Letter to the Editor Industries promote racial understanding

Curiously, South Africans, and probably Australians, feel some degree of repugnancy for the apartheid of Canadian native reservations. Both Canadians and South Africans no doubt feel some repugnancy for the apartheid of Australian aboriginal reservations.

Let us assume that because of such feelings of repugnancy, these three nations vigorously pursue a policy of “curtailing dealings” with each other via sanctions and disinvestments a la Joe Clark — whether Bata in South Africa, Giant Resources, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting or Longyear in Canada, Placer Dome’s operations in Australia etc., etc.

Given such an inane sanction/ disinvestment free-for-all, always imposed by tax-funded politicians and charity funded preachers, who themselves are of course insulated from the misery and unemployment caused by such industrial inactivity, one must surely conclude that native populations in Australia, South Africa and Canada are not thereby helped one iota.

Do your readers really believe that the fate of native peoples is enhanced by politicians and high profile church people such as the Mulroneys, Hawkes, Bothas, Clarks, Scotts or the Tutus? Or are they inclined to believe that the

Batas, Placer Domes, Hudson Bay M&S etc., are far more the instruments that promote racial understanding and economic well-being. I would choose industry over the politicians every time. R.H. Posma Oshawa, Ont.

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