Why should my HARD EARNED tax dollars go to support the welfare lifestyle in Toronto

Occasionally (who am I kidding...constantly)I will see in the paper or on various news sites (usually CBC) stories about First Nations people getting a free ride. Usually this is accompanied by the usual "angry taxpayers" who are tired of all their money going to support the welfare lifestyle all of us "Indians" are used to living. Perhaps if these taxpayers would spend a little more time getting the facts instead of believing every biased piece of new they hear, they would understand just a bit more of the reality. According to Stats Canada, there are 1,172,785 people in Canada who identify as Aboriginal. There are 623,780 First Nation people in Canada, of which 237,000 live off-reserve (386,743 on reserve) Of these 623,780 First Nations people, 249,970 have working income of an average of $23,273. That works out to 40% The national average at the same time is $36,616 with a population of 17,662,915 working (57%) Now keep in mind that the average age for non- First Nation is 44, and 40% of the First Nation population is under 25 years of age and normally would not be working. So, when you subtract the 245,575 people who are under the age of 25, AND the 249,970 people who have a working income, you are left with 128,235. Also keep in mind that First Nations people living off reserve would not qualify for "native welfare" anyway. According to the real numbers, a lager amount goes to non-aboriginal welfare than does to native welfare. For example in Toronto alone there are approx 400,000 recipients of Social Assistance. If every First Nation person living on the reserve were to get welfare, that would be only 623,780 people. However, only approximately 128,235 would even qualify. Please consider these numbers the next time you complain about YOUR tax dollars going to support welfare in First Nation communities.