Even Buffy Saite Marie? I wonder if she digs in and uses her now throwaway line I dont know anything about where I was born.....after decades of telling sad stories that dont stay consistent even in one full year. So I know its a biggie but it still counts.
Colonial violence? It's bad apples. Every group has them. Btw: whenever there are programs, scholarships, grants, special provisions, etc, set aside for a particular group, expect "bad apples" to scam the system.
About time for indigenous people, particularly disenfranchised and disadvantage people, speaking up on pretendIANS who seek financial and social benefits fraudulently. How many can be called out within the recently formed Qalipu band based in Corner Brook , Newfoundland? Most members of this band, funded in majority from Federal government coffers, are urban Newfoundlanders who socially and culturally for generations have had no indigenous association and no disadvantage or lifestyle differation from their non-indigenous neighbours. Why should they be receiving taxpayer money for education, business development, healthcare support, etc. over their neighbours who are living under identical conditions with identical opportunities?
Because it is a micro amount of what was taken and what we are entitled to! Do you think they are giving it for our benefit or from a kind heart? Really, we have proven over and over what we are entitled to and what our place is in this land, what more can we do? The attempt to erase is ongoing, just makes us stronger. Keep resenting the piddling amount, every person on welfare in Canada gets more with no treaty obligations or court cases setting out our Rights! When you argue that we are getting free and unearned $’s you are missing 1/2 of that conversation. Keep it up though, it’s a popular opinion. If it was your Right, what would you do?
Ms Teillet, I agree those who misrepresent Rights ought to be held accountable………not only pretendians but all who capitalize on our condition to create industry for themselves. “taking up space that belong to us”, “benefitting off our Rights “ is an epidemic and happens when Métis fight for Rights in our territory. Indigenous Peoples have had to fight all comers for their place. Now we fight to have someone else’s government to verify our people? Only we can do that!
I have family members that did this stuff since the 1960s. It was very hot at that time to claim Native American identity. DNA says we’re 100% European.
When we first came to Canada, we visited a camp in Kitchener, owned by the Church of members from our country of origin. There were Indigenous residents there and I got the feeling that the couple that ran the camp were Pretendians, although they spoke the old language and kept our religion and traditions. This was early 80s, and the old couple had been in Canada for many years but born in Europe. My dad kept saying about his "uncle whatshisname" being a real Canadian.😂
@@sr2291 thats not science. If its minimal to begin with, thats something else, but significant indigenous American genetic history will show in a DNA test, full stop.
@sr2291 it's certainly complicated. We learned we have Jewish ancestors from an aunt, but it doesn't show on mine. It also depends on how well the database is. 23 and me? No native Genomlink? 5% from my x chromosome. 10%from my y.
There was Sacheen Littlefeather in the US who was actually Hispanic, then Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond who is of European background. Now Buffy who is actually Italian American. When does the Pretendian problem stop?
@rozalilu1 A smaller amount wouldn't make her indigenous, but it could give her her looks and caring for others. She would have indigenous ancestry not be indigenous.
I taught on a reserve and it was suggested I become a band member. Had I done so, that would have made me native then. Perhaps this could be a good source of income for Bands not blessed with wealth like the Sawridge or the ones in Oosyoos with the nice hotel and wineries. Offer Band membership for a fee!
This encompasses, receiving training money, housing and using Gladue Report. Personal issue with non Indigenous staff making decisions on our Algonquin land claim negotiations. Goes on and on
I think the MP makes a valid point. If an individual makes a fraudulent claim for the purpose of financial gain, either immediately or indirectly in the future, then that is fraud. It's not just a poor judgment and moral infraction. It's a criminal act.
In the states we use an “enrollment system” where 98% of our tribes can enroll the mom’s child or the dads. What bothers me as a member of a tribe that goes by the mom is I have relatives that are from my tribe who are full blooded native and have no recognition. See our tribe goes by the mom his dads from here. And his mom’s from another. Not recognized by either tribe full blooded! We have moms who can have as many kids as they want with any race they love their children are considered “native” which is fine. But native father’s children can’t even get a discount at the casino? Makes no sense? If actual native blood is considered racist what’s it called when we don’t “recognize” half our own people? Not pretending to one of us. But is actually one of us?
