Everything Old..

...is still old:

First nation chiefs warn of disruptions

"Chuck Strahl, the Indian Affairs Minister, faced an ultimatum yesterday from First Nations chiefs who warned Canada would face a prolonged campaign of economic disruption in the coming year..."

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"Mr. Strahl, pictured, was given the ultimatum..."

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"The chiefs demanded Mr. Strahl commit the federal government to supporting major improvements to native education. Bill Erasums (sic), AFN regional chief for the Northwest Territories, warned, "They have told the minister that he will have to work with the people ... [or] they will do it. There will be roadblocks, and other things." Those "other things" could include rail blockades, the shutdown of border crossings and the blocking of access to mines."

Possible clash brewing between First Nations, government

"A confrontation between chiefs and Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl capped a special chiefs assembly in Ottawa this past week that saw leaders from past battles again take the stage, and ideas once at the margins -- such as lobbying the Queen -- gain traction among the majority of chiefs."

Old. Old. Old. Useless and stooooooopid!

Except maybe this.

"Mr. Atleo did indicate he would not stand in the way of moves allowing native Canadians to own freehold title over more on-reserve property, which has been suggested as an encouragement to entrepreneurship.

"We're already seeing that. We're seeing private title holding, we're seeing various innovative responses to how First Nations will pursue economic development," he said.

The 43-year-old former breakdancer (who recently demonstrated his moves on CBC's The Hour) and former British Columbia regional AFN chief won the organization's national leadership last July with a promise to build a more constructive relationship with Ottawa and other governments -- instead of, as he said yesterday, "lurching from conflict to conflict.""

Now, there's something that might actually move First Nations forward. Godspeed, Mr. Atleo. Too bad the FNUC's board of directors lacks such vision.