Dear friends,
Wow! It's hot, isn't it? It makes me tired.
On Friday morning I went to have lunch with my friend Sonia at a pleasant department store built on native land. The native nation here is most advanced in self governance and also in using their real estate assets with intelligence.
Native people don't pay many of the taxes the rest of us do, including sales taxes, so it was very wise of them to build a good shopping centre on their land so
their people can readily get jobs there, and where they can buy from good stores with no taxes applied.
This native nation has a number of land reserves along the main highway, and near areas where plenty of people live, so it benefits all of us when they do things well. A couple of examples of such benefits: the area of the highway that passes through their land is especially well designed; attractively landscaped on
each side, and bermed with earth so that noise from the road is deflected up and
away from areas where people live.
On Canadian Federal highways it is not allowed to erect big billboards. You can
tell where the highway passes through reserve land because suddenly there are many advertising billboards. The native people say they bring revenue, with no damage to the land. While I dislike the billboards because they hide the beautiful views, I recognize their interest in caring for the land.
They have a housing development built on some of their view land. The homes were all designed by architects, and are beautifully landscaped. They are beautiful homes and the area is well treed. People may buy a house, but may only lease
the land on which it stands for 99 years. That retains the native land base for
their own people. Their town plan is said to be very advanced, and better than
most other places. Each year every man, woman and child of that native nation
receives a cash sum, untaxed, as his or her share of reserve income.
It is not easy to be native in Canada. The people have endured so much hardship
that there has been much social damage. When others come to view native peoples as being a certain type of person, (prejudice,) prejudice means pre-judging,)
then it can be hard to get respect or to land a job. The government of this native nation is one of the most advanced in Canada. They have their own policing
and fire department, too. They will be first to have full self-government. This is something to be done with care because there is a well knowntruism that you can't have "a state within a state." I believe that Canada is breaking new ground in working this out.
Today is Canada Day, so I hope my country will continue to find ways to set an example for the world. Ways like living together in peace, although originating
from many parts of the world and having many different Faiths. Ways like trying
not to make war and to advance peace through world citizenship. When each country contributes its best everyone in the world will benefit. I know from my reading that China is trying to do its part. So are we.
Warmly and with deep affection, Mary in Canada
