I have been rather busy of late and therefore am behind on my Blogs but thought I would try to address my deficiency via the following timely quickies:
First Off - the Plight of Canada's Aboriginals -
My thoughts on this issue are generally well known to long time readers - simply stated, Reserves need to be busted up and their inhabitants moved to civilization.
I can hear the Lefties saying - 'what nerve on the part of Galagher to think that he knows best what "civilization" is for our natives'.
The fact of the matter is that I have no idea on that particular subject, but I do know what is not working. Living in remote areas - with absolutely nothing of value to do and being paid to do it, is a recipe for disaster as has been experienced by so many Reserves. This is most recently evident by the trials and travails experienced by the Attawapiskat Tribe*.
The simple fact is, The Indian Way of life - nomads of North America, ended 150 years ago never to return. To deny this is to live a dream.
The only answer is to bust up these reserves - move the inhabitants to population centres, introduce private land ownership and remove the Chiefs from the finances. Democratically Elected Councils should be established and subject to outside impartial regular audits.
Until that happens - nothing of substance will change. Full Stop.
*P.S. I found it amusing when their current Chief ranted on about De Boers Diamond Miner taking these valuable stones from local mines "while her subjects received nothing and lived in squalor". No mention was made of the fact that this self same De Boers was paying the Chief and her Managers - millions of dollars per year for the privilege of mining on reserve lands. Minor oversight on her part no doubt but of course, she had part of her story correct, in that none of her humble tribesmen shared in the booty.
Peter McKay's Helicopter Flight of Fancy -
Peter too was both right and wrong.
Right, in that he had every right to take this DND flight from his fishing hole. And Wrong, in that he tried to excuse it by saying he took part in a non-existent Rescue Training Exercise.
In doing so, he lied and looks foolish. Does it warrant his resignation - I don't think so. But you be the Judge.
But back to why he was correct in calling in the DND Air Taxi. As Minister of Defence, he is the Top Military Man and as such he should always have DND assets at his disposal to make life easier for him. Plus, every time he comes in contact with military personnel, both he and they benefit from the exposure.
Earlier you may recall that I did a Blog where I suggested that there are six or so Cabinet Ministers, given their responsibilities, who should have government transport at their beck and call - 24 hours a day - 7 days a week - including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the External Affairs Minister and the Ministers of Public Safety, Transport and of course, Defence. For these six individuals there is no such thing as a holiday - they are always on duty even when sleeping - and yes - even while fishing.
So rather than come up with a lame excuse - McKay should have stuck out his chest and said, "I am the Minister of Defence and I never pass up a chance to be with our valued military personnel, whether on holiday or not". Full Stop.
Arab Spring -
Has of course become Arab Winter.
Pompous souls, such as President Obama, fooled themselves into thinking that the ongoing revolutions in middle eastern countries portended the advent of democracy. Readers of this Blog will know, I was always feared what would come after the Dictators.
Egypt, the largest Muslim Nation - is now in the process of electing an Islamist Government which will tolerate neither Christians nor Jews. Already, followers of both these religions are being killed or injured across the Muslim World with the lucky ones being those who are able to escape to the west.
While we, in the west, continue to keep our doors open to Muslim immigrants. Where is the fairness? But more importantly, what will be the end result. I am not for a moment suggesting that all Muslims are to be feared but admittedly in their ranks are the extremists - the Islamists - and they cannot be reasoned with. These Terrorists are already causing trouble across the West and this will only increase with time. Which leads me to the fourth and final quickie.
World War II Canada and Japan -
Two stories appeared in the papers this week both concerning this topic.
The first saw former Prime Minister Mulroney in receipt of a top award - The Order of the Rising Sun - from Japan some 70 years after the fall of Hong Kong. The award was for Mulroney's handling of an apology to Japanese Residents displaced during the War here in Canada. Mulroney's official Government Apology, along with Funding for Japanese / Canadian Reconciliation, plus compensation for individuals and families affected by the displacement, occurred during Mulroney's first term in Office in the 1980s.
Of interest, Mulroney had to go through 2 or 3 Secretaries of State before he found one who would acquiesce to his demand.
A little background - during World War II there was a large Japanese Population in British Columbia - many of whom did not have Canadian Citizenship. At the same time, there arose a genuine fear that Japan would invade Canada in the West and that the loyalties of our Japanese Inhabitants could not be totally relied upon. We can sit here today and say 'tut tut' how dare one question those residents' patriotism, but this is now and that was then when there was a real fear that the Axis Powers were going to win out and subject us all to slavery.
Property of the Japanese was seized and sold without compensation while many were interned in make shift camps.
In retrospect, what should have been done is to keep their belongings in storage and return them at war's conclusion. At the very least, compensation should have been paid to them at the time of their release - in 1945 / 46 since it would be clear at that time who the true owners were.
But to do so in 1985 - some 40 years later when many of the wronged were no longer with us and to provide an apology to boot, was just too much for some to stomach. Especially our Veterans of Hong Kong.
And that leads me to the second story in this week's papers which marked the anniversary of the fall of Hong Kong on Christmas 1941. Our troops were starved, beaten, killed - subjected to the most extreme treatment and literally worked to death. Pictures in this week's paper show what remained of our soldiers was mere skeletons.
Try telling them that we had to apologize and compensate our Japanese residents in the mid 80s many of whom had only tenuous ties to those affected during the War.
Some 2000 of our troops went to Hong Kong and at war's end, less than half returned.
With the bestowing of the medal to Mulroney, the media also announced that the Government of Japan finally provided an apology to Canada for their inhumane treatment of our troops. One of our very few remaining Hong Kong Vets reported that their apology 'meant nothing to him - but that hopefully it will prove to be of some value for the Japanese themselves'. As for compensation in regard to their forced labour and abuse - absolutely nothing.
When Mulroney received his award, he waxed eloquent - as he always does - by stating that "this was one of the greatest travesties that occurred in modern Canada history" and that he was most pleased to have been able to right this wrong.
Try telling that to our 'Hong Kongers" the few that remain. What he should have told the Japanese Officials is 'thanks but no thanks, your apology means nothing to me'.
As I see it ...
'K.D. Galagher'
