WHEREAS the Aboriginal population (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) is increasing in Canada, comprising 3.8% of Canada’s population (15% in Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and has grown by 45% in the last decade;
WHEREAS a large segment of this population has been shut out of the economic benefits accruing to most Canadians;
WHEREAS the Kelowna Accord negotiated by the Liberal government, provinces/territories and Aboriginal groups was cancelled by the current government;
WHEREAS Canada was one of only four countries to vote against the UN Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and endorses the principles in the Kelowna Accord;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada provide resources for Aboriginal people to establish a preferred future for themselves by strengthening their identity, governance relationships, and accountability among themselves and others;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada take immediate steps to provide clean drinking water on reserves;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada improve housing for Aboriginal peoples both on and off reserves;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada provide programs and services to improve living conditions by addressing substance abuse and violence in particular;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada work with Aboriginal peoples to devise and provide education programs that include cultural, lifestyle, employment and academic components;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada work with Aboriginal peoples to create economic development.
Liberal Party of Canada (Saskatchewan)
Aboriginal People’s Commission
Make sure adequate and effective safeguards against abuse of funding are in place with checks and balances for all involved… Then go for it, it’s way overdue that the native peoples of Canada have equal opportunities with the rest of the Canadian population…
Absolutely this is important! A society is judged by how it treats those who are in need.
Thank you for raising these important issues.
An important correction needs to be made, I believe: on Friday,Nov. 12, 2010 Canada did (finally) formally sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as the Globe & Mail said, “ending Canada’s isolation as one of two countries that refused to endorse the text”. The text should somehow be re-worked to affirm this Declaration without suggesting that Canada still has not agreed. The AFN has emphasized the obligations under the Convention as ones that Canada must now honour.
May I suggest that the resolution also needs ‘polishing’ or amendment to ensure that it provides that the “Government of Canada” shall act, and to state that the Liberal Party of Canada shall promote such a policy. (For example, as it presently reads it calls on the Liberal Party of Canada to provide fresh water on reserves – although clearly it is the intent that the Crown [not a single political party] shall honour its treaty and moral obligations to work with First Nations to ensure a durable infrastructure is put in place, competently managed and securely financed, to provide for adequate and reliable potable water. Same observation as to the clause on the provision of housing,and the provision of programs on-reserve etc.).
What FN consultation was there in the drafting of this resolution, and can those resources among us be engaged again to ensure this resolution says what it should, and most effectively?
Actually, that was the selling feature for me. Why do we have to wait until we are the government? By which I mean, can we as individuals who happen to be members of a specific political party take ‘ownership’ of this problem and work together to make it better? We can’t of course, make the problem completely disappear (we’d need to be the government for that, and even then. . .) but how about we, as Liberals, ask what is needed and do what we can as individuals to provide as much as we can?
I like that.
“Perhaps, if i had been given the opportunity to speak, my message would have been about integration and the mainstream. As it turned out i simply asked: What do you want?”
A small and charming world.
John Fredric Gibson.
Strange as it may seem the GoC hasn’t often asked this question: “What do they want” and when we did we didn’t bother to listen to the answers; we’re still not listening. Our message is still largely about integration and mainstream. In any case it is not up to us to say yes or no for them.
I don’t know if a Kolowna Accord will help, but i do know the hurting has to stop someday.It would be fitting if the LPC had a hand in bringing that day to pass.
Kelowna Accord always been half way.We liberals with the help of all Canadians should make it in to full way in
the near future with all the valid needed purposes adopted by UN “The Declaration sets out the individual and
collective rights of indigenous peoples, as well as their rights to culture, identity, language, employment,
health, education and other issues. It also “emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and
strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions, and to pursue their development in keeping with their
own needs and aspirations”. It “prohibits discrimination against indigenous peoples”, and it “promotes their full
and effective participation in all matters that concern them and their right to remain distinct and to pursue
their own visions of economic and social development”.
Going through the records of date and time of the Kelowna talks and later what happened,leaves lots of
points to Harper government to criticize.These talks were a series of agreements between the Government of Canada,
First Ministers of the Provinces, Territorial Leaders, and the leaders of national aboriginal organizations in
Canada. Paul Martin liberal government budgeted certain money also to improve the education, employment, and
living conditions for Aboriginal peoples through governmental funding and other programs.And also introduced
private bill.Such private bills go up to what extend,we are all can imagine that too when Tory’s are in
power.
Now let us come to reality.More than 25 yrs may have taken by UN to adopt this process and also progress was slow
because of certain state’s concerns regarding some key provisions of the Declaration, such as indigenous peoples’
right to self-determination and the control over natural resources existing on indigenous peoples’ traditional
lands.Many of them want only one law for all citizens and we do not practices certain laws that are not acceptable
in the modern world.
All the above statements are past,but in future all liberals should be sincere and serious about talking and
making statements about aboriginal people.We should start from the right begining.Come back to table with
all the leaders of aborginals,first ministers of provice,Territorial leaders and also social leaders.Even
we can start that practice right now and make an outline and implement this policy as soon as definitely we come
back to power in very near future.
