La matin du 31 janvier 2020 entre 6h00 et 7h30, au moins quatorze (14) croix noires avec des messages qui ne peuvent être interprétés que comme « menaçantes », ont été placées à divers endroits dans la communauté Mohawk de Kanesatake, située près d’Oka.
Les croix mentionnent les noms du grand chef, ainsi que ceux d’autres chefs élus du conseil.
La Sureté du Québec a été avisée de l’incident et a rapidement réagi en multipliant les patrouilles dans la région et en lançant une enquête.
Le Conseil Mohawk tient à remercier les membres de la communauté locale et les nombreuses entreprises qui ont démontré leur soutien et leur coopération avec le Conseil, ainsi que les organismes d’application de la loi, afin de recueillir des informations essentielles pour l’enquête.
Il est important de mentionner que le Conseil Mohawk de Kanesatake travaille toujours à préserver la paix, la prospérité et l’inclusivité pour tous nos membres ainsi que les générations à suivre, ce sont là les valeurs qui nous ont été transmises par nos ancêtres.
Des photos du suspect, de sa voiture et des croix, sont en pièces jointes. Si quelqu’un a des informations concernant cette personne ou est en mesure de l’identifier ou d’identifier le véhicule, veuillez contacter le Grand Chef Simon au (450.479.8373 *107) ou le détachement d’Oka de la Sûreté du Québec.
During the morning of January 31st 2020, between the hours of 6:00am and 7:30am, at least fourteen (14) black crosses with messages that can only be interpreted as « threatening », were placed at various locations in the Mohawk Community of Kanesatake, situated near Oka.
The crosses mention the names of the Grand Chief, as well as those of other elected Council Chiefs.
The Sureté du Québec has been notified of the incident, and have responded swiftly by increasing patrols in the area as well as launching an investigation into the matter.
The Mohawk Council wants to thank local community members and the many businesses that have shown their support and cooperation with Council, as well as law enforcement bodies, in order to gather critical information for the investigation.
It is important to mention that the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake is always working at achieving peace, prosperity and inclusiveness for all of our members and generations to follow, such are the values that were passed-down to us by our ancestors.
Pictures of the suspect, of the suspect’s car and of the crosses are attached. If anyone has any information about this individual or can identify him or his vehicle, please contact Grand Chief Simon can be reached (450.479.8373 *107) or the Oka detachment of the Sureté du Québec.
JUNEAU – The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) is offering Northwest Coast Arts classes this spring featuring artist instructors Kay Parker and Lily Hope. Scholarships are available for Northwest Coast Arts classes through Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI), with advance application deadlines noted below. Classes can be taken for credit of non-credit.
February 22-23: Fiber Arts Spinning with Tlingit artist Lily Hope
The course includes study and practice of either hand or machine spinning using traditional fibers and methods, with a special emphasis on yarn design. Students will develop a skill for producing yarns of consistent quality. The course focuses on Chilkat and Ravenstail warp hand Thigh Spinning. (Scholarship deadline: February 10, 2020)
March 2-12: Northwest Coast Woolen Weaving with Kay Parker
This course covers traditional twining techniques used in ceremonial garments along the Northwest Coast will be studied through creation of regalia. (Scholarship deadline: February 17, 2020)
March 20-22: Natural Dye with Lily Hope
Topics studied include history, philosophy, and procedures for dyeing with plans and other naturally found dyestuffs. Students will learn how to use mordants, collect materials for dyes, extraction of the dye, as well as how to dye wool and other fibers. (Scholarship deadline: March 2, 2020)
SHI and UAS offer the “Sharing our Box of Treasures Scholarship,” intended to provide scholarships to Alaska Native students enrolling in the NWC art courses, but anyone may apply. The scholarship is meant to partially or fully cover tuition, course fees and other fees directly connected to the study of NWC Arts at the UAS Juneau Campus. Provided by SHI and UAS, the scholarship is funded by the US Department of Education ANEP Grant. The application can be found online at sealaska.org.
For help enrolling or more information, contact Davina Cole at drcole3@alaska.edu.
The federal Broadcasting & Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel (BTLRP) released Canada’s Communications Future: Time to Act, its final report and recommendations to government for changes to Canada’s Broadcasting Act.
The Indigenous Screen Office is encouraged to see recommendations on Indigenous content and broadband access reflected in the report. However, we are disappointed that the report falls short by failing to recommend equity for First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples under the Broadcasting Act in the form of equal inclusion with French and English within the legislation.
The review panel held in-person meetings across the country including with the Indigenous Screen Office and other Indigenous political, media and cultural organizations.
“The ISO credits the panel for its difficult work reviewing Canada’s decades-old Broadcasting Act and making the recommendations for modernizing the legislation and for its spirit of collaboration with the Indigenous sector,” said Jesse Wente, Executive Director of the Indigenous Screen Office.
