Will trespass bylaw help or hurt?

LETTERS

As we now know, the implementation of the Blood Tribe’s trespass bylaw will be in effect May 13.

What effects will this have in our community? Is it going to have a negative or positive outcome? We don’t know. Is the drug use going to continue? Most likely. Are we going to lose more of our community members to the drug problem? Sadly, yes.

Our unemployment rate is hovering at 60 per cent or higher. If there were more available jobs and our resources were in the black rather than in the red, would we as a community be healthier with less dependency on drugs and alcohol? The people of our community, I think, would feel more proud to be contributing to the tribe rather than being part of the problem.

Without jobs, we as a society know that once poverty sets in, other issues arise. We should be putting more resources towards the front-line professionals who are dealing with this on a daily basis. Alcohol abuse has been around since the whisky trade days; the drug issue will be around until we realize the detrimental effects it has on us as individuals, family and community.

We like to lay blame … residential school, non-natives, our neighbours, spouses and even our children for the problem. When are we going to learn that we as parents need to be there to teach our children what is right and what is wrong? Why do we want to isolate our community? The drug problem is bigger than us; it’s affecting everyone — locally, provincially and nationally.

Are we setting ourselves back a hundred years? Will we soon need a permit to leave the reserve? It seems that is the direction we are moving towards. The last time I checked, we were in a democratic society; why can’t we, as Blood Tribe members, be part of the decision-making process, instead of leadership inflicting controversial ideas on our community?

The Siksika Nation’s Chief and Council have set a precedent for other tribes to follow in fighting the problem by volunteering to a drug test. Kudos to them for demonstrating true leadership!

Mike Day Chief

Blood Reserve