Stanley Park's Lost Lagoon - stevenleenow photo
Rename Stanley Park? These Are Crazy Days
An empty gesture won't truly help First Nations. But our politicians don't want to do the real work.
Bill Tieleman's 24 hours/TheTyee column
Tuesday July 6, 2010
By Bill Tieleman
"Why, this is very midsummer madness."
- William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
That's the only logical explanation for a government gone mad, ignoring both common sense and the people who elected them.
First the B.C. Liberal government thumbs its nose at the public and imposes a new Harmonized Sales Tax despite an unprecedented 705,643 voters signing the Fight HST petition against it.
And then the federal Conservative government spends over $1 billion to protect the G20 summit -- and can't stop a handful of black clad vandals from taking hammers to businesses in downtown Toronto.
The latest foolishness -- considering renaming Vancouver's world famous Stanley Park as "Xwayxway" -- the name of an ancient aboriginal village once located there.
The Squamish First Nation is behind the idea and Tourism Vancouver likes it.
'Pretty cool'
B.C. Tourism Minister Kevin Krueger says it would be "a pretty cool thing to do."
Vancouver City Councillor Ellen Woodworth calls it an "excellent suggestion" even though she admits to never having heard of "Xwayxway" till last week.
The Vancouver park board and city council will discuss it, but the decision is up to the federal government.
Here's my input -- no bloody way-way!
It's been Stanley Park since it was named after Canadian governor general Lord Frederick Stanley in 1888.
There's no need for a knee-jerk, bleeding heart liberal gesture that won't improve the lives of First Nations members one bit.
This is political correctness gone mad -- shall we rename Vancouver too?
After all, it was named after British Captain George Vancouver, who first visited here in HMS Discovery in 1792 -- despite the area's obvious aboriginal origins.
We could rename just about every street in the city too -- in fact, we could rename British Columbia.
Let's make a real difference
Here's a better idea. Instead of debating renaming Stanley Park, let's find a way to help more aboriginal students graduate from high school.
The current completion rates are appallingly low -- just 49 per cent in 2009 versus 79 per cent for all students -- despite continual provincial government lip service to improving them.
Why aren't B.C. aboriginal students graduating? The answer is simple according to Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs -- poverty.
"The vast majority of our people live far below the poverty line. Those conditions aren't improving, they are getting worse," Phillip said late last year.
So let's do something truly significant, as opposed to paying lip service by a name change that won't change reality for First Nations students or people but will make lots of people angry.
But the "culturally sensitive" are having a field day feeling guilty for bygone colonialism that none of us were remotely involved in.
Don't get me wrong, I support fair settlement of aboriginal land claims, compensating those who experienced the horrors of residential schools and celebrating native culture.
First Nations have yet to take their full rightful place in society, but symbolic feel-good gestures are nothing but a meaningless substitute for real action.
And after all, let's remember that Canada -- the name of our great country -- is based on the Huron-Iroquois word for village -- Kanata.
.
15 comments:
The Songhees used to live in and around the present Legislature grounds. They moved to Songhees two, in the early part of the 1900. seems the locals got tired of their slaves and all night carousing.I have maps of both reserve one and two somewhere in my papers.Gordo spent a bunch of money recently buying off the band as they were gearing up to claim the land back, even though they had agreed to move as mentioned above. If our provincial government is dumb enough to pay out big tax dollars to satisfy Robert Sam and pals, heck why not ask for a new name for Stanley Park or for that matter Point Gray or anywhere else they take a fancy to. The words" Unusual High expectations" was muttered a lot during treaty talks. But certain bands keep trying. A lot of the problems resulted from the Fed.s taking land for rail and road access and never quite got around to replacing the taken stuff with something else. But of course the Fed were under the impression when BC entered Canada, that the whole works was settled under treaty.Where did they get that idea/ well from the colony of BC.
The park is not going to be renamed.
As for the First Nations, they were treated badly, but this pity party has to end some time.
