4 - Sunday, June 19, 1994 - North Shore News The perks for status Indians are endless Doug Collins i . ON THE OTHER HAND HERB GRUBEL made a mistake the other day. Pursued by the media Hounds of the Baskervilles, he apolopized. But he really he had nothing to apologize about. What the Capilano-Howe Sound MP was saying was that we are throwing money at our Red Brothers and that it’s getting nei- ther us nor them anywhere. Nothing offends more than the truth. Predictably, The Vancouver Sun went fishing for insults from Indian spokesmen and got the pro- grammed responses. “Bigoted,” “Sgnorant,” “racist.” The Indians themselves aren’t racist, of course. That's why some bands want to toss out those who don’t have the right “genetic quali- ties.” The Sun’s front-page report even referred to “the German-born Grubel.” But they wouldn’t dream of describing Herb Dhaliwal as “India-bom” if that MP got his tongue round a couple of politically incorrect words. A Liberal minister —- Brian Tobin —- compared Grubel with Ems Zundel. Fact: Zunde) was acquitted of “spreading false news.” But Grubel’s comments didn’t even begin to be false. Oh well, who expects facts from a Liberal who's grovelling for Indian votes? I read the whole thing in Hansard and wondered what all the fuss was about. Grubel did refer to “lazy hous- es”’ (an Indian term) and handouts to Indians were likened to funds from a rich uncle who encourages his relatives to live lives of ease on a South Sea island. Bang on. To nincompoops, of course, it isn’t possible for an Indian to be lazy. But Grabel wasn’t bushing Indians. He was bashing a crazy system and should get a medal for saying un honest word, Instead, he got more abuse than sex maniacs get. Let’s take a look at what is going on. Indians living and working on a reserve pay no federal or provincial income tax. That means that Indians working in Park Royal South —- and there are some — pay no tax. But what their co-workers earn is taxed. Indians pay no GST or PST. either, Why do you think the liquor store Was moved to Park Royal North, even though no one will admit it? Whether they buy an expensive car ora pack of smokes, it's sass tax. All they have to do is show their cards. Get yourself an Indian friend. He can fiddle things for you. And sources tell me there's no end of abuse. Indians also pay no interest on money invested in a bank that's on reserve property. Result: funds are flowing into banks and trust cum- panies in Park Royal South from all over the country. Much of the $15 million lottery mouey won by those Indians in Smithers is invested there, I was told. No point in asking the man- agers, of course. Banks don't. talk. I queried the Revenue people. They don’t discuss individual cases but they confirmed that the genera! story would be correct. If Park Reyal South is Indian-owned Sand, no taxes, Business is so good that the Bank of Montreal in Vancouver has a department dealing only with Indian money. No wonder that by the 1991 cen- sus the number of “Indians” in the country had increased by 41% over 1986, of whom many are blue- eyed, for only 36% are pure-blood- ed The perks are endless. If you're an Indian you can take all the salmon you want “for food” and then sell them. Tf you are an Indian and buy a commercial fishing licence you need pay only $20. Non-Indians pay up to $1,600. If you are an Indian, our conser- vation-conscious NDP government in B.C. will not prosecute you for violations of the Wildlife Act. If you are a status Indian and owe money, your wages can *t be garnisheed. Indians on reserves pay no municipal property taxes. - Medicare and denticare are free, and recently it was ruled that Indians don’t have to pay taxes on unemployment benefits. Driveway hits a dead end at West Van council meeting A PROPOSED subdivision devel- opment with a shared “panhandle” driveway, was turned down June 6 by West Vancouver District Council, despite the support of the Advisory Design Panel and the engineering department. WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Maureen Curtis The panhandle layout required a development permit application. But council preferred the option of a conventional subdivision, with four lots coming off of a cul de sac rather than a driveway. Coun. Allan Williams expressed his objection to the use of common driveways and blasting to cram more houses on the large lots West Vancouver was once noted for. “West Vancouver has got to remain the kind of municipality it is,” said Williams. “This has been a very difficult one for all of us,” said Coun. Ron Woad. At several previous council meetings, area residents objected to the cammon driveway scheme because they anticipated possible drainage problems along the drive- way. lt would be owned privately and not by the municipality. A cul de sac is a public road maintained by the municipality. Contrary to the myth, not all ladians are poor. Some are wealthy. Five per cent of them have incomes of over $40,000-a year. Poor or not, post-secondary education for Indians is also free. What does all this cost uncle (who, of course, is bankrupt)? Five billion a year and rising. Plus $2 hillion in other benefits like welfare and pensions. And now the Liberals and NDP are preparing to hand everus much of the country as pos- sible to then: even though they did nothing to ake it what it is today. (The demand is for 53%.) Rich uncles? Grubel should have talked about SUCKERS. 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