The federal government today said it had acquired 15 mobile homes for the beleaguered community of Attawapiskat, Ont. The community’s chief, Theresa Spence, says they need 22. And, in any event, the homes won’t get there until after Christmas when the roads are frozen solid enough for transport.
Read the latest from my bureau colleague Kristy Kirkup and take our poll:
[polldaddy poll=5746694]
Be sure to leave a comment below and tell us why you voted the way you did. My opinion? Lots of blame to go around …
If the Attawapiskat peoples actually lived and worked the way they have for generations upon generations before now, this would not be such a huge issue. The problem is that they came to depend on handouts from the government and stopped doing the tasks for survival that they had been doing. They don’t want to go and fish anymore because they have no shelter, how did the generations before them survive? Many of their peoples have left and receive free education, no taxes and other fantastic benefits that they do not in turn return to their families still there. It is an astounding amount that has been given and continues to be given to the people of Attawapiskat and others as well, which has turned, in their minds into a right instead of the priveledge it was intended to be to help educate and train the younger generations to improve the living conditions. Unfortunately, most seem to “take the money and run” and do not return to assist with change that is obviously most necessary.