Thief (sic) Nelson

A writer writes into the free press about Nelson.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/story/4240323p-4883436c.html

Thief (sic) Nelson
Thank you for your article regarding my father Ernie Henry and his plight (No heat, running water, for elder, Free Press, Oct. 11). My father downplays his predicament. The temporary quarters he resides in during construction is not provided for him by the band. The RV is my family’s vacation home. He would be without shelter for the past five months if left to Chief Terry Nelson. Mr. Henry’s monthly income of $255 barely affords him the gas necessary to drive to restroom or bathing facilities. I do drive the 400 miles from Minneapolis to visit him once or twice a month and bring groceries, pet food and small luxuries. Chief Nelson has yet to visit my father or even send his condolences at the loss of my brother Tom. I imagine if Thief (sic) Nelson were to visit my father, Nelson would feel the need to write himself an “honorarium” check as he does for countless other deeds.

Perhaps funds could be allocated to complete my fathers’ house renovation if Chief Nelson would forego his upcoming trip to China. Yes, Nelson and cronies, I mean councilors, are heading to China at an estimated cost of $70,000. Perhaps while there they could attend a humanitarian seminar.

I am bitter about my father's treatment. All my life I’ve been taught that it is the “Indian” way to revere our elders. Nelson professes to be a traditional native who practices our customs. Why then, is a Roseau River First Nation elder living in such miserable conditions under Chief Nelsons leadership?

uhh... what could they possibly be going to China for this time?

That should be expanded to thieving band leaders. There was a good piece on the CBC last night of a (cute) aboriginal lady going to the UofW. Her band rejected her request for funding, saying they had no money for her. She is doing the thing I did and getting student loans.


Aboriginal leaders are crying to gov't to pay for everyone of them to get a free ride, free education. On the surface, I agreed, but later changed my mind... I'll tell you why....


I know a number of immigrants in Winnipeg. These people were fairly well off (not suffering) in the country they came from (primarily China). They saw Canada as a land of opportunity. They came here, often with NOTHING and get student loans and get University degrees, Master degrees and Phds. These are not geniuses, but very hardworking people.


I have always believes that is you give something to someone, they will not appreciate it... they will not work for it.


These people live in tiny apartments, sometimes 5 or more to a small bachelor suite. Do you hear them crying that the gov't should help them more? Nope.


I know we wronged our first nations people, but is another giveaway the way to get them self sufficient and on their feet?


When one of my friends sees a man on the street asking for money, she will ask, "Why does he beg?" She cannot understand, why, in as country of almost limitless opportunity, someone would need to beg for money.


This is the culture of hardworking attitude that these people come from.


I admire anyone who makes the effort to go to University or College and make something out of themselves.... especially when it is not given to them. It makes the victory all that much sweeter, IMO.

I saw that CBC piece and felt for that young lady. She impressed me. There are some First Nations peeps receiving a free university education and no matter the source of the money, I support it. That said peeps like Nelson pissing away money on a trip to China is scandalous, maybe criminal.

Feed, house and educate your people above all else sir.

Ok...I'm not saying this band leader is a saint...or that he's not a thief, because I don't know the whole issue. But I'm going to address this article that's being quoted here, because I see some of the REAL flaws in this.

#1 The temporary quarters he resides in during construction is not provided for him by the band.

- Not provided by the band? Why should he expect it to be? GET A JOB...and if you can't...get some assistance. I have to renovate sections of MY home because the idiot who did the work before I bought it was a MORON. Do I get someone to fix it for me? NO Does the government step in and offer me a home to live in while mine is being fixed? NO! nor should I expect them to. If there's no jobs in that area...MOVE!!!

#2 The RV is my family’s vacation home.

- The guy writing the letter can afford a "vacation home" and his father staying in it? Oh hardship is us!!! I can't afford a vacation home...if I could...I'd probably not be worried so much about the renovations. And if I was the band leader, and I saw this guy had some form of temporary shelter...I could probably care less about providing him anything else. Plus...this Mr. Henry guy is supposedly the writer's father...DUH!!! you're EXPECTED to take care of him then!!!

