NDP TURF MULCAIR AND ATTAWAPISKAT CRISIS
This week’s MY CANADA commentary will include two topical subjects beginning with the New Democratic Party rejection of Thomas Mulcair as party leader. The April 10, 2016 leader review result could possibly have a devastating effect on NDP future fortunes. It was interesting to watch dean of political commentary Craig Oliver shift from reflecting a continuing Mulcair leadership role to correctly predicting the recent leader’s demise a few days before the review. Oliver’s prediction is as usual correct with respect to Mulcair’s rejection.
It will be extremely interesting to hear Craig Oliver’s prediction with regard to NDP as a future participant on the three party Canadian political scene. It is likely too soon after the review for Craig to predict results but most political watchers and party appointed, or at least approved, commentators on TV political shows will likely project one of two scenarios. The predictions will probably be either the resurgence of Layton type rejuvenation by stalwart party members or transversely the demise of the party into low to mid-teen approval ratings with Canadian voters. My Canada tends to support the latter as Mulcair’s inevitable disappearance from the leader role coincides with a newcomer taking the reins and attempting to lead the NDP back to voter preference as a meaningful opposition to the party in power. It will likely be a long way back if such a result is still unresolved by the 2019 federal election.
The next item for discussion is the Attawapiskat suicide emergency with groups of youth threatening to take their own lives in an effort to get recognition for their plight. Listening to a group recently discussing the situation indicates a possible change in attitude towards the indigenous or aboriginal community as a result of the publicity perpetuated by government and health care service response. Some former native non-supporters often with years of close contact felt a solution to the threats had to be found in all indigenous communities facing similar situations. Although the issue is more severe in isolated communities the more modern reserves closer to non-native villages, towns and cities also experience above average suicide rates. The problem according to many factors revealed in the recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission report must be dealt with by Canadians. Poorer living conditions than some poverty stricken world nations, unemployment levels the rest of the country wouldn’t accept, a lack of education opportunities and deplorable living conditions with little if any prospect of improvement all contributes to the unacceptable situation facing Ingenious Canadians.
The solution isn’t something that can’t be ignored any longer as the Aboriginal/Métis population is the country’s fastest growing segment. It is no longer acceptable or safe to the country’s way of life enjoyed by the rest of the population to let the problem fester. Ignoring the problem dating back to the days of the first European immigrants arriving on the shores of a land occupied and claimed as homeland by aboriginals is past easy solution.
It won’t be simple to solve after the original occupiers herded original aboriginal families onto reserves while supplying less than expected living conditions. Following the reserve solution to the problem faced by early settlers was the issue of tearing children from homes at a young age for supposedly educational purposes. That’s part of the issue Canadians must rectify almost immediately through a negotiated settlement acceptable to both sides if the country is to remain unified and strong.
It will be extremely interesting to hear Craig Oliver’s prediction with regard to NDP as a future participant on the three party Canadian political scene. It is likely too soon after the review for Craig to predict results but most political watchers and party appointed, or at least approved, commentators on TV political shows will likely project one of two scenarios. The predictions will probably be either the resurgence of Layton type rejuvenation by stalwart party members or transversely the demise of the party into low to mid-teen approval ratings with Canadian voters. My Canada tends to support the latter as Mulcair’s inevitable disappearance from the leader role coincides with a newcomer taking the reins and attempting to lead the NDP back to voter preference as a meaningful opposition to the party in power. It will likely be a long way back if such a result is still unresolved by the 2019 federal election.
The next item for discussion is the Attawapiskat suicide emergency with groups of youth threatening to take their own lives in an effort to get recognition for their plight. Listening to a group recently discussing the situation indicates a possible change in attitude towards the indigenous or aboriginal community as a result of the publicity perpetuated by government and health care service response. Some former native non-supporters often with years of close contact felt a solution to the threats had to be found in all indigenous communities facing similar situations. Although the issue is more severe in isolated communities the more modern reserves closer to non-native villages, towns and cities also experience above average suicide rates. The problem according to many factors revealed in the recent Truth and Reconciliation Commission report must be dealt with by Canadians. Poorer living conditions than some poverty stricken world nations, unemployment levels the rest of the country wouldn’t accept, a lack of education opportunities and deplorable living conditions with little if any prospect of improvement all contributes to the unacceptable situation facing Ingenious Canadians.
The solution isn’t something that can’t be ignored any longer as the Aboriginal/Métis population is the country’s fastest growing segment. It is no longer acceptable or safe to the country’s way of life enjoyed by the rest of the population to let the problem fester. Ignoring the problem dating back to the days of the first European immigrants arriving on the shores of a land occupied and claimed as homeland by aboriginals is past easy solution.
It won’t be simple to solve after the original occupiers herded original aboriginal families onto reserves while supplying less than expected living conditions. Following the reserve solution to the problem faced by early settlers was the issue of tearing children from homes at a young age for supposedly educational purposes. That’s part of the issue Canadians must rectify almost immediately through a negotiated settlement acceptable to both sides if the country is to remain unified and strong.
