Housing Crisis in Attawapiskat

CFSC released a joint statement with Amnesty International Canada and KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives in response to recent actions by the federal government with regard to the State of Emergency in the Cree community of Attawapiskat (northern Ontario). The statement is available in English and French.

Discrimination Against Indigenous Children

An important judgment was rendered by the Federal Court on April 18, 2012. Click here for the English and French versions.  The Court “set aside” the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision of March 14, 2011 that would have denied First Nations people on reserve the right to make a discrimination complaint under section 5(b) of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

The Complaint by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and Assembly of First Nations alleges discrimination in federal funding of child welfare services on First Nations reserves. As decided by the Federal Court, the Complaint will now be remitted to a different panel of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for re-determination.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case on discrimination against First Nations children was brought forward by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations. The federal government spends approximately 22% less per child for child welfare services on reserves than provincial counterparts spend in non-Aboriginal communities.

A disproportionate number of Indigenous children are taken from their families and placed in foster care. A critical factor is the failure of the federal government to provide adequate funds for the delivery of early intervention and other preventative programs that are generally available to non-Indigenous families.

Children’s rights are denied by indifference and legal technicalities. Indigenous peoples and human rights organizations urge all political leaders in Canada to make a clear public commitment to ending the discriminatory underfunding that is tearing apart First Nations families.

Indigenous peoples and human rights organizations call for an immediate end to discrimination against First Nations families in a Joint Statement: FNchildwelfarejointletterApril272011.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission – From Apology to Action

A part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history, was the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2007.  In July 2009 three new commissioners were announced. Justice Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild, and Marie Wilson have begun the work to fulfill the mandate, described as:

“to learn the truth about what happened in the residential schools and to inform

all Canadians about what happened in the schools. The Commission will document the truth of what happened by relying on records held by those who operated and funded the schools, testimony from officials of the institutions that operated the schools, and experiences reported by survivors, their families, communities and anyone personally affected by the residential school experience and its subsequent impacts.”

At Canadian Yearly Meeting in August 2011 Canadian Friends approved this minute:

84. Minute from Special Interest Group on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Elaine Bishop introduced this minute and asked us for our prayers. We received the minute, read by Elaine, as follows:

“We are being invited by the Indigenous Peoples of Canada as represented by the Indian Residential School Survivors, through the Indian Residential School Survivors Settlement Agreement, to enter a journey of truth finding and reconciliation. We encourage all Friends, in their Meetings for Worship and Monthly and Regional Meetings, boldly to accept this invitation and to engage locally, regionally and nationally actively seeking ways to open ourselves to this process. We look forward to continuing this journey at Canadian Yearly Meeting throughout the four remaining years of this Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission process, using the resources of Quaker Aboriginal Affairs Committee to support and resource local and regional meetings in this journey. We ask for the prayers of Yearly Meeting and Canadian Friends as we journey forward.

[CFSC's] Quaker Aboriginal Affairs Committee has distributed handouts this week on how we can engage with this process and we look forward to receiving more such information as the process goes forward. We prayerfully support engagement in it.

Quaker Aboriginal Affairs Committee has distributed handouts this week on how we can engage with this process and we look forward to receiving more such information as the process goes forward. We prayerfully support engagement in it.”

Canada’s apology

On June 11, 2008, the Government of Canada apologized for the damage done to Indigenous peoples by the residential schools. At the time, the Prime Minister said, ”Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country … The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian residential schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on aboriginal culture, heritage and language.”

A Response to the Residential Schools Apology: From Apology to Action is a statement given by Grand Chief Edward John on June 11, 2008 at the Chief Joe Mathias Centre on the Squamish Nation. Grand Chief John is Akile Ch’oh, Dene Zah (hereditary chief) and is from the Tl’azt’en Nation, Dakelh Territory. He is an elected member of the First Nations Summit of British Columbia and in days gone by was #34 at Lejac Indian Residential School. Grand Chief John is currently serving as the North American Indigenous representative to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Lubicon Cree

The Lubicon have been attempting to negotiate with the federal and provincial (Alberta) governments for more than 60 years. In the late ‘70s, roads were built to access recently discovered oil and gas reserves. More than 400 wells were drilled and the Lubicon subsistence economy vanished as the moose and fur animals upon which they depended fled.