#3 Mr. Henry’s monthly income of $255 barely affords him the gas necessary to drive to restroom or bathing facilities. I do drive the 400 miles from Minneapolis to visit him once or twice a month and bring groceries, pet food and small luxuries.

- True $255/month is nothing...but why does he need gas to get to the restroom or bathing? thought he had an RV? Those have both. Plus...if he can afford a vehicle to drive, and the insurance, and the maintenance...he's making more than $255/month somehow. Add to that the writer driving 400 miles from Minneapolis to deliver "goods"? He's spending more than the $255/month on gas alone!!! Stop driving...send a cheque...or do you not trust your "father" to spend it on food and necessities?

#4 Chief Nelson has yet to visit my father or even send his condolences at the loss of my brother Tom.
- I don't remember Mayor Shammy or Premier Doer knocking on my door when I lost my cat last month. Maybe I should write a letter to complain about lack of compassion of the politicians?

#5 Perhaps funds could be allocated to complete my fathers’ house renovation if Chief Nelson would forego his upcoming trip to China. Yes, Nelson and cronies, I mean councilors, are heading to China at an estimated cost of $70,000. Perhaps while there they could attend a humanitarian seminar.
- Is there a REASON they are going to China? I don't know...but there could be...maybe to import some immigrants to help build the house? Since obviously the writer is too lazy to put a few shingles on during his "monthly visit" to help speed things up.

#5 I am bitter about my father's treatment. All my life I’ve been taught that it is the “Indian” way to revere our elders. Nelson professes to be a traditional native who practices our customs. Why then, is a Roseau River First Nation elder living in such miserable conditions under Chief Nelsons leadership?
- NO...the "Indian" way is to be a communist society where EVERYONE does there part, and does not expect anyone else to "support" them unless they contribute. IT IS NOT "sniffing" whatever they can get their noses in, drinking themselves into oblivion, and BLAMING everyone else for their failure. The true "Indian" way is a sense of honour in oneself and one's society. In providing for each other and helping those who NEED it, and shunning those who are unwilling to WORK for what they need.

I again have no ill will for those who honestly cannot help themselves, but the writer of this letter OBVIOUSLY can help himself quite well. If he's living in Minneapolis and amid a faltering economy can STILL afford a "vacation home" for his family AND to drive back and forth once or twice a month...he could certainly afford to bring his father down to live for a couple of months while the house they are waiting to be given to them is being built. He could also certainly afford to provide more for his "father", than just what he's stated here. My father lives in West Virigina, and if he was having such issues that needed so much help, I would probably go bankrupt trying to help him. Though my father would just build his own house instead of depending on someone else to do it...and then send the bill to "whoever" to spite them.

The flaw in some of the posts is the ridiculous idea that we should expect the aboriginals to work on getting self sufficient, when they were promised to be looked after for the rest of their lives!

We have to follow through with our promises!

A trip to China to see how really poor chinese manage to live, can only benefit the aboriginal leaders!
when they return, I have no doubt that they will be able to get the aboriginal community to survive on rice instead of KFC!

That will reduce the costs to the federal government, and certainly will pay for the trip through a reduction of costs!

Why is it so hard for the "white man" to figure anything out?

Another point is how can anyone receive only $255 per month?

That amount has to be raised to a minimum of $2000 per month to get the person up to the poverty level!
Anything less than poverty , is not enough!
Poverty should be the objective that we strive to get to the aboriginals! They deserve at least that amount, in my opinion!

What they need is a swift kick in the ass towards the employment line.

I disagree with something someone said about something.... maybe self sufficiency.... maybe that was a poor choice, maybe not. I don't know. Maybe I wanted to say something like 'pulling yourself up by the bootstraps' ...... like that lady on the CBC.

Handing out money, fist over hand over foot is not going to motivate ANYONE! Do you know how many well off white boys I know (2) who have had their parents either pay or offer to pay for their education but either failed or did not accept? Plenty.