They can if they want to (and a few have, such as the Nisga'a and the Sechelt, plus the Squamish) have been successful in realizing development and economic goals within their reserves.
Renaming the area around Lumberman's Arch in honour of the old village is not a bad idea, and may still go ahead. I don't think pronouncement from the feds can stop that, if the parks commissioners and city keep pushing.
In honour of the ancient treaty making process, I'm hoping they would allow smoking there!
(And so what if smoking a peace pipe when signing a treaty is more of an eastern First Nations custom, ... this Vision Vancouver group still needs to do something that I support!)
"In honour of the ancient treaty making process, I'm hoping they would allow smoking there! "
What for? Only an idiot would smoke in a park during fire season (which we are heading into this week). Besides cig butts are not exatly environmentally friendly.
"(And so what if smoking a peace pipe when signing a treaty is more of an eastern First Nations custom, ... this Vision Vancouver group still needs to do something that I support!)"
Peace Pipes are so Hollywood. So are Sioux type warbonnets.
What Vancouver needs to do is support some workable concept to remove Vision Vancouver and its Happy Planet Mayor and replace it with something more tolerable.
And then the federal Conservative government spends over $1 billion to protect the G20 summit -- and can't stop a handful of black clad vandals from taking hammers to businesses in downtown Toronto."
The 19,000 police (the number of US Marines it took to invade and capture Guadacanal by the way) couldn't stop a handful of black clad vandals, because they DIDN'T want to, at least some of those "black clad vandals" were police operatives on police business, to justify the obscene budget and our iexorable descent into a police state.
See the excellent pictures and commentary over at Norm Farrell's (Northern Insights) about this and remember Montebello, when the police were caught out dead to rights. It is shameful that we pay to be fooled like this!
Think about it Bill, think about that footage of hundreds of police "watchiing" what I'm convinced was a police agent making a show of jumping up and down on a police car.....I mean really....I may have been born at night, but not last night!
"The 19,000 police (the number of US Marines it took to invade and capture Guadacanal by the way) couldn't stop a handful of black clad vandals, because they DIDN'T want to, at least some of those "black clad vandals" were police operatives on police business, to justify the obscene budget and our iexorable descent into a police state. "
Amazing how someone can tie in a U.S. WWII campaign, and think that we are in some kind of police state.
See the excellent pictures and commentary over at Norm Farrell's (Northern Insights) about this and remember Montebello, when the police were caught out dead to rights. It is shameful that we pay to be fooled like this!"
Exactly. A real shame that the Black Block "anarchists" are all whine and complaining. But they have never provided restitution for the damages done by them to businesses.
Think about it Bill, think about that footage of hundreds of police "watchiing" what I'm convinced was a police agent making a show of jumping up and down on a police car.....I mean really....I may have been born at night, but not last night!
Think your prespective is a bit cloudy. What makes you figure a police agent would be squishing the hood of a Toronto Police Patrol Car?
Think your anti-establishment bias that comes from the 1960s is showing once again.
and none of this has to do with Stanley Park.
You're right Anon 3:53, none of kootcoot's comments have anything to do with Stanley Park. So what?
It's the only good point you made and it's as unimportant as Bill's rant. Is it really that big a deal what the name is? We just finished the largest mass arrest in Canadian history, no doubt the worst abuse of police powers also, en route to our very own police state if the feeble minded refuse to take notice and all we get from here is "I don't like Xwayxway. Waah!"
Just to get that business out of the way, as I said it doesn't really matter to me that much but when I first heard it I thought lots of people will surely put up a fuss, definitely controversy if it happens. Hadn't occurred to me that Bill would be one of those opposed and then I read of Stockwell Day's denouncement as well. That's all the nudging I need, I get nervous over anything that either one supports. Both of them? Where do I sign the petition to change to Xwayxway? Is there a Citizen's Initiative going on that yet, never mind - those things are never successful even with 700,000 signatures.
