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First Nations Want Cellphone Revenue  A rant by: MaxSteel "The CBC is reporting that First Nations in Manitoba want compensation for every cell phone signal that passes through their land because it violates their airspace. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs recently resolved to negotiate revenue sharing with Manitoba Telecom Services. Ovide Mercredi of the Grand Rapids First Nations says "When it comes to using airspace, it's like using our water and simply because there's no precedent doesn't mean that it's not the right thing to do." This move may inspire First Nations in other provinces to follow suit." Full Story: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/05/30/manitoba-cellphone.html << Back Add a Comment Comments ( Add a Comment ) merlot says: 2007-06-06 14:59:11 Then I want compensation for every time a native breaths his whiskey breath on me. That is violating my space. Rigel says: 2007-06-08 20:11:55 If these guys think they'll get any revenue from cellphone signals passing over their territory, they're only displaying the level of genius that's running First Nations affairs. I'd like to know how they propose to track the number of these signals and what they intend to charge for the privilege of crossing their territory. Or are they just going to set some arbitrary figure and hope to collect? I don't know who came up with such a plan but if they are the brains behind the First Nations, that entire group is in trouble. Haven't they figured out that if this whole issue goes to court, their chances of winning are not just slim but it is likely to get thrown out as too frivolous to be considered? And even if it does get heard, the only ones who will benefit will be the lawyers. According to their logic, all homeowners in the country should start taking the airlines to court every a plane passes over their yards by claiming they are trespassing or are invading privacy. The First Nations people would be wise to start selected leaders who possess some degree of common sense instead of wasting time and money on dead-end proposals. BigB says: 2007-06-13 03:32:38 another example of how giving mercy has knocked the white man on the ass. Here is an idea...rather then trying to take our money get a effin job. Maybe contribute to society. Do you honestly think that had the early settlers not come they would still be living in teepees and eating raw meat? Give your heads a shake I didn't do anything to you and you have not been wronged. We are giving the native ppl money for something that happened to them many years ago. Most of them probably can't follow their family tree back to who the idiot was that actually traded land for candy and whiskey. Anonymous says: 2007-07-06 01:18:06 Think. Why do you mock this proposal? What is so negative about it? Is it costing you money directly? Why should it concern simple citizens? Obviously simple is the word to describe you. If you think there was one treaty signed for all Aboriginal People... your wrong. Treaties were signed at different times in history. Some earlier and some later. "Get a effen job"? What is your background and where did you grow up? Colour your skin red and try walk down a white neighbourhood in search of a job. Your different... they dont know what to expect of you... all they heard were negative things about your race. Despite your character you are only an indian. You drink whiskey and commit crimes... I wouldnt want to employ you... you might steal or scare people... I dont want you. How is a HUMAN supposed to get a break? Money Problems and Proposals... HEY!!!... Always an issue right? Well... The Government does not give indians too much money because they might actually amount to something... Money allocated for Economic Development are cut to a minimum because and indian might make something of himself/herself but the welfare revenue stays strong. Because you cant do much with welfare... You can barely survive. Have you heard about the North American Genocide? A holocaust really. From the mid 1500's to... well.. .now. The Indian people of North America were put on this small patches of land. Promised snake tounged lies. Their children raped of their identity and their fathers slaughter. Their mothers disgraced. Children were forced into residential schools and raised like livestock. Losing not only their identity but also their parenting skills. Raising their children like blind drones with a pathetic "education". Their Children taken away from them during the 60's scoop and placed in mostly caucasian homes. Again losing their identity. Now we are left in shambles and expected to succeed in a world expecting us to fail. What a place to be for someone huh? Our children get the privilage to drink poisonous water, to be malnourished, to live in third world living conditions and live in poverty. Dont we have it good. I wake up every morning singing to myself. "We have it better than the rest..." The Genocide of Aboriginal People continues today. Look on the downtown streets of Winnipeg. Grandfathers and GrandMothers Begging for change. passed out on the cement, slowly dying. Running from the Harsh reality. Youth misguided and broken. Our people divided by Anglo and Aboriginal Views. Our people are slowly dying and you have the nerve to throw these thoughtless stereotypes in our faces? Dont place the face of one on the face of many. THINK! Do you not have any compassion for any other human being who is clearly suffering? .... Do some research on this topic before commenting such absurd RACIST comments. Do some research on Human Rights. There are third world living conditions in Canada. Places where 14 to 16 people share one 3 bedroom home with one bathroom. Where education fails. Places where children struggle to survive. Where families suffer in the darkness. With No Voice. No voice because no one will listen. Think about this while you are going to work... Think about this while you are sitting around with your family. Again, What is this costing you? It is costing the companies. Rant at them not at the People who struggle to stand on their own two feet again. If you took the time to read this. Meegwetch. IJustWannaSayThis says: 2007-07-07 06:43:45 First of all, I'd love to know how you managed to post as "Anonymous". That aside, your post is laudable, however I have no sympathy for anyone - native or non-native - who lets their self become a slave to alcohol or drugs or for that matter begging as a way of living. If life on the reserve is so awful, why not join the 21st century and make something of your life? If not your life, the life of your descendants. I'll