One issue that we will cover a little in this course is Canadian Indigenous issues. They are not really a global issue but the problems they face in Canada are what many indigenous people around the world are facing as well. So here we go:
1) Why did the people have to relocate in the first place? Will the situation get better or worse with melting ice caps?
2) How can a government decide where these people should live?
3) As a soon to be federal tax paying citizen how do you feel about the amount of money being spent on this one community?
4) Where else is this happening in Canada? The world?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/northern-ontario-first-nation-evacuees-kashechewan-kapuskasing-1.3461523
Please mark this one:
ReplyDeleteKashechewan is home to over 2000 Native people in Canada. It is located on the Albany River in Ontario. The Kashechewan First Nations were forced to relocate because of the flooding of the Albany River. Because of these floods, the people were forced to relocate to Kapuskasing due to the moldy housing.
According to NASA, the polar ice cap is now melting at the alarming rate of nine percent per decade. Arctic ice thickness has decreased 40 percent since the 1960s. Because of all the melting ice caps all over the world, it will lead to severe flooding. This will make it even worse for the residents and may lead to the land becoming unlivable. They already suffer from the results of the floods, having water levels raise even higher from melting ice caps could be devastating for the people.
In the 1950s the Canadian government relocated several Inuit tribes to the High Arctic, (Inuit High Arctic relocation.) This caused extreme hardship and suffering for the families who were FORCED to relocate to an unfamiliar area. This caused great damage on the relationship between the Inuit’s and the Canadian government. In my opinion I don’t think the Canadian government should be the one to decide where the Kashechewan people should go. I believe the government should be involved in the decision making process along with the tribe leader, Derek Stephen. Ultimately, the families are going to be the ones living on the land. If they truly feel like Kashechewan is there home I don’t think the government should force them to be somewhere else. It could potentially cause damage to the relationships once again.
The Native people were free to live anywhere in Canada before the European immigrants came and invaded the land. As a future tax payer I support the government’s decisions to spend money on this community. The Native peoples have been faced with horrific experiences due to the invaders of Canada. Considering they are now confined to certain areas in their own country, I believe the Canadian Government should be helping them to the best of their ability to find a safe area where the people will be happy in.
In Australia the Native people there are facing similar difficulties. The government has forced them off their land which is leading to people losing their culture. Separating people from their culture is a terrible thing and I think that the governments in Canada, Australia and where ever else should be taking the initiative to helping these people.
http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/fcons/fcons4.asp
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/kashechewan-chief-orders-complete-evacuation-of-town-1.2346255
https://www.ec.gc.ca/glaces-ice/default.asp?lang=En&n=4B35305B-1&offset=2&toc=show
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100016115/1100100016116
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-31846031
i completely agree with your point. i feel as if it is necessary for the community to make the decisions rather than the government
DeleteI agree with Ellen. The people in the community are the ones living there, not the government. They should be making the decisions for their lively hood if it does not effect the whole society in a negative way
DeleteHey Bronweiner!!
DeleteI too believe that Canadian government is to blame in this situation. This is not the first account of the Albany River flooding Kashechewan. In fact, this has happened on multiple occasions; the First Nations community has suffered regularly since 2004 from flooding and water contamination when ice melts on the Albany River. The federal government refused to spend money on the community's relocation, yet routinely spends money on relocation and rebuilding in the same location. As Albert Einstein said, "Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." The governments actions in this situation prove to be insane. Instead of paying the $500-million for relocation, they have chosen to pay (so far) $200-million--this number will just continue to increase. Perhaps it is time for the federal government to break their cycle of insanity and relocate the Cree community.
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ReplyDeleteThe people of Kashechewan had to relocate to Kapuskasing due to annual mass flooding and a major build up of mold in 36 houses in the community. This situation is bound to get worse due to the melting ice caps and the effects of global warming. the government is controlling where these people live based on negotiations and where there is space for them. Rather than relocating the community and having them re-build they are spending the money on rebuilding mechanisms to prevent floods but all have been unsuccessful. As a soon to be tax payer this angers me, they should give the community the money needed to re-locate their community so that their lives are not continuously disrupted by evacuations to other towns. it is unfair for the government to be allowed to have such a negative impact on the development of the community. In my opinion, the amount of money being spent on this community is way too much even though it does not look like much it all accumulates and the government should've given the community the money to relocate. A similar situation is also occurring in Fort Albany.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/evacuations-in-northern-ontario-halted-after-threat-of-flooding-subsides/article534245/
I agree with Ellen's statement. If the government has enough money to spend on unsuccessful prevention mechanisms to floods in Kapuskasing they definitely have enough money to help the community relocate. These people are having their lives constantly disrupted by floods and this could be prevented by relocation. Not only is relocation the most effective option, it is also cheaper. When I am a tax payer I would rather have my money being put towards helping the people.
DeleteComments are great here. Can't wait to discuss in class more Native Issues. Imagine if the government suddenly told you to move from your home and move to a completely new city? Pretty awful.
ReplyDelete