I believe comments like those of John Hall (posted below) are representative of the myths many people believe are true for all First Nations in Canada - i.e. they don't pay taxes, free university, etc etc. All untrue.

Only aboriginals living and working on reserve are tax exempt (and the on-reserve population is a minority of First Nations people in Canada). Bands are allocated only a small amount of money to send high school graduates to university, but this amount is far less than that required to meet demand. Others are left to struggle with debts and part-time jobs like other Canadians, with the catch that most do not have the ability to secure the bank loans that many Canadians can so easily walk out of a bank with.

That said, the systematic discrimination against First Nations, through economic manipulation, going back more than a hundred years and continuing today, is a major cause of poverty - not the myths that continue to propagate in society.

Maybe CBC should take a good look at the history and present of First Nations in Canada and the UN reports damning our government, in order to eliminate some of the myths and stereotypes in society.
- Paul Cobb

Thanks for having the courage to bring the issue of racism and Aboriginal peoples to the forum for public dialogue.

I believe in the goodness of Canadians - at least I believe that reconciliation and a reduction in racism is only possible once all Canadians have solid information on the lived experience of Aboriginal peoples in Canada and what was lost to both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Canadians as result of colonization. Once Canadians know - they have a choice about the type of life we want to live and the example we want to set for our children.

Too many Canadians think that history of this land began when the Europeans arrived muting the great histories and contributions of Aboriginal peoples who have lived on these lands for at least 10,000 years according to carbon dated evidence. The gifts of Aboriginal peoples pervade Canadian society - from our system of federalism which was informed by the Iroquois Confederacy, to many of the foods we enjoy (corn,turkey,pumpkin, maple syrup), medicines that keep us well and of course - the name of the country itself... not to mention the land. The problem is that too many Canadians remain unaware of these contributions and thus think that Aboriginal people have only "taken" from society and not given - and continue to give. The other stereotype is that Aboriginal people get more than the rest of Canadians. Whilst groups such as the United Nations has repeatedly encouraged Canada to redress the gap in life chances between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal peoples (especially children)- research indicates that too ofter there continue to be significant gaps in services and service access.

And as for the "get on with it" advice offered by some - Aboriginal people are doing that everyday - and we hope those offering this sage advice will too - get on with educating themselves and their families, get on with understanding that respectful co-existance is work that belongs to Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Canadians - because it is about the kind of society we want for all our children.
- Cindy Blackstock

While I am a white woman, I was bullied as a child because I was different (glasses, braces, you name it). As a result, I found the documentary to be extremely moving. I experienced my own "blue-eyes" situation when I taught English in Japan for a year, and I was one of a few Westerners in my town. I was fortunate that I never ran into any trouble because of my colour, but I was certainly forced to re-evaluate my place in the world.

The most striking point for me in the documentary was when the one aboriginal man said "You don't see me as an Indian, and I find that condescending". It came as a big shock because we are now teaching our children to be "colour-blind", because we feel it's the right thing to do. Maybe we need to change our teaching philosophy - do not be colour-blind, be colour-aware.
- Beth Sneyd

Changes in society occur when HEARTS are changed rather than just minds. Does not the recent outpouring of compassion for the victims of the tsunami illustrate this?

I found Ms Elliot's tactics appalling. Carrying out her crusade of ridicule and belittlement of white males in Canadian society does nothing to change hearts OR minds.
Hearing the stories of oppressed people changes hearts. The young woman who tearfully described what it was like sending her children to school to face racism touches my (white) mother's heart.The wounded survivor of a residential school touches my own wounded soul. The soft spoken "elder" reflected peace and forgiveness in his voice and thereby draws me into his world.

Ms Elliot may prove her point about racism in Canada but her method does little to change it. What is this priviledged self appointed WHITE woman doing advocating for a people whom SHE apparently presumes cannot do it for themselves? The aboriginals who I heard speak on the show were very capable of making their own points.
Perhaps she needs to examine her OWN motives for this high handed and self righteous mission she has assigned herself. I think if anyone is indecently exposed it is Jane Elliot herself.
- Catherine Brown

Same old, same old :"the white man is the root of all evil" nonsense. Perhaps if natives want to be viewed in a better light by the wider spectrum of Canadian society, they should be demanding that their leaders stop playing the race card and end the cult of victimology. Only when natives stop pointing fingers at the outside world and start looking in the mirror will they start to progress as a culture.

For every crime that has been committed against native Canadians, there is a perk which they receive (and evidently take for granted) that most other Canadians would kill for - free post-secondary education, tax exemptions and easier access to government jobs to name a few.

Its fine for natives to point the finger at the white man for their problems, but with citizenship comes responsibility. Maybe its time for natives to do a better job of accepting theirs.
- John Hall

My husband was one of the participants in the workshop and had his eyes opened. Being a metis woman I think that everyone, not just in Canada but everywhere, should see this film. Thank you to the producer, Jane Elliott and everyone else who had anything to do with this film for helping get this message out.
-Stephanie Reed

I tuned into "The Passionate Eye" with great interest, and while I did learn a great deal about racism and ethnocentric views in our own country, I felt that the program itself was poorly put together and much of the information was contradictory and confusing.

So called "expert," Jane Elliott refered to First Nations Canadians as "Indians," and suggested that the "blue eyes" had to walk a mile in "the moccasins" of First Nations Peoples. Moreover, It was suggested that many First Nations people feel that they want to be treated equally. This suggestion was later contradicted when it was suggested that First Nations peoples wish to be recognized as Native peoples of Canada who are unique.

This made the show quite confusing and unclear as to what we should do as Canadians to eliminate racism in our country. If there are no clear guidelines or expectations, how do we act to rid our country of these racist views?
- Ken Miles

I am First Nations, and I think this workshop is a start. I am faced with these issues daily. I work for a predominately "white" institution, and sometimes I am made to feel like the "token indian girl". One of these workshops would be really great in an institution of "know it alls". I was surprised about the attude that came from the guy "who knew it all". After hearing that , I thought to myself "that's why there is racism".

There are so many people that think they know when really instead of talking they should be listening. I believe racism is the lack of education and the willingness to accept people for who they are and not what they are. It's nice to see these First Nations issues are being spoken about.
-Anna

Watching this workshop makes me think that as a country we have a lot of work to do. I was brought to tears watching this documentary because I know that I have said or done things that have been racist in some form or another. I honestly thought that I was not 'like that'. I will listen more and perhaps more importantly speak up when I hear or see people saying or doing rascist acts. Thank you for showing this documentary. I can only hope that it will make a few people change their ways in the future.
-Valerie Aucoin

I am Native, and proud. Watching this episode of The Passionate Eye has changed my views.

Seeing 'Blue Eyes' act so stupidly, and the mandatory need to have power opened my eyes. I have faced racism all my life, and have even realized that now, in my highschool, with the white kids growing up in their schools being taught not to call us "Indians" but to call us "Natives"..and that right there shows that they need to be right. I realized they want the power.

White people THINK they know what its like... But they never walked a mile in my mocccasins.
-Kristin Kewaquom