In 1990, the UN Human Rights Committee urged Canada to respect the rights of the Lubicon Cree and to reach a just resolution of their land dispute.

To mark the anniversary of the historic UN ruling, Amnesty International, the Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers), KAIROS, and the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Agriculture Union (PSAC) sponsored a human rights essay contest at the school in the Lubicon community of Little Buffalo. The three contest winners, Leticia Gladue, Daphne Ominayak and Dawn Seeseequon, travelled to the United Nations in New York to meet with the UN Human Rights Committee.

CFSC works with partners from KAIROS and Amnesty International in support of the Lubicon Cree.

Resources:

• Documentary on the Lubicon Cree – Three decades of massive, unwanted oil and gas development on their lands has eroded the fundamental human rights of Lubicon Cree of northern Alberta. View Amnesty International’s new documentary, show the film in your own community, and join Amnesty’s online campaign. http://www.amnesty.ca/lubicon (October 2010)
• Joint Statement on the Lubicon – “On the twentieth anniversary of the Human Rights Committee’s decision, we call on the Government of Canada to make a clear public commitment to engage in genuine, good faith negotiations on all outstanding issues in the Lubicon land dispute, based on the fulfillment Canada’s obligations under domestic and international laws.” (March 24, 2010)
• An Open Letter to the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta: A call to uphold United Nations recommendations on the rights of the Lubicon Cree (November 18, 2008).
• a letter to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Jim Prentice, urging him settle the longstanding land rights claim by the Lubicon Cree. (May 2006)

Ontario Mining Laws

In recent years, CFSC has been involved in supporting the effort for a major revision of the Mining Act of Ontario, in particular so it will explicitly respect the rights of Indigenous peoples regarding resource extraction plans being developed that may affect them or their territory.

• Joint Submission on the Ontario Provincial Mining Act (October 15, 2008) CFSC and Amnesty International Canada submitted a brief to the province of Ontario as part of a review of the provincial Mining Act. This was in response to the KI and Ardoch First Nations objection to mining on their territories. The Province of Ontario is now reviewing the legislation which governs mining, which currently has does not include honouring the constitutional duty to consult Indigenous peoples.
• Stop the Injustice: Overhaul Ontario’s mining laws and policies. (March 17, 2008) An open letter to the Premier of Ontario from more than 35 signatories representing diverse perspectives and concerns. This letter is a response to the sentencing of Indigenous persons in Ontario for peaceful demonstrations against mining on traditional lands.

The Jay Treaty

CFSC has worked with Friends and Indigenous peoples in eastern Canada towards Canada respecting the terms of the Jay Treaty (1784) between what is now Canada and the United States, including the rights therein for Indigenous peoples to be able to move freely across the borders. CFSC intern, Chuck Wright, writes of the failure of the Government of Canada to implement the Jay Treaty on Border Crossing.

The Mohawks of Akwesasne

On June 10, 2009, CFSC participated in a joint letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety with regard to the concern of arming border guards in the Mohawk Akwesasne community.

Grassy Narrows

The origins of the CFSC’s work on Indigenous issues dates back to 1974, and concerns about mercury poisoning affecting the Ojibway communities of Grassy Narrows and White Dog in Ontario. The Grassy Narrows community continues to protest unauthorized development on their traditional territory. CFSC joined many organizations in urging the Government of Ontario, the forestry company Weyerhaeuser and other corporations to respect international human rights standards that require the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of Indigenous peoples for decisions that affect their land and resource rights. See the October 2010 statement here: GrassyNarrowsjointstatementOct2010

Project Grants

CFSC provides small grants to grassroots projects initiated by Indigenous peoples or Quakers working with them that contribute to the self-empowerment of Indigenous peoples. Quaker connection is useful, but not requires. Grants are a maximum of $1000.  For more information, email qaac [at] quakerservice.ca. Below is an example of one of our project grants.

Smoke Signals

Smoke Signals is a radio program that “aims to educate the public about the worldview of the First Nations cultures of North America.” The show is based in London, Ontario and hosted by Indigenous elders Dan and Mary Lou Smoke. CFSC financially supports this program in its efforts of promoting cultural awareness.Smoke Signals airs on CHRW 94.9 FM Radio Western every Sunday 6:30 – 8:00pm. Learn more at their website.