By Greg Hluska
I know this is snarky, but I couldn’t help myself! Happy Fourth of July to all of my American friends – I love your country almost as much as my own. Something tells me that, if Allen Ginsberg were still alive, he would be very impressed with the direction your country has been taking as of late.
America
by Allen Ginsberg
America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing.
America two dollars and twenty-seven cents January 17, 1956.
I can’t stand my own mind.
America when will we end the human war?
Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb
I don’t feel good don’t bother me.
Read more »
By Greg Hluska
We wish to extend our condolences to the family of Dave Batters, a former Conservative Member of Parliament whose life was cut tragically short in Regina on June 29, 2009. Like many of us, Mr. Batters battled the spectre of depression and anxiety. But, sadly, Mr. Batters lost the battle.
Our province lost a tremendous leader on June 29. Mr. Batters will be missed.
By Greg Hluska
I heard this quote in a great film called “American Hardcore” and it reminded me of what we are about.
“DIY – Do It Yourself. There’s someplace you wanna be, go there yourself. If there’s something you want to create that does not exist, do it yourself.”
(Brian Baker, bass/guitar/bass player for Minor Threat, the influential American hardcore punk band)
By Greg Hluska
Have any of you checked out the NDP’s web site lately? If you click on the ‘issues’ section, you get to see a great example of poor web site management. That page’s main image shows a picture of a beaming Dwain Lingenfelter with the slogan, “Winning Leadership: Leadership with Vision”. However, the content on the page still talks about former leader Lorne Calvert….
And here I was hoping that Barack Obama’s landslide win the last United States election would show our politicians that the internet is an important part of the political process!
By Greg Hluska
The Indian Act specifies that if a person with status earns income on a reserve, his/her income is not taxable. This means that aboriginal people can technically get paid less and still take home the same amount as a comparable worker off reserve. Despite this powerful competitive advantage, in 2007, the Aboriginal employment rate was only 66.4% in Saskatchewan. This compares to 88.3% for non-Aboriginal people. This 19.9% difference represents the largest employment gap in all of Canada.
With stats like this, is it any wonder that one in four Aboriginal children live in poverty? Read more »
By Greg Hluska
- One in four First Nations children live in poverty.
- Diabetes among First Nations people is at least three times the national average.
- Recent Census data shows that 23 per cent of Aboriginal people live in houses in need of major repairs, compared to just 7 per cent of the non-Aboriginal population.
- Overcrowding among First Nations families is double the rate of that for all Canadian families. A recent government study found that more than half of Inuit families live in overcrowded conditions. Some three-bedroom homes are known to house as many as 20 people.
- More than 100 First Nations communities are under boil water advisories right now, meaning they have little or no access to clean water for drinking and sanitation.
- First Nations people suffer from Third World diseases such as tuberculosis at eight to 10 times the rate of Canadians in general.
- More than half of First Nations people are not employed.
- One Aboriginal child in eight is disabled, double the rate of all children in Canada.
- Among First Nations children, 43 per cent lack basic dental care.
- Aboriginal children are drastically over-represented in the child welfare system.
- High school graduation rates for First Nations youth are half the Canadian rate.
- First Nations youth commit suicide at five to eight times the Canadian rate. The suicide rate for Inuit youth is six times as high as in the rest of the country.
(source – http://www.psac.com/what/humanrights/june21factsheet1-e.shtml)
By Greg Hluska
First Nations youth commit suicide at five to eight times the Canadian rate. The suicide rate for Inuit youth is six times as high as in the rest of the country.
By stacey
You know, I could have made this my top 100 wishlist, lol! I love living in downtown Regina, but there are a few things that I really hope for…
1.) A pedestrian crossing light at the corner of 14th and Albert St. Crossing at this corner is not dissimilar to taking your life in your hands. Numerous complaints have been made, but I think this is one of those situations like the reconstruction of ’suicide pass’ in B.C. – Regina will have to host the Olympics before this one is fixed!!
2.) A Piano/Blues/Jazz club. I’m going to have to side with Greg on this one. How on earth do we have a lack of this type of establishment?? Am I alone on this one? It’s a tragedy!! I implore someone reading this to take the plunge and open one up… I would put your kids through college!
3.) A decent hardware store!! Really, now, lol… how does Downtown Regina not have a decent hardware store? And what if, like myself, you don’t have a car? Where is the nearest decent store to serve your needs?
4.) A band on all trees – and hopefully it would make a difference! Have you ever walked the gauntlet? I’m talking about those thoroughly annoying tree worms that come every summer. And you never notice them until you’ve already walked into a whole web of them… nasty! It’s always right when I’m so enjoying the trees too… how ironic!
5.) For the City to stop using the term “Downtown Revitalization Project”. I was living in Downtown Regina when this project started, and I’m still living downtown. This would be a worthwhile project if it ever produced something other than more parking lots and condos. The jig is up!! Stop trying to mislead us!
By Greg Hluska
More than half of First Nations people are not employed.
By Greg Hluska
Queens Bench Justice Neil Gabrielson found April Dawn Halkett, 22, not guilty of child abandonment today. To those of you not familiar with April Halkett, she gave birth in the bathroom at Wal-Mart and promptly abandoned the child.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2009/06/24/halkett-decision.html
What do you think of the judge’s decision?