Now about the G20 and our state of personal freedoms. We do not live in a democracy, our electoral system is a disgrace and a waste of time except for the elite. We do live in a police state, albeit of the minimalist variety, but as the resistance grows so will the police powers, bringing the country down with them.
When you said "A real shame that the Black Block 'anarchists' are all whine and complaining" did you mean it was a shame that they are allowed to show dissent towards the criminals in Ottawa? Sounds like you're in favor of this police state that you pretend isn't there.
Restitution? kootcoot is right, the police are not intent on stopping the resistance or vandalism if you like although I have reasonable sources from those in Toronto at the time indicating agent provocateurs were not employed. Black Bloc can't be scared into backing down so police target those who haven't joined the fight yet in hopes of terrorizing them into paralysis for next time. The rich can pay for all the damage several times over with the money that they have stolen from their enemies.
And although as I said, I don't believe the police trashed their own cars, it's not an unreasonable thought. They know there will be confrontation at some point so best find a small group to blame everything on rather than let ALL the protesters unite together.
As a sign from Sunday's march in Vancouver read "Solidarity Is Our Weapon" so the most important tactic of the police and their partners in complicity, the mainstream media, is to create division. Did you miss that rally on the news? It wasn't covered because the Black Bloc and their supporters who were also masked broke no windows. They did however rescue a DTES resident from potential police violence.
Hope all this makes people pause for thought. Black Bloc is not the enemy of the people. The "terrorists" of today may be the revolutionary heroes of tomorrow.
It's the only good point you made and it's as unimportant as Bill's rant. Is it really that big a deal what the name is? We just finished the largest mass arrest in Canadian history, no doubt the worst abuse of police powers also, en route to our very own police state if the feeble minded refuse to take notice and all we get from here is "I don't like Xwayxway. Waah!"
and the feeble minded refuse that trashed businesses? Those businesses are owned and run by citizens not the big corporations.
Which by the way, many union pension funds rely on for investment purposes.
"Now about the G20 and our state of personal freedoms. We do not live in a democracy, our electoral system is a disgrace and a waste of time except for the elite. "
Wrong. We do indeed live in a democatic society, the one thing the so-called anarchists can't fire their sensibilities on is that we do not support violent means, ever.
I would hardly call our party led by Jack Layton part of the so-called elite. We have made changes to Canadian society without resorting to violence.
"We do live in a police state, albeit of the minimalist variety, but as the resistance grows so will the police powers, bringing the country down with them."
You've never seen a real police state so the label is absurd to say the least.
And you want the anarchists to run everything? They couldn't run a street food stand if they tried.
"When you said "A real shame that the Black Block 'anarchists' are all whine and complaining" did you mean it was a shame that they are allowed to show dissent towards the criminals in Ottawa?"
No one politician in Ottawa has committed a crime against the Criminal Code, and its not up to the anarchists or Black Block to decide if they did, since the Black Block does not represent the majority of Canadians.
Hope all this makes people pause for thought. Black Bloc is not the enemy of the people.
The majority of Canadians see differently. Read the polls.
The "terrorists" of today may be the revolutionary heroes of tomorrow.
Which leaves you out for sure.
Now I've heard everything. These empty helmet anarchists are supposedly the heroes.
THey rail against big corporation while sing computers and so forth manufactured by large corporations, and get around on vehicles made by large corporations.
Wrong. We do indeed live in a democatic society, the one thing the so-called anarchists can't fire their sensibilities on is that we do not support violent means, ever.
I suppose you support the peaceful police handling of out of control Oh Canada singers for example or arms length slavery and murder in other countries that our government and the large corporations they support give quiet endorsement to.
(Black Bloc is not the enemy of the people.)
The majority of Canadians see differently. Read the polls.
So when the majority of Canadians no longer vote can we give up on this so-called democracy and try something else? Shouldn't be long, BC will probably be there next time.
