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Deal with the biggest need

Housing on isolated reserve is the issue at hand. So deal with it

I was appalled to see fellow Canadians living in the conditions so publicized lately at the Attawapiskat reserve. How can this happen in a land so blessed as Canada?

I have followed closely the many interviews and debates among  tribal elders, politicians, bureaucrats, educators, etc. and I begin to see the glimmer of how these things happen.

Nearly all the talking heads fail to understand that there are three levels of crisis on the reserves, the immediate, mid-term and long-term problems. The immediate concern is that people are living in unheated shacks and tents in the middle of a Canadian winter wilderness.

Concentrate on the immediate and life-threatening problem. Leave all the rest for now.

The blindingly obvious thing to do is helicopter in  pre-fabricated trailer homes. A generator will supply electricity for heating and septic tanks  will look after sewage. If the army can send in water purification units to earthquake ravaged countries, surely they can fly in mini-versions of the same into reserves.

Patricia Dorval

 

Qualicum Beach