Thank you Charmion, for your links and for summing up some points so well.

I suspect (from viewing happenings from the sidelines) that there are environmental activists (and others with thorny side issues) riding on the shirt-tails of legitimate Aboriginal concerns. Hopefully, the Aboriginal leaders are wise (which I know they are) and will see this, and choose to focus on issues that are the most pressing for the Aborginal community with this recent opportunity.

Though it seems real, it is hard to fathom how anyone with a smidgen of sense could blame all of the Aboriginal issues, some that have been with us for many moons, on one man and one Canadian administration. Go figure.

However, you are correct that a growing number of Canadians, those who actually matter in this discussion, want to wrong some historic (and current) wrongs. I am proud to say that I am one of those Canadians, who stands in friendship with my fellow Aboriginal Canadians.. I am confidentthat the growing number of Canadians with a similar conviction will have a much greater impact on success then the "chatter" from the sidelines.