Why won't Prentice say he's sorry?

I've never been able to figure out why it is that a white person is always the one heading the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development when someone from a visible minority -- even an Aboriginal person -- is available for duty from the governing party. I have suspected there is an undercurrent of ignorance or just plain stupidity among the powers that be. While corruption at the band council level in many communities is certainly to blame, direct rule from Ottawa doesn't help either.

That's not to say we shouldn't face the fact we face. So I for one can't figure out what could possibly possess Jim Prentice to say that the abuse of native Canadians is something that happened in the past and we should just move on. It's bad enough that Team PMS opposes the UN Treaty on Aboriginals. But to say no apology is forthcoming is beyond me. The compensation package of $2 billion is certainly welcome. What is so inherently wrong with saying "I'm sorry," the way that was done for the Chinese head tax and the reparations to the Japanese internment camp detainees?

Especially when many of the perpetrators are still alive and have evaded prosecution -- often with the help of the Church and the blind neglect of the state?

Abuse isn't a one time event. It's systemic and vindictive. It's a deliberate attempt to denigrate the dignity of the target, and the effects last for years and even decades. So why won't Prentice say he's sorry? Call me cynical on this one, but I suspect it may be because PMS has told his minister that he can't so as not to jeopardize the anti-Aboriginal vote which is overwhelmingly Conservative.

And to make sure that is a white person who always runs DIAND.

Am I saying things would be different if there was a non-white person running the place? No. But a little bit of sensitivity would be helpful here. After all, his home district may not contain any native reserves but some of the neighbouring ones do.

Vote for this post at Progressive Bloggers.