Retyped for your information are two articles on a poll conducted by the
Federal Government during the last week of the Oka crisis. While almost all
of the results are a pleasant surprise the high level of credibility in the
Canadian justice system and the Canadian army is disturbing. 

With the army being caught lying and breaking agreements on virtually every
day of the Oka standoff, and the justice system being questioned and found
wanting in so many instances in its dealings with native people, the Canadian
public better take off its blinders and recognize these two institutions as
willing accomplices and tools in the government's neo-colonialistic style of
conducting business.


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The Calgary Herald, Saturday , Nov. 10, 1990

                        NATIVE ISSUES BACKED BY POLL

                        by Jack Aubry, Ottawa Citizen


OTTAWA  -  Canadians are willing to turn over to natives more than one-fifth
of the country to settle outstanding land claims, according to a poll
commissioned by the federal government.

Taken during the final week of the Oka crisis, the Angus Reid survey obtained
by the Citizen showed Canadians in a remarkably generous mood with mostly
positive feelings about aboriginal peoples.

Two-thirds of Canadians support the idea of reserving a block of
parliamentary seats to represent natives, while 58 per cent support giving
native leaders "a say, perhaps a vote" at First Ministers' conferences where
native issues are discussed.

A majority believe Canadian aboriginals should be constitutionally recognized
as founding peoples (73 per cent) or as a distinct society (56 per cent).

The Reid survey notes more English-Canadians support recognition of natives
as a distinct society than support the same for Quebec.

Martin Dunn, a spokesman for the Native Council of Canada, says the survey
shows an encouraging change in attitude towards natives in the country. "The
change in attitude is profound. Canadians have gone from being stone-age
stumblebums to a fairly clued-in population."


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                     TORIES FAIL GRADE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
                              (Ottawa Citizen)

OTTAWA  -  Canadians are critical of politicians and Ottawa's handling of
native issues, says a poll commissioned by the federal government.

More than two-thirds believe the government has broken its obligations to
natives.

More than 70 per cent of Canadians believe the government has failed to honor
all of its treaties with natives. Sixty-two per cent support the settlement
of land claims.

When the survey asked Canadians who had credibility in dealing with native
issues, native leaders scored a remarkable 70 per cent confidence level with
the nation's justice system (66 per cent) and the armed forces (63 per cent)
ranking second and third.

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney fared the worst, with only 21 per cent giving
him credibility on the issue. Canadians also had little confidence in the
Surete du Quebec (28 per cent support).

These were among the findings of a survey between Sept. 19-27 by pollster
Angus Reid for various federal departments.

Aboriginal issues were Canadians' No. 1 concern during the week of the survey
as the Oka crisis came to an end. Until July, aboriginal issues were at two
per cent of the nation's attention level while in September it had risen to
54 per cent.

The other major concerns for Canadians were taxation at 35 per cent, the
economy at 17 per cent, the Persian Gulf and international concerns at 13 per
cent and the environment at 11 per cent.

The poll also shows the majority of Canadians believe Indians are
hardworking, capable of earning their way, spiritual and trustworthy. One
negative stereotype which 63 per cent of Canadians do accept is that natives
are susceptible to alcoholism.