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>. Coe Cees Tui. April 6,1993 Helping the Bear to survive It is one of the strange ironies of the 20th or any other century. After a 40-year Cold War that cost western economies hundreds of billions of dollars, Russia has come cap in hand to these same countries, pleading for hard cash to keep the fragile reform movement alive. Over the weekend, U.S. President Bill Clinton pledged $1.6 billion in aid to Boris Yeltsin, and Canada followed suit with $200 million, a fair hunk of change for a country which in the same week trimmed back benefits to its own growing army cf people out of work. Much of the American and Canadian aid packages is in the form of economic credits for buying things | in North America like grain, medici 1 supplies and food. The rest will provide training and educational programs here and in Russia and for "modernizing" crucial economig sectors in Russia such as oil and natural gas. In short, a lot of the bucks in the aid package will actually be spent here in North America. That should make western grain farmers happy, and this just happens to be an election year in Canada. For more than 40 years, the Soviet Union with Russia as the largest and most powerful republic, spent countless 'billions on its military, propping up vicious "socialist" dictatorships in every corner of the globe and spending money wherever it could against the interests of the western democracies. One might be t d to ask why sudd run dry ip the once mighty Soviet empire. Should governments of Canada, the United States and others now go digging into their own cash-strapped coffers for these aid packages? Yes, for several reasons. The transition to a market economy and to a democratic system in a short time span is causing immense havoc on Russia and other former Soviet republics. There is a real danger the political and economic reform could be d dead, replaced by any one of several hostile and regressive movements. A Russia that collapses inwardly in total chaos will end up costing the West far more than any aid packages. Russia remains a formidable military power. Should that power fall into the wrong hands, it, would pose a huge threat not only to 'the fledgling democracies in eastern Europe but western Europe, the Middle East and China. Nobody can afford another Cold War, not to mentign open hostilities. The former Soviet Union with its nearly 800 million people represents a vast and virtually un-tapped market for the exchange of goods. * The world economy needs this market to function properly; to buy, sell and trade in goods and services the way most other countries of the globe do. Finally, it can be argued that the West has an obligation now to come to the aid of an old ally. After all, the Soviet Union played a 'substantial role in defeating an earlier terror-Nazism-during World War 2. And no country on the planet sustained more physicial damage or suffered as many casualties (about 30 million) than the Soviet Union in its war with Nazi Germany. In fact, the course of World War 2 would have run differently were it not for that sacrifice. Canada is in the throes of the worst recession in 60 years, At a time when budgets are strained to the maximum and we are facing cost cutting measures in sacred programs like health, welfare and education, it may be tough to watch $200 million go to Russia. Not to lend a hand now would have far more dire consequences. A healthier Russia is in the best interest of the entire planet. ly the coffers have Ee -- Pe THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE SHARED AT THE BC. Summit esponse to Mr. Aldred To the Editor: Joel W Aldred is correct about further comments. We will continpe to try and educate him. ~ The grants the Mississaugas of Scugog Island received are set aside for First Nations in what is known as the Native Community Branch of the Ministry of Citizenship. - There are similar incentives available to new non-native businesses. Aboriginal communities compete for the grants available to us by demonstrating that their projects are viable and deserve consideration (Phase One.) In Phase Two, the business plan is dissected and if the work is done well, the grant is issued. It is not our agenda that sets up this competition b native nor do we choose to make the grant announcements a media event. That being said, we are grateful and relieved that our projects (they are separate - the grant for the store is an economic development grant) are deemed necessary and worthwhile. We have no intention of closing our store down. Early indications are that we have made a sound business decision. It is advantageous to get a leg up in any business as Mr. Aldred knows through his purchase of a farm that once belonged to our people and which they had to sell in an attempt to improve the 36 WATER ST., PORT PERRY, ONT. L9L1)2 Phone : (416) 985-6397 Fax : (416) 985-1410 g in our ity in The Scugog Citizen, un independently owned and operated they the early 1950's. Mr Aldred paid $12,000 for that 200 acre piece of property. Talk about a sweet-heart deal! Taxation, or lack of it, on First Nations is a treaty right that was given us by the Crown when 'setting up what called "Indian Reservations". The immunity of aboriginals from taxation was based orl the fact that First Nations were given property from which no tax base could be garnered (usually little or no resources available - in our case not even any water frontage). The best land and resources were kept for the non-native population. Over the years, as our people were forced to leave home to go to school or work, many of us have paid a great deal in taxes. In my case, I probably have paid more income tax than Aldred ever did, since I taught school for over thirty years and was paid in the second * highest category, and since I made my money in this country. I also paid property tax on my home in Whitby until I moved back to our First Nation in 1974. First Nations also have no say in municipal elections, and in fact we couldn't vote federally until approximately 1961. Aboriginal communities and the majority of our individual members have little opportunity for earnings and many communities have such poor living conditions that our youth choose to take sheds own "Proud Canadiare, proud to call Scugog Township home." lives rather than face a bleak future that offers no hope. The Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation is a community that is attempting to become self-sufficient and break this cycle. Our community facility and "Native Perspectives" are starting points in our efforts to be a progressive community. People like Joel W. Aldred would like to see us held back - living in shacks and without any hope for a better future. I don't really have the time right now to get into what really should be said about this negative individual (as you can see, I'm steamed). However, the following actually happened. Joel Aldred generously offered to sell us our farm back, for just under $1 million (one million dollars). I wonder where his concern about where we would get that kind of money was at that time (just over a year ago)? Perhaps Joel could go back to minding his own business if he still has one. We're fed up with his derogatory letters that the editor sees fit to put in this paper. However, if he continues to make "outrageous" charges and statements, we will . probably continue with his education. Despite his wishes to the contrary, our First Nation will continue to move forward. Gary Edgar BA. EDO. FBI Scugog First Nation. [free of charge, lo oor 10.000 hr 42d tenes hd oours Soups Touma. Subscriptions sold outside Scugog Township. OCNA Member CCNA Member CCNA Verified Circulation Controlled Su