Spirit and Intent are 3 simple words that sum up the Crown’s treaty obligations to First Nations Peoples. It is time to finally live up to our moral responsibilities and or obligations to finally provide First Nations Peoples with the power to engage with the provinces and the federal government as self – governing nations. In order to do so, will mean the implimentation of several meaningful policy changes. 1st; working in partnership with the AFN in the abolition of the Indian Act, 2;the granting of overarching powers of governing aurthority to the AFN to administer and negotiate: natural resource sharing agreements, provide First Nations experts to First Nations who require help with financial, housing, education, and or economic development. In order to do this the government must commit itself to finally engaging in meaningful specific and comprehensive claims negotiations to right the wrongs of illegal embezzlement of Indian Trust Funds, the improper taking of Indian reserve lands, and the failure to compensate First Nations with the loss of traditional livlihoods due to natural resource development in Northern Ontario. The historical research has already been done. Past Federal Government commissions such as the Ferguson Royal Commision have already laid the blame. It’s time to finally make First Nations People true partners in the Federation of Canada.
Ive talked to a lot of people involved with this. It’s one of those things where throwing more money wont solve it, there needs to be a long term goal, one aimed with economic integration. I dont have a clue how to go about doing this. Also, alot of native chiefs live in really nice houses while their citizenry live in abject poverty. Maybe audits by an independent firm should be considered.
Equality to aboriginals should be the aim of all Canadians. My family pioneered the Manitoulin Island in Ontario so I do have aboriginal ancestry in our family. Liberal and conservative policy has been restricted largely by the Indian Act. That in itself should not be used as an excuse to deny the basics of food, shelter, education and employment to our aboriginal peoples. We should not hide behind behind the dollar cost as doing things better, we might find there is already enough in the system to address many of the basics.
Personally I thought the Kelowna Accord was a step in the right direction but we know what happened to that. The government apology for the residential school system was a small step and should be commended. Neither of these though addressed the rot that is at the centre of this issue, The Indian Act. You know even the name of act is disgusting.
Changing the act is a challenge in itself, one that would require give and take from all stakeholders. If one listens closely to all sides(public, government and aboriginal)the common aspect I see is that all three sides lay blame at the other. Recent events on reservations underline the need for change, getting there is the challenge. I would for one would like to tear up or gradually change the Indian Act but fully realize the barriers involved are huge;without consent from all parties impossible.
In the meantime Liberals should endorse policies that provide aboriginals with the basics of a decent living and the opportunities every other citizen of Canada enjoys.
My interest in this issue runs deep, as I spent over 6 years working as a research historian working for Health Canada, Indian Affairs, Parks Canada, Saskatchewan’s Treaty Commissioners Office as well the FSIN on everything from Aboriginal Health Care, Hunting and Fishing Rights, Residential Schools, Trust Funds, as well as Land Claims. Over the years I have read thousands of primary documents that explains how past federal governments have exploited the interests of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. Yes there are documented cases where councils and Chiefs have misused or mispent their trust funds, but this to happens amongst municipal, provincial and federal governments. It’s a matter of human nature. The bigger issue is providing the First Nations communities with the authority, education, and ability to administer their own affairs as self governing entities. As for providing safeguards against spending abuses, using independent auditors from the AFN and the Federal Governments Auditor Generals Office to check for spending irregularities would help provide some finacial safeguards. As for comments concerning the abolition of the Indian Act, yes it would be difficult to change, but it is only an Act of Parliament. In order to achieve this there would have to be a will of all federal political parties to seek such a liberal change. In it’s place the federal government would need to work in conjuntion with the AFN to achieve an agreeemnt that would replace the colonial anchor with some sort of self government for First Nations across Canada. As Liberals lets stop the talk and start fighting for positive change for First Nations Peoples. Lets look at First Nations Communities, such as the Nation Huronne – Wendat who have been extremely successful in managing their own affairs. The Huron are not only one of the wealthiest and best educated First Nations communities in Canada, but have estabilished their own factories, and businesses.
Peter Nayler, B.A. (Hons), B.Ed., M.A.
The ghettoisation of Indigenous people must end! Further our current government is doing nothing to help indigenous peoples!! We need not only to court our aboriginal we need to show genuine involvement.
On a positive note….Pilots … Why not ? You have to be 14 years of age to become a pilot in Canada. Give every young aboriginal who lives in a remote community an opportunity to aspire to become a pilot by the time she/he becomes 14. It would give young aboriginals a sense of freedom. For hunting: they could track and locate. For security: they could fly out in the event of a forest fire. For Health Care: They could fly out if someone was in need of medical attention. For employment: they could fly hunters, supplies. For surveillance. I believe the Canadian Rangers patrol Artic Canada. They are also mostly aboriginals. What’s wrong with having aboriginals train aboriginals ? The Rangers could be an additional training resource. Aircraft building: they could also learn how to build their own aircrafts. This would allow them to learn how to maintain them. Design an aircraft that’s afforable.
With accomplishment, you flourish.
I support this resolution. “Charity Begins at Home” -The world thinks of Canada as a reasonably wealthy country and yet we have many aboriginal people in Canada who live in “Third World” conditions as recently seen in Attawapiskat on television.
–This has got to be the greatest Human Rights Challenge in Canada’s history. It would appear that public money is spent by the Millions and perhaps even Billions at the expense of these poor Canadian people.
For example: The children of Attawapiskat have been without a school for ten (10) years. (That’s too long in a child’s life.) We should encourage pride in the tradition and culture of our First Nations. I believe that creative education and opportunity are key. Our First Nations People helped the first settlers survive the harsh Canadian winters, helped us fight for Canada. Helped us fight in the war of 1812. Reciprocity would be a wonderful thing. It’s our turn, with the help of technology we could now help them maintain their legacy. Ensemble notre Canada devient le pays le plus beau du monde. Vive le Canada ! Vive nos Amérindiens Canadiens!
Passed!
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