| Re: "New party aims to improve life for aboriginal people," by Amy Steele, Election, January 12-28, 2005.
Thank you for the news and information on the First Peoples National Party of Canada. It doesn’t surprise me that the lack of coverage in both the Calgary Sun and Calgary Herald failed to provide, and as always your newspaper coverage of Native issues and views is where I found the article, which was informative and helpful.
After living and working in Calgary as a working taxpayer for 19 years, I can finally vote for a person and a party that will represent my people to address major issues facing aboriginals living in this city and hopefully see changes. We urban Natives struggle with racism, employment, poverty, housing, education, health and many other problems.
Basically, once Native people leave their reservation to further their education or find employment, they lose their Native status and Treaty rights and aren’t the responsibility of their reserves or tribes. We have to fend for ourselves and face enormous difficulties.
So, for the first time, I can vote and feel I have a voice as an equal Canadian with all rights and privileges.
If anyone doesn’t think Native people don’t have political clout or power, just remember Elijah Harper, an aboriginal member of Parliament who refused to agree and sign the Meech Lake Accord in 1990. He killed an important document and changes to the Canadian Constitution because Natives weren’t involved in negotiations. This is what one person single-handedly did.
Norbert Many-Grey-Horses, Calgary
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