Letter: Innovation needed to solve problem of gangs

Re: They’re Stealing our children

It is like the elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge or admit, especially the federal and provincial governments and First Nations. The state of most reserves is, in fact, very dismal and extremely discouraging to my people. In Hobbema, we had a little boy lose his life to violence recently (EthanYellowbird).
Most initiatives that are or were designed by INAC/Health Canada in the past unfortunately have failed. Poverty and unemployment continue to plague our reserves and that reality is on every reserve in Canada. Education appears to become less of a priority to all governments.

The environment and water quality, especially in Alberta, is a non-starter with this provincial government due to the fact that the oil sands projects inject billions of dollars into the economy. The fact is that most Native Albertans in the north do not share in this economic development or any spin-off opportunities or else very minimally.

Perhaps all levels of government could devise some creative way to assist the Indian and Métis populations in the north in the area of employment, environment, education, gang violence, child welfare and improved living conditions on reserve and colonies. That is a tall order but “status quo” does not appear to be working as we speak.

Colonial attitudes will have to change from all the government(s) to truly bring positive change for our youth/children and communities in the area of improving the living conditions and position of Indian people within the Canadian mosaic. We cannot afford to stand by and allow our children and our communities to remain in a situation of extreme poverty, gang violence, lack of education and employment, lack of potable water, etc.
The challenge for all of us is to put our collective minds together to find innovative ways of improving the lives of all Native people on and off reserve. The time is now for change.

Respectfully submitted,
Mel H Buffalo
Samson Cree nation member
Hobbema, Alta.