Casinos, Self-Policing and Self-Government before Individual Native's Rights

Casinos, Self-Policing and Self-Government
before Individual Native's Rights

Nipawin - August 18, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis

step towards self-government
The Touchwood File Tribal Council has announced the establishment of a self

administered police force on five reserves in the Fort Qu'Appelle area. Mary-Anne

Day Walker, chief of Okanese First Nation, has stated that this is an important

step towards self-government⁽¹⁾.

poorest
people
It is our understanding that the Natives are the poorest people in this province,

they experience the highest crime rate in the country, their young population are

not getting an education⁽²⁾, and yet our highest priority is self policing and self

government.

spiraling corruption
As I am concerned, the emphasis on self policing and self government efforts

are not going to cure the chronic poverty and deprivation of most of our Native

population, rather these efforts will reinforce the spiraling corruption of our

current Native leaders and the maintenance of an oligarchic and stagnant social

system, similar to what we have in mainstream society.

lack of citizenship
We have been repeating many times that racism is not the problem of the

predicament of our poor people, and that instead corruption and lack of citizenship

are at the root of poverty, be among Natives or non-Natives. I am very happy to see

that individual Natives are speaking out publicly as responsible citizens, and

pointing out the ongoing corrupted mental models of their leaders who see in

casinos⁽³⁾, self policing and self government the only alternative to social and

economic advancement.

insidious taxation
In early August we had Virgina Favel expressing her disbelief on how Native leaders

can talk about self government when they mismanage Native money and abuse their

own people⁽⁴⁾. And today, we have Leonard Iron coming out and stating that the

gambling industry is a regressive and insidious taxation built upon the backs of

the poor and therefore upon the backs of the Natives⁽⁵⁾.

democratic changes
Let us hope we have more people coming out and denounce the rampant corruption

of our leaders in our societies so that we can join forces and contribute to true

democratic changes where people and values become more important than paper

money and bribes.

--------------Endnotes:

1.
-
Indian reserves make move towards self-policing, by Kevin O'Connor, The StarPhoenix, August 17, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

2.
-
Honourable Eric Cline has not balanced the budget yet, he forgot our school-children, by Mario deSantis, April 2, 2000

3.
-
Studies conclude that natives are vulnerable to gambling addiction, by Mario deSantis, July 21, 2000

4.
The problem of poverty is not racism, just lack of citizenship, By Mario deSantis, August 5, 2000

5.
-
Gaming surely not helping Natives, by Leonard Iron, Readers' Opinions, The StarPhoenix, August 16, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The illustration at the top of the page shows newly elected Matthew Coon on the extreme left Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations who replaces Phil Fontaine on the extreme Right in that role.

*Casinos, Self-Policing and Self-Government* *before Individual Native's Rights*

Nipawin - August 18, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis

step towards self-government	The Touchwood File Tribal Council has announced the establishment of a self
	administered police force on five reserves in the Fort Qu'Appelle area. Mary-Anne
	Day Walker, chief of Okanese First Nation, has stated that this is an important
	step towards self-government⁽¹⁾.

poorest people	It is our understanding that the Natives are the poorest people in this province,
	they experience the highest crime rate in the country, their young population are
	not getting an education⁽²⁾, and yet our highest priority is self policing and self
	government.

spiraling corruption	As I am concerned, the emphasis on self policing and self government efforts
	are not going to cure the chronic poverty and deprivation of most of our Native
	population, rather these efforts will reinforce the spiraling corruption of our
	current Native leaders and the maintenance of an oligarchic and stagnant social
	system, similar to what we have in mainstream society.

lack of citizenship	We have been repeating many times that racism is not the problem of the
	predicament of our poor people, and that instead corruption and lack of citizenship
	are at the root of poverty, be among Natives or non-Natives. I am very happy to see
	that individual Natives are speaking out publicly as responsible citizens, and
	pointing out the ongoing corrupted mental models of their leaders who see in
	casinos⁽³⁾, self policing and self government the only alternative to social and
	economic advancement.

insidious taxation	In early August we had Virgina Favel expressing her disbelief on how Native leaders
	can talk about self government when they mismanage Native money and abuse their
	own people⁽⁴⁾. And today, we have Leonard Iron coming out and stating that the
	gambling industry is a regressive and insidious taxation built upon the backs of
	the poor and therefore upon the backs of the Natives⁽⁵⁾.

democratic changes	Let us hope we have more people coming out and denounce the rampant corruption
	of our leaders in our societies so that we can join forces and contribute to true
	democratic changes where people and values become more important than paper
	money and bribes.

--------------Endnotes:

1. -	Indian reserves make move towards self-policing, by Kevin O'Connor, The StarPhoenix, August 17, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

2. -	Honourable Eric Cline has not balanced the budget yet, he forgot our school-children, by Mario deSantis, April 2, 2000

3. -	Studies conclude that natives are vulnerable to gambling addiction, by Mario deSantis, July 21, 2000

4.	The problem of poverty is not racism, just lack of citizenship, By Mario deSantis, August 5, 2000

5. -	Gaming surely not helping Natives, by Leonard Iron, Readers' Opinions, The StarPhoenix, August 16, 2000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

	The illustration at the top of the page shows newly elected Matthew Coon on the extreme left Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations who replaces Phil Fontaine on the extreme Right in that role.