“We support your identification of broadband access in Indigenous communities as a central issue, as well as the need for increased funding and support for Indigenous content creation in Canada. We appreciate the recommendation to have greater inclusion of Indigenous peoples at both the CRTC and CBC. The fact remains, however, that equity within the Act itself is the only way to ensure equity for the long term and to move beyond the discriminatory foundation that Canada’s Broadcasting Act was built on.”
Well over one hundred Indigenous community leaders, experts, and decision makers are expected to gather at Trent University February 18 to 21, 2020 for CINSA 2020, a conference co-hosted by the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN), the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University, and the Canadian Indigenous / Native Studies Association (CINSA).
This year’s conference will feature presentations, discussions, film screenings, and performances that highlight community-driven research on the theme of Imagining and Creating Indigenous Futures, particularly in urban spaces.
“CINSA 2020 is in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Indigenous Studies at Trent University and the twentieth anniversary of the Indigenous Studies PhD program at Trent,” said David Newhouse, Chair of the conference. “The Conference will also be a showcase for the work of the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network, the largest urban Indigenous research initiative in Canadian history. Truly, it’s a time of reflection upon where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going as Indigenous peoples.”
Keynote speakers include Drew Hayden Taylor, one of Canada’s leading Native playwrights and humourists, and Sylvia Maracle, journalist, noted speaker, and world-changer. “We’re extremely excited to hear from Drew and Sylvia,” said Newhouse, “Sylvia has been a prominent leader in the Friendship Centre movement for more than 40 years and there really isn’t a topic she is not familiar with. And in Drew, we have an award-winning writer who has managed to bridge the gap between cultures by tickling the funny bone. These will be great keynotes.”
The conference will open with an evening reception at the Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront on Tuesday, February 18. All other events will take place at the Enwayaang Building at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, February 19 to 21, 2020. Indigenous and non-Indigenous community leaders and administrators, program managers, policy makers, researchers, and students will benefit from attending and the public is welcome. Advance registration is required. Further information and online registration are at www.uakn.org/CINSA.
Today, the First Nations Climate Initiative (FNCI) extended an invitation to all First Nations to meet with them on January 29, 2020 in Prince George to share their vision for a world where global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, where Indigenous communities prosper and British Columbia leads the way to a low carbon economy that delivers on regional and international commitments to climate change targets.
This unique First Nations Climate Initiative was formed in September of 2019 by the leadership of the Haisla Nation, Lax Kw’alaams Band, Metlakatla First Nation and the Nisga’a Nation.
“We as leaders are collectively concerned about the significant threat posed by global climate change,” said Harold Leighton, Chief Councillor, Metlakatla First Nation. “The Nations see providing leadership on climate and development policies that impact their communities as placing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and reconciliation into action,” said Leighton.
FNCI has held collaborative information sessions with international and local climate change experts together with leaders from government, industry, academia and environmental groups and have drafted a potential scenario where B.C. produces net-zero LNG which does not add to emissions rather, meets or exceeds provincial GHG reduction targets. This scenario is consistent with provincial CleanBC objectives, the federal Pan-Canadian Framework, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change/International Energy Association scenarios that achieve sub-2-degree Celsius warming of global average temperatures.
“Climate change is real and is being experienced by our people now,” said Haisla Chief Councillor Crystal Smith. “We have spent the last five months furthering our understanding of climate change as well as the full lifecycle of liquified natural gas. We heard from experts who confirmed that the internationally-recognized scenarios include natural gas as a transition fuel in order to achieve the international goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius,” said Smith.
“Later this week, we will share what we have learned so far and present a draft scenario to First Nations leaders whose communities may be involved in natural gas production, natural gas pipelines or liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities in their traditional territories for their consideration,” said Smith. “We encourage First Nations to join us and look forward to the January 29 session in Prince George.”
The draft scenario is designed on the basis of information gathered by FNCI with respect to the following considerations:
1. Whether LNG plays a legitimate role in the fight against climate change by switching fuel sources in the most polluting countries to cleaner energy sources like natural gas – thereby reducing GHGs entering the atmosphere 2. How B.C. can produce LNG that does not add to provincial emissions and can be considered “net-
zero LNG,” thus meeting provincial GHG reduction targets 3. What the potential reduction in global GHGs is if net-zero LNG is used to displace thermal coal power generation in Asia (where there are policies to switch from coal to gas to reduce air pollution) 4. How much investment is needed in renewable energy infrastructure, ecosystem restoration and
technological development, in order to produce net-zero LNG and where this investment could come from 5. What the potential opportunities and benefits could be for First Nations communities, including:
partnering in LNG infrastructure development; restoring the ecosystems in their traditional territories (which would act as carbon sinks); and building renewable energy generation and transmission infrastructure, which would result in net-zero LNG available as a global transition fuel as well as provide renewable energy for a future low carbon economy in B.C. 6. What provincial and federal policy options are needed to succeed in developing the vision to
contribute to global efforts to achieve a 1.5-degree Celsius limit on climate warming immediately and the eventual low carbon economy that supports a future carbon-neutral world.
