MEXICO ON JAMES BAY

When the Globe's John Ibbitson is good, he can be very, very good.

The optimists hope for reforms that will reverse generations of stagnation and decline; the pessimists fear deadlock or empty promises that perpetuate the status quo. How are you going to know who is right?..

Native Canada is Egypt, Mexico, Vietnam: blessed with considerable human and natural resources, but challenged by a colonial legacy and inner demons.

When you read about the agreements reached here, ask yourself: Would these measures help lift a promising but struggling Third World nation out of poverty, or would they perpetuate the status quo, or even make things worse?

If we can answer that question honestly, we'll know whether this aboriginal summit was a failure or a success

(Text a mix from the column, Third World rules will gauge success of native summit, full text not online, and from "Norman's Spectator: The Column I'm Glad I Didn't Write" [!])

Posted by markc at November 24, 2005 10:07 AM | TrackBack