Now the United Nations is involved. They’ve sent over their “rapporteur” investigator James Anaya, and he’s whipped off a report to New York severely criticizing the Harper government for doing nothing about the crisis in the James Bay Indian community.
When the United Nations is involved, it goes around the world.
Two weeks ago Canada was a pariah after Stephen Harper pulled us out of Kyoto. Now it’s Attawapiskat, and the treatment of the community has made news around the world. A pariah, two weeks in a row.
arper ducked out Kyoto.
Anaya lambasted Harper’s government in his report, explaining to the world that the living conditions in the reserve of Attawapiskat are "disastrous."
Worse, they are many other 'indigenous' communities with the same problems in Canada.
Anaya continued: Conditions in Attawapiskat are similar to those in the Third World. Could he have been any more critical?
"Canada: a Third World country! " -- Great headline!
Rather than reply "We’re going to see to the problem immediately, sir," the Harper government chose to do what it usually does when it’s backed into a corner – deny, deny, and deny, then deflect.
Keep Indian Affairs Minister John Duncan out of this. He’s screwed up enough. So Harper sends a press officer, Michelle Yeo. Her mission: lecture Anaya. The rapporteur has a "lack of credibility" she says. So the Harper government "will correct inaccuracies" in his statement, she adds. The Indians in Attawapiskat are well treated, and the Harper government cares for them, she continues. She might as well have added: “Nothing to see here, just keep moving.” So far it’s been all deny and deny. But never has it been a matter of saying "Thank you for your analysis, sir, we will study it carefully and take the appropriate action." Such a response would have been much too polite. No problems in Attawapiskat? Like they don’t read the newspapers at the UN in New York and they don’t watch the evening news on television. Who do they take the UN for? Yeo spots an error in Anaya’s letter to the federal government. It’s incorrectly addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon rather than to the new minister John Baird, who replaced him. Bravo,Yeo. Now you’ve at “deflect.” Keep deflecting every time you can. But the Indians! The freezing Indians! And their children who are in tents and shacks with holes and no insulation, no water, electricity or heating. It's been almost three months. Now the weather is below zero every day. Quick, try to spot more address errors on the envelopes. Keep trying! Yeo says the Harper government focuses on the needs of Attawapiskat and is interested in their welfare. Yes, it shows! The whole world can see how "interested" he is.