The Métis are Mestizo cousins! We Mestizos/Métis are the legacy of Native Americans across the continents. Their genome survives through us. I’m Mayan, Yaqui, Apache/Navajo, Opata, Arawakan… I had a great grandpa that spoke Yaqui fluently. My great grandma was buried in the ways of the Yaqui. I carry the Southern Athabaskan A2a4 on my direct maternal line (mtDNA). We may be half, but at least we’re half. My other half is Spaniard.
This is really bizarre. It happens because the Indigenous in Canada is the privileged class. Free money and perks of all sorts. Also as long as anyone can remember the Indigenous family lines have always been blurry. Parents slept around on others or kids abandoned for other families to raise. Also Indigenous truth has always been a moving target
I had a weird thing happen, when I applied for Toronto Housing. The girl assumed that I was Indigenous, and added lots more housing, including the Indigenous places. I had to go through everything and delete those. I don't know if I got all of them. The girl was very rude to me, too. (Now in a regular senior's bldg.)
I can relate. People assume based on looks and unfortunately, some are biased or prejudiced. I've had that happen at work, while on public transportation or retail shopping. I am a Canadian citizen, born in Eastern Europe. But, as I got older or society has changed, I noticed a change in how people treat me because they think I am....!? Whatever they think I am and that they don't like... About 8 yrs ago, I had a woman on the bus, loudly berate me because I asked the driver something regarding maintenance of bus shelters. She kept saying loudly: "Enjoy your big house that you bought with CASH!!!"😂😂 I was on the bus on a Saturday, going to my part time retail job. And I got splashed with slush because the bus stop wasn't maintained.😂
My tribal ID is a federally recognized, where are the feds on this issue. I could be prosecuted for falsely claiming my lineage.why aren’t pretending be federally prosecuted.
I identify as unaffiliated and autonomous. Having no affiliation, I get by way of my own talent, ambition, and personal hard work. The accomplishments, failures, and circumstances of my ancestors are of no interest to me. The flip flop promises of self-serving politicians and unearned inheritance from previous generations are of no interest to me. I will sink or swim only by my own choices.
If people are taking advantage that is really wrong…Careful though…You have a lot of children that were taken. They are indigenous, their children are indigenous even though they don’t have the white governments card…so be careful and be mindful…just a thought.
Was hoping to look for my father's indigenous heritage ... but now for fear of offending or causing hatred or hurt feelings better off a blank heritage
Too bad. I have indigenous ancestry outside of the United States and Canada, and I can look for them as much as I can look for my Scottish and Spanish ancestors. I am not frauding anyone for wanting to know all of my ancestry. I have never claimed to be NA when people asked me. I said I don't know.
I get the impression that this identity theft is connected to piracy for some reason. There’s a culture of thievery in Ontario right now. I’d like to see Canada strengthen IP protection for artists, game designers, business processes.
If indigenous people are proud of their culture and of their history, and if they're still valiantly defending themselves against genocide, why is it that certain women of the First Nations feel the need to color their hair to make it look like that of people of northern European descent?
The main reason for this is financial. Step back, take a look at the life long benefits. No wonder they want the imposters gone before the Feds step in. In Canada I dated a first nation's lady. Had we married we could have had a house on the reservation with so many benefits including being able to fish the salmon all year round, also hunting, all year is season. Too much more to add here. Bottom line, so much temptation to even non criminals, take way the benefits and you end the crime.
So what of a man who identifies as a Cree woman? In Canada, identity is a choice. Apparently biology and genetics don't matter. You may ask, if simply "identifying" with a group should allow that individual all the access and rights of that group? In Canada the answer is yes. The Canadian government says it's perfectly fine for a 50+ man, who identifies as a 13 year old girl, to compete on a young girl's swim team and protects his right to do so. (Ontario) So you see neither biological age or gender play a role here. Genetics is not even minutely considered. So unless the Canadian government is bent on hypocrisy, in Canada, Buffy's in the clear. She can identify with whatever or whoever she wants. You can not win the fight over "indigenous identity fraud", until you win the fight over "Identity politics".
