What do these have in common Besides the association with violence, these communities demonstrate that tension and hostility will ultimately result when a government treats its citizens differently based on race.

In 1990, a police officer was killed during a violent dispute in Oka, Que. The clash between Canadians was over a land claim. Land claims in Canada are not well understood, and it is obvious why.

For example, some Native Canadian leaders claim not to be Canadian and therefore, wish to negotiate treaties with Ottawa on a country-to-country basis. Yet these same individuals will use the Canadian Constitution as a tool in their negotiations. By default, wouldn't using the Canadian Constitution make you Canadian, and if so why are Canadians signing treaties with other Canadians Doesn't the Charter of Rights guarantee equality for all Canadians

In Burnt Church, NB in 2000 a dispute arose over the validity of Native Canadian commercial fishing rights. Regrettably, commercial fishing rights have caused disputes on both coasts.

The majority of the disputes can be tied to the federal government's Aboriginal Fishing Strategy. The policy, implemented in 1992, enabled some Native Canadian bands to operate commercial fisheries under different rules.

Several times in recent years, non-Native commercial fishermen have been shut out of the harvesting while the Native Canadian commercial fishermen have been allowed to fish. Once again a federal policy to treat Canadians differently has led to protests, and even violence in a few cases.

More recently, Canadians witnessed violence erupt in the Native Canadian community of Kanesatake, Que. When the democratically elected leader, Grand Chief Gabriel unveiled a policy to get tough on crime, this drew the ire and aggression of a few local hooligans. As a result Grand Chief Gabriel was forced to flee the community and his house was torched.

What do you think would happen if a mayor or premier were forced out of town the way Grand Chief Gabriel was forced out of his community

But this is Canada, and in Canada, the federal government treats Native Canadians and Native Canadian communities differently.

It will be interesting for Canadians to see the response of the federal government to current allegations of an attempt, by opponents of Grand Chief Gabriel, to change the electoral code of Kanesatake to limit the number of band members who can vote in their next election.

The federal government had a golden opportunity with the introduction of the First Nations Governance Act to establish electoral codes in Native Canadian communities that could not be manipulated. But this Bill died with Parliament's fall session, and Prime Minster Martin does not appear to be interested in resurrecting the Bill.

The examples discussed are only three situations which illustrate that treating Canadians differently based on race is - simply put - wrong. Yet Ottawa continues to produce scores of legislation and policy that treat Native Canadians differently from other Canadians.

It is time to end the madness. Canadians can only hope Paul Martin will realize that to treat a country's citizens differently based on race opens the door to division, tension and confrontation.