The Nisga’a Treaty

It is important to remember that native self-government primarily means that they do not have as many checks(not cheques)by Ottawa.

They'll still find a way to blame someone else . . .

Funny that their standard of living declined. Gee, why'd that happen?

It's interesting to note that nowhere is there a call to return to being "wards" of the federal government.

as most people, have they gotten used to enjoying their independence? and note that the perceived improvements have taken place in the area's where the NDP types are the loudest proponents of more governance, that is health and education.

...because businesses don't particularly care to invest in uncertainty, or with groups that show a predisposition to litigation?

What is also interesting is the discrepancy between the quantitative survey results and the interviews with key Nisga’a informants. On governance issues especially, they view their reality as more nuanced and believe that there are significant governance problems to overcome, including eliminating family-based voting, nepotism, transparency, and politicized service delivery.

Translated: more corruption.

“Critically, the Nisga’a also think that their government(s) have not delivered on economic development. Their standard of living as measured by personal income has declined. Clearly, despite self-government, governments need to make good on accountability to their citizens and provide the means for prosperity,” says Quesnel.

Translated: they failed economically.

For more information and to arrange an interview with the study's author, media (only) should contact:

Joseph Quesnel

403-381-0342

I worked in Vancouver with a family from the New Aiyansh Reserve,who had left many years before and established a business in Prince Rupert.

They said they left because there was no way to earn a living on the Rez. The Mother was going to UBC taking a degree to enable her to run the museum that was to be established on the new First Nation.The two parents had decided to semi-retire back to the Rez as they had relatives and fond memories of the place.

When she was about two years into her degree,the FN Council advised her to take her degree in social work instead,and she completed that course of study.

Maybe Joe Gosnell had doubts even then about the viability of a Nation that is so far away from the market place.

btw,the members of that Nisga'a family that I worked with for about two years, were hard working honest people,who did a damned good job in our industry.

I think that they need more government funding. ;-)

A nation within a nation is a ridiculous idea. It is not workable - a thorn in the sides of all people involved. Canadians must be treated equally under a common law or our nation will fall into a stalemate.

dmorris - "...were hard working honest people,who did a damned good job in our industry." That's a large part of why they had to leave the reserve. Reservations are set up as little pocket communes, and have as much to do with equal division of wealth and resources as communist nations.