Thanks for the entertainment, by the way. I'll have some more time on the weekend to delve into your insanity further.
"I suppose you support the peaceful police handling of out of control Oh Canada singers for example or arms length slavery and murder in other countries that our government and the large corporations they support give quiet endorsement to."
Well if those countries bother you that much, sign up for an overseas aid agency and assist the citizens yourself.
Much better than hollering and squealing while bashing in someone's store.
(Black Bloc is not the enemy of the people.)
The majority of Canadians see differently. Read the polls.
"So when the majority of Canadians no longer vote can we give up on this so-called democracy and try something else? Shouldn't be long, BC will probably be there next time."
Well that will be a very long time coming if it ever does, and relying on self-righteous self-proclaimed "heroes" like youself isn't goiing to be doing anything useful.
In the meantime, register to vote and better yet help Bill and I within the NDP to form goverment next time.
"Thanks for the entertainment, by the way. I'll have some more time on the weekend to delve into your insanity further."
Well considering that you're obviously out of it, it would take you far longer than any weekend to see and realise what an actual working democracy that we current have is working despite it not being perfect and to you and your Black Block buds' liking.
Think about it while you use your corporate made computer, internet and think about how your responses get from your corporation company made computer through Sun Microsystems equipment into the internet to Bill's blog and his computer which is also corporate company made, and back out again for everyone to see.
Xwayxway is only ONE of several names attached to the peninsula in question; Chaythoos is the name of Prospect Point, and of course Siwash Rock has a proper name in Squamish and is much more "spiritually notable". I'm all for a plaque, even a demonstration village, commemorating the village of Xwayxway at Lumberman's Arch (as well as a reproduction of the original Lumberman's Arch, which was a Parthenon-type temple built out of whole logs).
But naming the park for the village makes about as much sense as naming the province for the city of Vancouver.
The Squamish Nation government may like the idea, but they scarcely represent their nation, their people. They're just politicians, not cultural sages.
The name of the headland/rise of land the forms the bulk of the city of Vancouver was Ulkxen or Ulksen in Musqueam. The name of the tiny little maple tree-lined beach at what is now Maple Tree Square was Lucklucky ("vine maples"), Jericho was Eeyulshun ("soft sand squishes between the toes"). The name of the Fraser River is Sto:lo but we now use that for the collection of peoples who live along its lower reaches. But none of these should be used to supplant the names that history has grafted on to them.
We had a lot of hoo-had about "Salish Sea" and boy, that one stuck good didn't it? People still say Puget Sound, Strait of Georgia etc because those are the names; not politically-conferred tubthumps.
Enough with the cultural guilt trips. Brow-beating all white people for colonialism is like brow-beating all Chinese for foot-binding or all black (and/or Arab) people for vaginal circumcision....."collective guilt" and "guilt by skin colour" have got to be thrown out with the dirty bathwater they were spawned in....
old news. time to paddle the canoe to new waters.
Was unable to access a computer on the weekend as expected, just catching up now. Obviously we will never convince each other of our respective positions so moving on is an agreeable idea.
I did want to respond to what you said about joining the NDP in hopes of ousting the Liberals. I have no intention to vote but if I did it would probably be for the Liberals for no other reason than to try to get it through people's heads what a mistake it was for the NDP to not support STV last year. If you and Bill want this kind of government, which will not change significantly under NDP, then I'm only to happy to help you suffer.
cont.
Which brings me to my main point. The original colonial government was of course the person and agenda of Governor Douglas. Pretty much he was driven from power, and his policies and agenda trashed, by an alliance of newspapermen, "liberal" capitalists and some of his own underlings ("the military clique", including Trutch). Among other things that got trashed, such as a more pro-native policy and Douglas' intentions to further recruit black Americans as citizens, were Douglas intentions that BC should be able to stand alone without having to join with Canada, and that the Pacific Colony should have had a share of Rupert's Land, namely those regions which are now the province of Alberta and the Yukon Territory and today's Northwest Territories (i.e. the Mackenzie District). Some of the liberal capitlists, too, liked the "Greater British Columbia" vision but they were shot down at the Yale Convention by the Canadian nationalists who had come to dominate, or try to, colonial poiltics by that time.
