Saturday, June 30, 2007

Native Blockade of Hwy 401

Well, they just won't stop, will they? But then, why should they? Many of the native protesters don't have jobs to keep them occupied so taking a few hours out of their boring day to close a highway used by the working people must seem like a good idea to them. And then, every time they cause a disruption the Canadian government hands them more money. Sounds like they won't stop their antics any time soon.

When I heard that the natives were going to blockade Hwy 401 I stupidly thought, "Well, even the useless OPP won't stand for that!". It seems I was wrong.

Some of the signs carried by the protesters stated that they were tired of living in poverty. I thought, "Well, most people who have no jobs live in poverty". The best way to pull yourself out of poverty is to find employment and support yourself. Blockading a highway and keeping hard working people from getting to work to earn the money to pay their taxes which supports unemployed natives might be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Long sentence but quite true!

Apparently the natives have legitimate land claims but they should be settled in the court and the court should be given a definite time frame in which to settle them. It shouldn't take hundreds of years and it shouldn't overcompensate a group of people who have contributed little to building the great country of Canada.

Settle their claims fairly, both for the natives and for the rest of the Canadian citizens. And then, when all is done, toss the next person who blockades a Canadian highway, business, or home straight into jail whether their skin is black, white, red, or purple!

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