In an interview with CJWW Radio Saskatchewan, Monte Solberg, the Conservative Finance Critic said, "(The) Kelowna Agreement is something that they crafted at the last moment on the back of a napkin on the eve of an election. We're not going to honour that. We will have our own plan that will help natives a lot more than the Liberals."
The duct tape has come off. Monte Solberg the outspoken Conservative MP has stated it pretty clearly today. His party of elected would have tear up yhe agreement reached in Kelowna addressing Aboriginal Issues.
What will these guys do in a Minority government? Who will be able to work with them? The NDP are solidly on side with the Kelowna Agreement as of course are the Liberals and the Bloc. The agreement may not go far enough and is really late in coming, but it is a start.
There is no way Harper and company can do this and still remain as government. Which means they are posturing for votes in the most dispiciable manner, playing a race card, playing up to a part of their base that supports eradicating rights of Aboriginal Canadians.
Some BC Conservative candidates have extreme views on Aborigianal issues. John Weston, the candidate in West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, is a lawyer who has spent a great deal of time fighting the Nisga'a treaty. We also have the infamous John Cummins running for re-election and Phil Eidsvik another activist opposed to the aboriginal fishery.
None of these people are looking to resolve outstanding issues but to reverse years of progress. Again with BC at the forefront of aboriginal issues in Canada, given all the treaty talks underway, you have to wonder just how committed to making deals the Conservatives would be given the attitudes of these potential Conservative MP's.
The cost of not having settlements inplace is very high. Until they are all resolved we will continue to see lost investment and growth as well as the continued denigration of aboriginal Canadians well being and participation in our society and country.
Perhaps they will use the notwithstanding clause to get around court rulings affirming aborinal rights as Ralph Klein attempted to do with people with disabilities in order to limit the provincial government's liability for past wrongs. Only after a national up-roar did he back down. I suspect these BC Conservative candidates to attempt to go straight ahead, and bull doze Aboriginal Canadians rights into the ground.
The best scenario for Harper right now is to look reasonable, to play the middle centre ground in a minority government. After Canadians see his efforts in a new parliament, they would return Harper and the Conservatives to a majority, then watch out, no one to check them then and we won't know this country after that.
Thats the game plan!
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