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Crown - First Nations Gathering January 23 & 24, 2012
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For Immediate Release First Nations overlooked part of economy – Madahbee OTTAWA (January 25, 2012) – Instead of boasting about Canada's success in avoiding much of the impacts of the recent global economic downturn at this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Stephen Harper should be sharing with them a ground-breaking Canadian plan to stimulate its economy with initiatives that create genuine partnerships with First Peoples. Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee, one of 120 First Nations leaders from across Canada to participate in what was billed as a historic Crown-First Nations Gathering, said the post-event consensus was that Canada is intent on pushing through its own legislative agenda for First Nations, instead of working with them on comprehensive and creative solutions. Madahbee said Canada is missing out on an opportunity to be seen as a leader on the world stage. "The National Chief has told Prime Minister Harper that a comprehensive action plan would add $400 billion to the Canadian economy, and eliminate $150 billion in social costs. There are 400 million Indigenous peoples around the globe – over a million in Canada. We are the fastest growing population. We are the students and workers of the future. Why do governments constantly overlook us? "If financial self-sufficiency of First Nations" is truly the “end-goal” of the Canadian government, they need to be talking to us about the treaty promises and resource revenue-sharing. This is the only way to create certainty for corporate projects. They can no longer expect to barge into our territories without dealing with First Nations peoples." "We have epidemic health and social issues, gross inequities in funding for our students, and virtually no share in the billions in resources being stolen from our traditional territories," said Madahbee, speaking for 39 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation. "What we heard from Mr. Harper was a lame re-hashing of his government's so-called accomplishments for our communities and citizens." Madahbee said the Gathering began with some sources of optimism, a ceremonial opening that included numerous references to the Royal Proclamation of 1763, by which the Crown in Canada envisioned a nation-to-nation relationship in its dealings with First Peoples. "But the Harper Conservatives just cannot bring themselves to truly honour the treaty relationship of sharing upon which Canada's creation was based. They should be convening First Ministers' meetings involving our people and the provinces to create comprehensive action plans. "Instead, they continue to rely on their bureaucrats who, like the ones who created the racist Indian Act in 1876, still act more as roadblocks to First Nations progress than facilitators. The Prime Minister himself said in Ottawa that the old rules – like the Indian Act – don't get good results. "Let's start working together on some new rules." The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook For Immediate Release Anishinabek looking for action, not photo-ops UOI Offices (Nipissing First Nation) January 19, 2012 – What has to be changed in the relationship between Canada and First Nations has already been established, says Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee. What needs to happen at a Jan. 24 Crown-First Nations Gathering in Ottawa is for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to take action. "There has been much, much work done," said Madahbee. "Things like the Kelowna Accord, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Nielsen Task Force Report, the Penner Report and many, many other studies that point to the fact that we do need change. Now, we have the answers. The solutions are there, already built into a lot of these processes. What we need is the political will to move on some of these initiatives." The Grand Council Chief was hopeful that the Jan. 24 meeting between First Nations leaders from across Canada and the federal government will be the start of that process. "The rebuilding of a Crown-First Nations relationship is a necessary first step. I think we have a real opportunity here to show the world how Canada will engage with the First Nations in this country, by doing something very pro-actively to advance these issues that we've been talking about for years and years and years. Not since the Treaty days, and even more recently in the Constitutional talks of the early eighties, have we had an opportunity to meet with the Crown to discuss matters dealing with First Nations issues. The Grand Council Chief said First Nations want the Ottawa gathering to be more than just a photo-op. "We want this meeting to say that things are being done -- we want to see some really significant processes emerge, where we have ongoing working meetings, perhaps culminating in a First Minister's conference agreeing on some substantial ideas to affect our communities. "So with that I say to the Canadian public, I say to the Anishinabek people, and I say to the government of Canada and the Governor General who represents the Crown: 'Let's get our sleeves rolled up, let's do some really good work, let's get to the heart of our issues, and let's make some real tangible change.'" The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- For more information contact: Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Economic development a priority for First Nations ALDERVILLE FN (January 19, 2012) - The Southeast Regional Chief for the Anishinabek Nation, Chief J. R. Marsden, says that next week's Crown-First Nations meeting is important for First Nation economies in his region. "The Federal Government's Additions to Reserve policy is holding back communities in the area of economic development,"" says Chief Marsden. "We are looking to regain some land in order to focus on economic development ventures." "In Alderville, I have been trying unsuccessfully to get answers as to why this process is so dysfunctional. It is hard to work with the surrounding township if the government is stalling with additions to reserve," says the Regional Chief. