Canada's first nations haven't had much luck with the Conservative Reform Alliance Party of Stephen Harper. Harp doesn't seem to care very much for the natives or their issues.
First he kicked over the Kelowna accord, an agreement reached by the last Liberal government after a year and a half of negotiations with the provinces, territories and five aboriginal groups. The money to finance the deal was even set aside in the budget.
"Not signed" screamed the Tories on assuming power. No deal, it was just nonsense, and so on. Kelowna was dead and will stay that way unless we get rid of the Harpies.
Not content with reneging on the Liberal promises, Harper is taking action at the United Nations also where Harper Canada is joining the usual suspects - the US, Australia, New Zealand and Russia in trying to undermine the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The declaration, which the Liberal government helped push through the UN, is, according to the Toronto Star: "...aimed at setting minimum standards for the dignity, survival and well-being of the world's indigenous people, who are the poorest and least advantaged in their countries."
The non-binding declaration was the product of negotiations that took 20-years but Harper complains that it's "unclear" and should be renegotiated. Now there's a statesman for you.
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