Here is something interesting that I read today in the London Free Press: the article titled “Canada pledges aid for Afghan women.”

This is interesting to me because since Harper won the last election there has been many drastic changes within Canada. Among those drastic changes were some that directly affected Aboriginal organizations across Canada, and many, if not all, Aboriginal communities across Canada.

Here is a list of blog posts taken directly from Dr. Carolyn Bennett, who is the Aboriginal Affairs critic, amongst many other awesome things.

• Question period conservatives cut aboriginal youth suicide prevention
• Discusses the Aboriginal youth suicide rate being 7x higher than the national average (with Inuit almost being highest in the world, with it being 11x higher than our national average)
• Question period: PM must reverse cuts to Aboriginal health and healing
• Discusses cuts to Aboriginal Healing Foundation and National Aboriginal Health Organization (effectively shutting it down)
• Public Sector Layoffs: More cuts to services for Aboriginal communities
• Discusses public sector layoffs and how this directly affects Aboriginal communities, including Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and the Department of Justice 
• Hypocrisy on accountability: Conservatives cut funding on for national centre for First Nations governance
• Discusses how the funding cuts effectively closed National Centre for First Nations Governance
• Letter to Minister of Health on unacceptable cuts to Aboriginal health
• Good outline on all the cuts listed above, including Native Women’s Association of Canada,  Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
• Conservatives must live up to their responsibility for First Nations Child Welfare
• Discusses the significant underfunding for First Nations child welfare services by the federal government and outlines the reality that there are more Indigenous children in institutional care than there was during the residential school era 
• Another attack on evidence: Conservatives cut the National Aboriginal Health Organization
• Reference the Globe and Mail article on the effective closure of NAHO, wherein the article outlines some statistics that affect Aboriginal communities, including the fact that Aboriginals have a life expectancy a decade less than other Canadians. 
• Why the Conservative budget fails Aboriginal peoples*
• A really, really, really, I MEAN REALLY, nice outline of the cuts and what this means for Aboriginal peoples/communities in Canada, and what Dr. Bennett is most concerned about. 

*If there is going to be any one article of the above just listed, I suggest you check out the last one mentioned.

While referencing the original article listed above, there was a question about whether or not the international governments should help Afghan women and girls? Sure why not!

The only thing that I am upset about with Canada helping women and girls is that they will not help the Aboriginal groups back home, especially Aboriginal women and girls! Why is the government investing in millions when they just cut millions that negatively affect the most disadvantage group in Canada!

Among those budget cuts, there was no mention of funding for post-secondary education for Aboriginal peoples, or no mention of funding for housing for Aboriginal peoples/communities, no mention of new investments in health. What is most alarming is that there has been no help or mention of assistance to finding the over 600 missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada or helping their families!

All I have to say is WHAT.THE.FUCK Harper!

Help home first!