admit the entire issue of natives in this country is mishandled. But I firmly believe that if every single land claim in Canada was settled today giving the land back to natives the best we would see would be a few dozen new casinos being built but no real change in the lives of the average native. But none of this is what's at issue. What this particular rant is about is natives to come along and unilaterally declare that not only do they own the land but that they own the air now, too, which is almost totally unheard of. It's a cute trick to try and get some money, but they have no more right to control transmissions flying through the air than they do have the right to tax planes which happen to fly through their airspace, or cars which happen to travel on their land. may says: 2007-07-10 15:32:02 I am absolutely shocked to see that same people still act this way after all the education and the upraising they got! If you are acting a human with out a HEART please get a new one cuz your ignorance is poisoning all of us here in Canada and now around the world when they get to see this! Respect is essential for the human mind because that tells what kind of person you are so in this case I suggest you respect people and their history so that same day their children respect you back! Remember this what goes around cames around if you bad mouth people you will be bad mouthed back 7 times worst than you ever did! How would you feel if we talked about your people the way you talked about ours? Open your eyes widely to see the up comings you might need our help one day! be nice to get nice! alright! Cuz life is short especially if you are using your time for these kind of things... PEACE.... may says: 2007-07-10 15:32:53 I am absolutely shocked to see that same people still act this way after all the education and the upraising they got! If you are acting like a human with out a HEART please get a new one cuz your ignorance is poisoning all of us here in Canada and now around the world when they get to see this! Respect is essential for the human mind because that tells what kind of person you are so in this case I suggest you respect people and their history so that same day their children respect you back! Remember this what goes around cames around if you bad mouth people you will be bad mouthed back 7 times worst than you ever did! How would you feel if we talked about your people the way you talked about ours? Open your eyes widely to see the up comings you might need our help one day! be nice to get nice! alright! Cuz life is short especially if you are using your time for these kind of things... PEACE.... Alpha137 says: 2007-10-22 22:03:24 There are first nations peoples living in the city with cell phones... why are we saying that it is jut the white man these people are going after. Clearly they still feel wronged. What I can’t understand is why everyone can't just let it all go and live in this day, and this age. Yes, it was all very horrible, but should they really be asking for money for the "air space" that the cell phone companies are "stealing" no. They should be rallying to get commodities to them. If you do nothing, nothing will happen. SOLMoFo says: 2008-01-06 14:09:05 To anonymous: you make a few good points, interspersed with complete naivete and stupidity. First, I wish to address the funding you claim is justified by past suffering. Why is there no such programs for the jews? What about the people in Africa, (or one of many countries) who are tortured or killed to this day? Do they not deserve programs such as the ones offered to natives in this country? They don't get them of course, because they don't live in a country like Canada. Next time you preach you deservance of special treatment, think a little. When is it gonna be time to say "Yeah, we f***ed up in the past, but now it's time to move on and forward"? f***ing get over it... life sucks. Life is hard. If any one of us looks at our family trees, we wouldn't need to go back too far to find terrible adversity, and yet none of us are rewarded for our forefathers' suffering. As a white male, I am actually discriminated against in the way you describe. Many companies have the philosophy that a well trained, educated white man is far less desirable than a minority worker with no experience, especially if that person is disabled! The government is especially bad for this. Equal opportunity my ass. I realize I might sound like a racist idiot, but where does racism and most hatred come from? It comes from (and spurs) differential treatment between groups. When one group gets privileges that another group does not, there is justifiably tension created. I was under the impression that we were in the 21st century, that we are all equals... but the government tells me that is not so. This view of injustice is further reinforced by ridiculous demands such as this... I mean, like, really. The BALLS of whoever came up with the idea... Next, I wish to address the comment "It doesn't cost you anything" Patent bulls*** if I ever heard of it. Since you don't pay taxes, maybe it won't cost YOU anything, but people who work for a living pay for EVERYTHING. Point blank. And if MTS did have to pay this ridiculous charge, who do you think would actually pay? That's right! The people who use MTS!!! You think they're gonna lose a penny on their bottom line? No, because we'll more than make up for that. If it costs them 10 million, they'll charge us an extra 15 million, just to make sure. That comes out of our ass as customers. Give your f***ing head a shake! AnolaBoy says: 2008-10-27 17:00:43 K, the subject is radio waves passing over their land. I'm against natives gettin money for this cause its just an absolute ludacris idea! But off topic here, i have many native friends who use our system amazingly and smart. What i mean is they go to university for free, they buy cars tax free...an houses, and my buddy an his family get the best psychologists and family help for FREE. Now i'm fine with them gettin all this FREE support..but shouldn't they be happy with what they got? I laugh at my native friends an tell em how sweet they got it, an they all agree. Now my native friends are what i call "smart natives" they use our system to their advantage which puts them so much farther ahead in the game of life than than the rest of us. If only the rest of the native community would help themselves by just fillin out some papers an then get free education, no taxes, and the best medical psychological counsiling..the native community would be GREAT! |
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Can I be the first to tell Natives once and for all to F*CK OFF.