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In my three-part posts on the Vancouver Olympic opening ceremonies and the prominent presence of natives, I focused mainly on B.C. natives.
This phenomenon is being felt throughout Canada. Land claims issues in Caledonia, Ontario dragged on for several years, including disrupting the lives of non-natives, some even fearing for their lives. The Ontario government, when it could have been resolved quickly and resolutely, let it drag on for years. I've blogged about that here, and also about the Mohawk reserve near Montreal, where non-whites were asked to leave the reserve to maintain the Mohawk culture and identity. If this had happened with any other group (e.g. telling Muslims and other immigrants they need to go back to their own countries), there would have been an uproar.
The native issue is the same as all the other issues, and that is Canada is readily giving away its history, culture and heritage. It was eerie to watch it so blatantly during the Olympic ceremonies. It really looked like a take-over - natives welcoming the spectators and athletes on their land! Just a few decades ago, this would have been unthinkable, treaties or not. All this is just the iceberg of what is festering underneath it all.
