Is this a stupid or exaggerated statement?
Perhaps.
However, the people of Kashechewan have been suffering under these conditions for eight years and have been ordered to boil their water for the next two. Further, about 100 other native reserves are also under ‘boil water’ advisories.
Do I honestly believe that Paul Martin doesn’t care about Native people?
No.
However, I do believe that Kashechewan has been mismanaged by the federal Liberal government.
This is our national shame.
Like most Canadians, I only learned about the situation in Northern Ontario this month but how is it that only when the situation gets national media attention does the government come up with an action plan? This has been going on for eight years.
Shamefully, the media is treating Paul Martin’s government with kid gloves in contrast to how they personally attacked Mike Harris during the Walkerton incident. Are the Liberals getting a pass on this one? Perhaps Canadians (including the media) are conditioned to believe that these squalid conditions on reserves are the norm and thus not at all too shocking. While Paul Martin likely cares, he may be largely indifferent and perhaps we as Canadians also share this unfortunate state of mind. How is it that we have people in this country living under sustained third world conditions? How is it that we’ve never devised a working solution to this problem?
Will this crisis spark an honest national debate on the issue of Native poverty?
There are potential solutions to the problem, from caring people both on the left and on the right.
I must say that I am without much knowledge of native and northern affairs and this tragedy has inspired me to read up on the subject.
Perhaps Andy Scott should do the same.
We all care about the situation in Kashechewan, but coming up with a lasting solution for these poor people and not merely a quick fix is what I care about most.