tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917573032949953963.post1511343371855181873..comments2023-04-12T03:37:06.402-07:00Comments on Indigenous Nationhood: Amendments to the Indian Act's Registration (Status) ProvisionsPam Palmaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16471187916007866228noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917573032949953963.post-4033150564570894322009-12-12T09:18:28.739-08:002009-12-12T09:18:28.739-08:00Pam,You raised many great points. I will focus my ...Pam,<br><br>You raised many great points. I will focus my comments specifically to the issue of the fears of influx to reserves. This relates to your apt description that many who may attain status may not wish to move to their homelands. Yet because of limited resources, there are political forces against amendments to address the historic sexual discrimination in the Indian Act because of unjustified fears that there will be a huge influx to reserve lands.<br><br>I can only speak for myself and will take some liberty in assuming that I am not alone, but I sincerely doubt my son Chip would take his newfound status at the age of 16 and seek to move back to Deninu K'ue in Fort Resolution, NWT. He may wish to do so as a grown man, but this is not in the foreseeable future. <br><br>My role and responsibility as his mother is to provide for him and I would not suddenly shuck that responsibility if his status is granted under future amendments. I detest the implication that granting status to those long-denied means our children and grandchildren's hands will be stuck out begging for crumbs. This is about acknowledgement and respect for the harm caused by generations of discrimination against our mothers and grandmothers and their descendants.<br><br>Our identities as Dene mother and son do not depend on living specifically in Fort Resoultion. My son is a Dene without the amendments and he will continue to be regardless. <br><br>It is unfortunate that the 'warriors' seem to be silent on this issue. It is also sad to realize that some of our 'sisters' are also too quiet. <br><br>Thank you for all of your efforts to address this deafening silence Pamela.<br><br>Mahsi Cho,<br><br>Aleta-Jo BirdAJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00930544546157516949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8917573032949953963.post-86355866758795431342010-01-22T16:28:05.167-08:002010-01-22T16:28:05.167-08:00Thank you for your comment Aleta-Jo. I completely ...Thank you for your comment Aleta-Jo. I completely agree with you that it is demeaning that so many think that the pursuit of equal treatment is only about money. In fact, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples did a survey of those reinstated to status after the 1985 amendments and the vast majority of those indicated that they sought reinstatement not to live on a reserve, but to have their identity recognized finally. <br>I also agree with you that this is a hard battle to fight without the support of both our sisters and our warriors.<br>PamPam Palmaterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16471187916007866228noreply@blogger.com