Morris’ remarks insulting, racist, ignorant

I am a Carrier First Nation from the Prince George area and I found Mr. Morris’s “political” response to the NDP’s funding to save Aboriginal languages insulting, racist and ignorant.

I agree with the response from Mr. Chamberland, president of Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, that he was sad but not surprised by Mr. Morris’s comments.

First Nation communities lived with B.C. Liberal policy for 16 years, where they had no choice but to adhere to B.C. Liberal policy.

There is nothing that can get the blood boiling within our communities than outsiders looking and weighing in like they have some insight to the history, plight and struggle of First Nation’s people because they were connected on the edges of the outside.

I suggest that Mr. Morris learn about the history of our people and the importance of language to any culture (this is No. 1 on the list of any culture) perhaps the English/French/Spanish newcomers should have been forced to speak the indigenous language before setting foot in a country looking to exploit the land and wealth it had to offer.

My mother spent hundreds of hours with linguists documenting our language for future generations.

“Lest we forget” where the wealth of this country was built... on the land of the First People’s.

My mother’s village was torched to make way for the very constituency that Mr. Morris represents and the boom and bust of the North has never included the First Peoples.

When anyone comes in to discuss the business of First Nations and use their experience at the gates of Indian reserves created, managed and controlled by government and bring their opinion spun into political goodwill does nothing for the federal liberalism “Reconciliation.”

First Nations leaders deal ever day, every budget, every changing party with the jurisdictional tennis game for funding.

Here is an idea for federal and provincial politicians no matter the colour, flag or party – return the rights to our land and we will take care of the damage of all the “political ancestors” have done and we perhaps we won’t need to do it with more policing or from behind bars.

Mr. Morris owes an apology for his misguided or manipulative address in the Legislature. Jo-Anne Berezanski

Victoria