The alliance of promotional/compliant/fictionalizing media with "liberal" capital and resource-monopoly give-aways forms the basis of the provincial polity today; the seeds of the corruption we are recognizing are not just rife in BC but endemic to its system were laid in the 1860s, with - as example - Trutch, as Commission of Works, giving himself construction contracts. The cronyism and moneygrubbing of bureaucrats can be traced to the first official appointments in the Mainland Colony - Hicks and Whannell, in all their fleecery and pompous-ass political gall. Even Begbie's hands were dirty, and how he covered his tracks was to destroy the paper trail (sound familiar?).
I think the reason that BC history is not a priority in our universities and schools is because any real familiarity with it would reveal too much truth about the in-group power-mongering and money-chicanery that has been entrenched system. The only reason the party system was introduced in 1903 was so that there would be ways to organize the corruption according to faction, instead of the free-for-all of the decades preceding. And the media as the institution of information control and policy promotion have always been part of the game, from Amor de Cosmos and John Robson down through Paddy Sherman and Bruce Hutchison to the pathetic nerds who pose as editors and publishers today, proudly sporting their "accredited" tags at BC Supreme Court, to the exclusion of those who do not think like them.....
The roots of the problem - not just native redress nor corruption like the BC Rail scandal and castration of BC Hydro - are in the very structure of the way the British constitution was coopted and stage-managed by an already-corrupt system, which you have rightly designated as "the colony of British Columbia"; the colony by 1867-1870 being completely overtaken by the highjackers and carpetbaggers who arrived to set up their own little Lilliput and Brobdingnag.....
Interestingly, Jonathan Swift had placed Brobdingnag at about the latitude of Bella Bella....
DPL:
But of course the Fed were under the impression when BC entered Canada, that the whole works was settled under treaty.Where did they get that idea/ well from the colony of BC.
Well, it's something like that. It's more like the issue was shelved until after BC joined Confederation, then BC's position was that the act of joining Confederation had negated any of its own outstanding responsibilities to have dealt with the treaty issue. Ottawa was led down the primrose path, yes, but wasn't idle....and by the 1890s the notion of the Government Reserve was come up with, which was Crown Land held in collateral against eventual claims settlements (which BC resisted even talking about - or even admitting to - until the Vander Zalm years). The Government Reserve was shell-gamed away by the Forests Act of 1976, which gave that vast tract of land over to the five largest forest companies in return for their bankrolling of Bill Bennett's leadership and election campaigns....sound familiar?
The treaty issue was aflame in the 1870s, with the natives understanding that BC was shirking what they were now realizing they'd been cut out of - legitimacy and treaty recognition - and until their nerves were soothed by Lord Dufferin during his visit in that decade, there was a war alliance emerging in the Interior with the intention of wiping out the whites, who were still few and far between in that region, particularly in the south (the Cariboo by contrast had lots of whites and few natives). Dufferin also heard from the BC political cabal, who were upset at Ottawa breaking "the Carnvaron Terms" which would have secured Victoria as a railhead and also mandated the importation of Cornish, Welsh, Scottish and Irish labourers to build the railway....and settle the colony. Dufferin had no official power, but lots of moral suasion and of course influence in London - neither the natives nor their railway-happy colonist enemies were satisfied, but both were staved off. The incipient rebellion evaporated, perhaps because of the Johnny Ussher-Allan MacLean affair, and by 1881 MacDonald had the railway project rolling again, though under vastly different terms that BC thought they'd signed for. Tit for tat - Ottawa veiled and twisted its promises over Confederation, likewise BC did the same. A province founded on betrayal and double-talk....some legacy huh? Still with us today.
Post a Comment