Thursday, August 2, 2007

CMHC Housing Creating Ghettos on Reserves

Recently there was a murder on my reserve and four teenage boys were taken into custody, this was a shock to the community as these young men came from families that were well known in the community, thier parents were band councillors, NNADAP workers, and from families that went to First Nations Gospel Revival Groups. So what happened on that night of the murder? I dont know the details of the murder but what I can tell you is what led to this murder: The Government knows that there is a shortage of Housing on Reserves, so they along with the Indian Agent " Buddy G." made plans to create a townsite, Build lots of houses in a central location so that plumbing and power would be cheap. This was a bad idea because First Nations people do live in Bands but each family group in the band are used to living in their own groups- with their own little sub-traditions. The townsite was created and devided into little blocks and each of these little blocks have about 6 houses with their own little sections- the houses are than given to lucky families (if your related to the Chief or the Council).
The families come from seperate family groups and are lumped together in these blocks, families that may have different histories and backgrounds and normally would live within their own areas. The blocks were a mixture and a clash of sub-cultures, there are problems,chaos and confusion, people had to learn a new way to get along.
The Townsite is a breeding ground for breakins, gang violence, alcoholism, drugs and other social ills, this is the new Reservation Ghetto.
Buddy G. and his cost saving idea is killing First Nations Communities, oh yeah the Government doesnt really save money because the houses were contaminated by mould which created a Health Hazard and many people had to move out of their homes, these abandoned homes were supposed to be fixed but they ended up as party houses brewing up more trouble. The Chief and Council arent really worried because they all have first choice of housing and of the renovations. As for Buddy G. - every reserve has a parasite - (even the show "North of 60" has one) , Buddy now owns an acreage, hundreds of cows, lives with one of the ladies from the reserve, has a house on reserve and a fat little paycheck and bank account, all on the expense of The Mosquito Band bank account. - ("...if you want to get rich and be a millionaire, work for a band office..."(Buddy G. 1989)
As for the young men they are still being investigated.

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