Sure, we need to make amends, sure. But we also need to help people help themselves. There is little motivation to want to succeed when I can just suckle at the gov't teet.

Give those that want to educate themselves the finances and means to do so... that is all... then maybe, over the course of some time, we can cut the umbilical cord and MOVE the freak on!

I mean, what are the numbers now? I believe in a few more weeks the aboriginal population will outgrow whitey by a margin of 3,000 to 1.... or something. I made that up. Who will take care of me????

You know what? We've all had it rough my friends. I am having trouble filling my SUVs up.... it's tough all around....

what does thumbs up 100/100 mean?

Yeah, why don't I have that and how do I get it????

I could tell ya but I'd have to kill ya. I'm testing a thumbs up system...

Please, help me, I want to get it up.

You can help yourself get it up... Just go to your profile.

I read the original article. The picture ot the RV, not in great shape. It is basically a place to sleep. The bathroom facilites are not in working order. I also believe, that the father has a health disability and that is why he isn't working.

I think what she is really complaining about is that Chief Nelson is a hypocrite. Claiming to be following the old ways and such and he isn't really.

AGEsAces the writer is a native from the US where the US goverment gave the band a means to support its self called a casino, to bad Gary Doer is to scared to give more of the wealth he has from his. And the white community is so afraid of urban reserves in or near there communities .
When the Americans settled their out standing issues with natives, the natives have prospered in most cases . Canada lags far behind still playing landlord to them .

It doesn't do any good for people outside the community to complain about Terry Nelson. If his band and community want to get rid of him, they need to do that. It's their fight.

All I've ever seen about the community rising up and saying they won't take it is small protests and complaining - not real action.

What could anyone outside the community possibly do, there is nothing. If he has broken laws, then the community members can go the the RCMP and give evidence, file complaints.

the man who wrote the letter is a member of the community.
Anyhoo.. I believe this january is election time for them. we will see what happens then

Pavolo wrote:AGEsAces the writer is a native from the US where the US goverment gave the band a means to support its self called a casino, to bad Gary Doer is to scared to give more of the wealth he has from his. And the white community is so afraid of urban reserves in or near there communities .
When the Americans settled their out standing issues with natives, the natives have prospered in most cases . Canada lags far behind still playing landlord to them .

Roseau River First Nation operates a casino.

No the bands in North Dakota do and the bands in South Dakota and Minnesota . Hence they don't come to the public for money , they also are capable of owning there own home not it being owned by the band and the goverment . the difference is ten fold to the natives here .
Canada has nothing to be proud of in its treatment of the natives , we have acted as gods for far too long .

I imagine there are fundamental differences between how the US and Canada have treated their indigenous peoples.

That said, I simply WILL not accept as rational the fact that because someone does not OWN their home they will not take care of the house they've been assigned.

I also do not accept someone not trying to make their own life better choosing instead to sit and rot and self-medicate themselves.

When does the blame game end and the self-help begin?

When the house is theirs and not the bands they cannot add to or modify it or fix it with out band permission . The do not have the ability to borrow to fix it or re roof it anything . These are given as tokens of good behavior . We have to change better yet kill the native act and researve system .

There's a band in B.C. that is worth something like a BILLION PLUS (yes that much) whose chief says it all started with home ownership. He said it changed everyones' perception / attitude almost overnight.

There appears to be a lot of merit in that policy.

They also recieve a huge payment from Alcan for the use of traditional lands which they succesfully kept out of goverment hands . Yes if you own or have a personal stake in it it makes a world of difference to your outlook.

grumpy old man wrote:I saw that CBC piece and felt for that young lady. She impressed me. There are some First Nations peeps receiving a free university education and no matter the source of the money, I support it. That said peeps like Nelson pissing away money on a trip to China is scandalous, maybe criminal.

Feed, house and educate your people above all else sir.

A few years back.. who was that band leader and council who got in trouble for taking trips to Hawaii for band meetings?

Ospasik Cree First Nation OCN for short .

Why did loser Nelson go to China again?