing. The Federal Government did provide funding for more trailers; however, this will not resolve the ongoing housing crisis. The acting chief of Attawapiskat states, "they are just trailers they are not going to last long” (Carpenter, 2012, p.1). The Aboriginal Affairs for Northern Development Minister, John Duncan would not approve an application for 30 housing units. His spokesman Michelle Perron stated, “We recognize that there is a need to address housing issues in Attawapiskat over the long term and while housing remains the responsibility of the First Nations, addressing the long-term housing needs of the community requires a long-term housing strategy. We have offered repeatedly to assist the chief and council in developing strategy” (CBC, February 12, 2012). They still fail to address the immediate need for housing in this community.
A neo conservative view describing nation states is that it is a "necessary evil to maintain law and order. A referee role in trade and contract disputes and assures conformity of subordinate groups to interests of dominant groups (Mullaly, 2007, p. 79)" The situation in Attawapiskat clearly shows the government’s role of attempting to control the subordinate group of First Nations people by denying a basic need.
CBC News Radio’s latest post presented the plans of the Federal Government for the proposed new school in Attawapiskat. The school will hold 540 students. It will have a library, gymnasium, and community spaces for the entire Attawapiskat community to use. Construction was scheduled to begin in September of 2012 and Spokesperson Rock Belair stated that the school would be ready for 2013. There are currently no updates on whether building continues on target.
Neo-conservatives believe that "social changes should be slow and evolutionary” (Mullaly, 2007, p.79)". It seems this is how the government responds when there is a social crisis for a small community that does not impact the mainstream population. Social justice believes that " poverty is a good thing and it teaches discipline and provides incentive” (Mullaly, 2007, p.79). The First Nations peoples do not need any more discipline or incentives; however the federal government should heed this advice.
The first Nations peoples in the community of Attawapiskat are being economically abused by the De Beers mining company, the federal government, and the Minister of Indian Affairs. Their survival skills are heroic. This community continues to show resiliency in the face of crisis, and continues to demand that those who hold the power are held accountable for failing to protect the basic needs of this community.
Heather
The neo conservative views on human nature are that, "people are isolated and selfish individuals. They determine behaviours by pleasure or pain. It is necessary for humans to live in society” (Mullaly, 2007, p. 79). This describes how the emergency housing state was dealt with in the Attawapiskat community. Immediately, the Federal government put blame on the community. The community had to prove to the federal government that it was not the mismanaging of money that led to the crisis. This was proven in court in August of 2012, when the Attawapiskat community won over the Federal Government. The government’s response was very selfish, and isolating, forcing this First Nations community to relocate into another community, Timmins.
DeBeers Diamond Company donated a few trailers in 2009 to be used for temporary housing while families awaited permanent homes in their community. These same trailers were condemned in September of 2012. Once again many families faced a housing crisis as they still had not received permanent housing. The Federal Government did provide funding for more trailers; however, this will not resolve the ongoing housing crisis. The acting chief of Attawapiskat states, "they are just trailers they are not going to last long” (Carpenter, 2012, p.1). The Aboriginal Affairs for Northern Development Minister, John Duncan would not approve an application for 30 housing units. His spokesman Michelle Perron stated, “We recognize that there is a need to address housing issues in Attawapiskat over the long term and while housing remains the responsibility of the First Nations, addressing the long-term housing needs of the community requires a long-term housing strategy. We have offered repeatedly to assist the chief and council in developing strategy” (CBC, February 12, 2012). They still fail to address the immediate need for housing in this community.
A neo conservative view describing nation states is that it is a "necessary evil to maintain law and order. A referee role in trade and contract disputes and assures conformity of subordinate groups to interests of dominant groups (Mullaly, 2007, p. 79)" The situation in Attawapiskat clearly shows the government’s role of attempting to control the subordinate group of First Nations people by denying a basic need.
CBC News Radio’s latest post presented the plans of the Federal Government for the proposed new school in Attawapiskat. The school will hold 540 students. It will have a library, gymnasium, and community spaces for the entire Attawapiskat community to use. Construction was scheduled to begin in September of 2012 and Spokesperson Rock Belair stated that the school would be ready for 2013. There are currently no updates on whether building continues on target.
Neo-conservatives believe that "social changes should be slow and evolutionary” (Mullaly, 2007, p.79)". It seems this is how the government responds when there is a social crisis for a small community that does not impact the mainstream population. Social justice believes that " poverty is a good thing and it teaches discipline and provides incentive” (Mullaly, 2007, p.79). The First Nations peoples do not need any more discipline or incentives; however the federal government should heed this advice.
The first Nations peoples in the community of Attawapiskat are being economically abused by the De Beers mining company, the federal government, and the Minister of Indian Affairs. Their survival skills are heroic. This community continues to show resiliency in the face of crisis, and continues to demand that those who hold the power are held accountable for failing to protect the basic needs of this community.
Heather
Reference List:
CBC News.(February, 2012). New School Brings Hope for Attiwapiskate Residence. Retreived from:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2012/02/27/sby-attiwapiskat-school.html
Carpentar, L. (September 2012). Wawatay News On Line. Attawapiskat Planning for Housing Crisis 'Round Two'. Retrieved from: http://dev.wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2012/9/27/attawapiskat-planning-housing-crisis-round-two_23522.
Mullaly, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work. Location: Oxford University Press.
I also admire their strength, Heather. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? It feels like offering trailers as a solution to such a complex problem caused by capatilism is a mockery, considering all of the stereotypes that go along with living in a trailer, and all of the profit that these corporations are pocketing at the expense of the First Nation's people. It floors me that they can't see Natives as Ontarians… because you know just as well as I do that if DeBeers were digging up someone else's backyard, they would provide compensation.
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed when I hear stories of how resilient people can be. The things people go through when fighting for their beliefs and homes that is nothing short of admirable. The amount of time Attawapiskate has spent living the way they do with little relief is unacceptable, considering everyone around them has not had to deal with half of the problems they have. I hope a change is made very soon, people can only be so resilient for so long before completely breaking someone's spirit.
ReplyDelete-Denise
This is an issue that always makes me very passionate, being someone who identifies as Anishnaabe. The issues that have been faced by Attawapiskate has been going on for years, and most Canadians are completely unaware of what is going on in our own country. I'm glad you chose to address this issue for your blog post because it is important that people become aware. The people of Attawapiskate have amazing strength and resilience and hopefully the government will follow through on their promises.
ReplyDeleteJessica
Round Two of the housing crisis in Attawapiskat is the norm for First Nations. Although we see they are determined to continue to thrive towards help there is much that needs to be done. The people in this community are waiting and waiting for a place to call home. Even if the government signs off on the loan from the AANDC, once they demonstrate the need, the people of this community ned to repay the loan. The government sets First Nations out to fail. Right now there is no economic growth in this community and a lot of people are dependent on the Social Networks of the Welfare state, and these programs have been cut drastically. What are the people of this First Nation going to do to pay back all what is needed to rebuild this community and by becoming economically stable with having to repay the "loan".
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad to think of this situation because we know that the government creates barriers for ultimately slowing down the process in the hopes that this community will just give up.....My hats goes out to all peoples living in these conditions as we now know that there are many communities like ATTAWAPISKAT....Which are similar to third world developing countries.
Migzs Tammy