http://www.mininova.org/tor/604235

I recently found a new employer, and I feel a newfound sense of freedom because my old employer was one that would have frowned on me taking a more active role in something like this – especially if it garnered media attention and involved undiplomatic language.

Anyways, point is I feel like doing something, anything to try and get this in the national spotlight. And with May 29th approaching fast, I would like to do my part. Any takers?

If the media and the state won’t investigate and expose the truth, screw ‘em, we’ll do it ourselves. Perhaps if ordinary people dig enough and make enough noise, something will be done. I don’t think we should sit back and expect the institutions who were involved in this in the first place – the Canadian government agencies and the churches and the state – to fairly or honestly investigate. That could explain why these stories have been known for so long in selected parts of Canada and within the native community, but not in the Canadian populace at large.

lrC,

I think I made it very clear I was speaking from anger. I also think we agree that this needs to be investigated. Candace has hit on the problem, the catch 22 that has been keeping this below the radar for so long – these allegations won’t be broadcast until there is an investigation, but there won’t be an investigation until the allegations are broadcast and public opinion and outrage are brought to bear. So lets do something to cajole, embarras and force an investigation.

And lets support the independent investigation anyway we can.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7294053672161695977

It’s more than a little obnoxious in my view to try and claim that these particular people must have been duped by Annett or anybody else. It’s also pretty damning that somebody considers the words of Phil Fontaine and the AFN, or the Indian Act Chiefs as more credible than the words of the people who appear in the film.

But that’s just the typical way that Aboriginal people are “handled” by the MSM, the Politicians and the Indian Act industry. Dissent is only considered legitimate if it’s sanctioned by the highly controlled and bought and paid for AFN. If some Indians get uppity – like those who appear in the film here — all the government needs to do is drag out one of their “legitimate” spokespeople to shut them down.

If there are uppity Aboriginals asking questions about their Band’s finances and the role of the DIA in colluding with corrupt Indian Act Governments, all they (The government de jure) need to do is drag out Phil Fontaine to say “Corruption… There’s no corruption in Band governments. FN affairs are completely and totally above board!”

MW said…”Kevin Annett who is one of the main people leading the charge on this has suffered untold numbers of hardships, attacks on his character, and threats over the years he has worked to expose this”….

Sorry MW but Mr Annett is not the victim here.Matter of fact this is part of the problem,the story seems to be morphing into one,more about Mr Annett and his supposed difficulties….

Yes. That’s what I wrote. There were reports but they went nowhere. Even very experienced and good reporters decided to ignore the story then, as now. So did cops and politicians. Was it headline, top of page stuff? Not from what I’ve seen. Stories were usually buried. Some were features in the old Maclean’s or the Canadian Magazine, or similar weekend or monthlies. But, like I said, the story dropped like a stone right off the radar screens because no one followed up.

Possibly, but were they reported? Allegations and stories need to be told or the general public doesn’t know. From discussions going on at Saskboy’s post on the subject, things WERE being done. Enough? Possibly. And possibly (perhaps probably) not.

As well, time changes circumstances. The Charles Camsell Hospital has been closed & boarded up, although there are rumors that someone has purchased it with the intent to turn it into condos. I’m thinking that they will want allegations of a cemetary, mass or otherwise, investigated prior to trying to sell any condos or more likely, prior to investing a dime in renos.

Note that the link is from 2006 – I’ve recently driven past the site and see minimal evidence of any major work being done.

The film goes a long way toward explaining why this issue isn’t front page news. Suppression of these revelations has been successfully happening for decades. Much of that suppression has been in the most recent decade and not back in historical times.

JB