To the editor:
The visit by the British Royalty was a subtle reminder of our colonial status, and the many challenges we face as a nation to become a free and democratic society, with a constitution that is written by the people.
The day of colonial rule is over, and our colonial style of government is constantly butting heads with our basic human rights to have governments that represent all the people fairly in our legislatures, and changing the electoral system is just the first in many steps toward that reality.
The colonial electoral system was designed to give the government of the day the political muzzle to rule the colonies, not to produce democratic governments.
One of the many challenges facing our society is to bring resolution to the First Nations鈥� claims for lands, resources, and compensations, balanced with the credits and recognition to the people who made Canada what it is today.
The one-sided rulings by the courts and the billions of dollars governments at all levels have awarded defies fairness and common sense, and have one thing in common: None of them have provided closure to anything.
Without closure, the wall between the Canadian natives and the rest of Canada will only get bigger, and it will continue to force the natives to live in poverty, while the feelings of resentment between the two groups is increasing.
Trying to control people鈥檚 emotions with legislation, and to define those sentiments as crimes of hatred is about as bizarre as it can get.
Not to mention that it鈥檚 a clear violation of our basic human rights to freedom of thought and freedom of expression.
Millions of Canadians are being painted like criminals, and our politicians and the courts have been busy laying one guilt trip on them after another for atrocities they could not possibly have taken any part in.
It鈥檚 time to focus on the individuals and groups who committed those crimes and challenge them in the courts to make restitution.
To continue to penalize Canadian taxpayers, and to mine their pockets to the tune of literally billions of dollars every year, is nothing less than a crime in itself and that has to stop.
Other challenges include reforming the Senate or dropping it, adopting a justice system with the single purpose of enforcing the laws, a system that is accountable to the people 鈥� not just itself.
With electoral reform as the first stop, the train of change has left the station.
Andy Thomsen, Peachland