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, to which Canada is a signatory, states that First Nations have the right to engage freely in all their traditional and other economic activities. Economic Development is one of many First Nations issues that will be brought to the Prime Minister's attention on January 24th at the gathering in Ottawa. The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- For more information contact: Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook For Immediate Release First Nations force-fed lower living standards FORT WILLIAM FN (January 19, 2012) – Canada forces First Nations to accept lower standards of living," says Peter Collins, Northern Superior Regional Chief for the Anishinabek Nation. Collins, also Chief of Fort William First Nation near Thunder Bay, hopes this is an issue that will be dealt with at the Jan. 24 Crown-First Nations Gathering in Ottawa. "First Nations are forced to deal with lower standards for their citizens in housing and health care because of funding arrangements imposed on our populations for decades. We are concerned that cuts to funding in these areas are likely and will lead to crisis situations in many of our communities. Housing and health care services are paramount to the basic survival of our people and should be a shared priority for all concerned as we try to move forward, strengthening our citizens, communities and nation. Regional Chief Collins, whose community recently concluded a 160-year-old land claim, also hopes the summit of First Nations Chiefs and Prime Minister Stephen Harper will make a commitment to streamline the existing land claims policy and procedures. "First Nations, through land claims, are attempting to correct some of the wrongs that have been inflicted upon our citizens by Canada and Ontario not holding to the true agreements of our treaties and inherent rights," says Chief Collins. "Yet, even with the processes and strides that we are making in bringing forth and settling claims, the processes are long and costly, directed by Canada and decided upon by the very government who broke the pacts. It is our position that First Nations should have stronger positions and control mechanisms in these processes in order to fairly and reasonably solve these issues as Nations." The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- For more information contact: Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Need to hear First Nations voices on environment AAMJIWNAANG FN (January 19, 2012) – Anishinabek Nation Southwest Regional Chief Chris Plain says that First Nations are being burdened by environmental assessments and communities are not able to participate in all consultations regarding aboriginal and Treaty rights with Ontario or the federal government. "The benefit of undertaking an environmental assessment is that environmental effects may be identified, minimized, mitigated or avoided,"” says Regional Chief Plain. “"Each federal and provincial governing body has its own requirement and process."” But Chief Plain says that First Nations often do not have the resources or technical staff to comment on proposed projects' environmental impacts. The consultation process is inadequate and fails to meaningfully consider many values of importance to First Nations. Effective consultation should mean more than how many First Nations are consulted by the Crown or project proponents. "First Nations in the present environmental assessment process are mere stakeholders," says the Regional Chief. "They have no power or authority over the design of the process or the ultimate decision. First Nations should be directly involved as it is their traditional territory that is being impacted by the decision-making of others." Re-establishing the Treaty relationship will be one of the topics of the Crown-First Nations gathering in Ottawa on January 24. The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- For more information contact: Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook Self-determination should be on the table in Ottawa: Day SERPENT RIVER FN (January 19, 2012) – Lake Huron Regional Chief Isadore Day says that self-determination and economic development need to be addressed at next week's Crown-First Nations gathering in Ottawa. "Treaties in Canada must be honoured," says Day. "The spirit and intent of Treaties in Canada was about sharing in the wealth and bounty of traditional lands. Instead we see poverty and a failed Crown-First Nation relationship. Advancing federal, provincial, and private sector economic interests can no longer be done at the expense of First Nations not being at the table. "Self-determination and restoring Anishinabek Nation government must be the next jurisdictional frontier in a new relationship between First Nations and the Crown. A new social contract of First Nation self-government in this country means that Canada must recognize the formal advancement of First Nations as an existing level of government in the Canadian political fabric." The Lake Huron Regional Chief noted that the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to which Canada is signatory, states that First Nations people have the right to self-determination. "By virtue of that right," he adds, "they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development." Self-determination and honouring the treaties will be the focus of First Nations at the Crown-First Nations gathering in Ottawa on January 24th. The Anishinabek Nation established the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 39 member communities across Ontario, representing approximately 55,000 people. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact. -30- For more information contact: Marci Becking Communications Officer Union of Ontario Indians Phone: (705) 497-9127 (ext. 2290) Cell: (705) 494-0735 E-mail: becmar@anishinabek.ca Follow us on Twitter and Facebook | |||
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