“We want B.C. to fully meet its GHG reduction targets and we believe there is a scenario that can do so by 2030,” said Eva Clayton, Nisga’a Nation President. “By working collaboratively with Federal and Provincial Governments, other First Nations, energy project developers and environmental organizations we have a significant opportunity to help achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by using B.C. LNG to displace coal in the most polluting jurisdictions,” said Clayton.
Following the meeting with the broader First Nations, FNCI member Haisla Chief Councillor Crystal Smith will be speaking about the FNCI vision during her closing keynote on January 30, 2020 at the B.C. Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, one of the largest conferences to explore resource development in B.C.
Leaders of various Indigenous organizations and representatives of the Government of Québec will participate in the second meeting of the dialogue table on the recommendations of the Report of the Public Inquiry Commission on relations between Indigenous Peoples and certain public services in Québec (Viens Commission) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
EVENT: Second Meeting of the Dialogue Table on the Recommendations of the Viens Report and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
DATE: Monday, January 27, 2020
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. – Photo-up for the media
9:05 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – In-camera meeting 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Scrum
PLACE: Delta Hotel, Room Opus1
475 Président-Kennedy Avenue Montréal About the AFNQL The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador is the political organization regrouping 43 Chiefs of the First Nations in Quebec and Labrador. Follow us on Twitter @APNQL
Wendake, le 24 janvier 2020 – Les leaders de différentes organisations autochtones et des représentants du gouvernement du Québec participeront à la deuxième rencontre de la table de dialogue sur les recommandations du Rapport de la Commission d’enquête sur les relations entre les Autochtones et certains services publics au Québec (Commission Viens) et de l’Enquête nationale sur les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées (ENFFADA).
ÉVÉNEMENT : Deuxième rencontre de la table de dialogue sur les recommandations du
Rapport Viens et de l’Enquête nationale sur les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées
DATE : Le lundi 27 janvier 2020
HEURE : 9 h à 9 h 05 – Prise de photos et images pour les médias
9 h 05 à 16 h 30 – Rencontre en huis clos 16 h 30 à 17 h – Point de presse
LIEU : Hôtel Delta, salle Opus1
475, avenue du Président-Kennedy Montréal
À propos de l’APNQL L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador est l’organisme régional politique qui regroupe 43 chefs des Premières Nations au Québec et au Labrador. Suivez l’APNQL sur Twitter @APNQL.
As most of you will be aware, the possible RCMP enforcement of an injunction against the Unist’ot’en (a client of ours) in response to their continued opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been in the national news.
Dozens of academics and lawyers from across Canada have signed the following letter urging the provincial and federal governments to meet directly with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs to open a nation-to-nation dialogue in the hopes of peacefully resolving the matter.
January 22, 2020
The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada
The Hon. John Horgan Premier of British Columbia
Via email
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Horgan:
Re: Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs’ Opposition to Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project
We write as settler and Indigenous legal professionals from across Canada to express deep concern about the conflict regarding the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Wet’suwet’en territory. We call on the federal and provincial governments to meet with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs immediately and to address this issue in a manner that upholds the principle of reconciliation, the authority of the law of the Wet’suwet’en, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the honour of the Crown.
The police presence on Wet’suwet’en territory has intensified alarmingly since the December court order prohibiting individuals from obstructing the project, and the Hereditary Chiefs’ eviction notice to Coastal GasLink. Indigenous and human rights organizations, including the UN, have raised concerns about violations of Indigenous rights in Wet’suwet’en territory. Meanwhile, the Province has declined the Hereditary Chiefs’ requests to meet. Premier John Horgan recently announced that the “rule of law” must prevail and the project will proceed despite the Hereditary Chiefs’ opposition. He subsequently refused to meet with the Chiefs while in northern BC. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also distanced himself, calling the dispute a provincial matter.
We are deeply troubled by BC’s and Canada’s positions. This is not fundamentally a dispute between Coastal GasLink and the Wet’suwet’en, nor between Hereditary Chiefs and Indian Act band councils. It goes to the core of the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous Peoples and the obligations that arise therefrom. Both the provincial and federal governments must participate directly in its resolution.
The Hereditary Chiefs, not the band councils, were the plaintiffs in the landmark Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa case before the Supreme Court. The Court confirmed that the Wet’suwet’en never surrendered title to their ancestral lands, and accepted extensive evidence outlining their hereditary governance system. The fact that band councils have signed benefit agreements with Coastal GasLink cannot justify the erasure of Indigenous law or negate the Crown’s obligation to meet with the Hereditary Chiefs.
Nor can Wet’suwet’en opposition be resolved by meetings between Coastal GasLink and the Hereditary Chiefs. The Supreme Court has been clear: The Crown must engage directly with the Indigenous group whose rights are at stake. This obligation cannot be fulfilled by third parties with vested interests in the project’s success.
Premier Horgan’s insistence on the “rule of law” fails to acknowledge that the relevant law includes not just the injunction order but the Constitution, Supreme Court decisions, and – crucially – Wet’suwet’en laws and institutions. The laws of Indigenous Peoples, including the Wet’suwet’en, predate those of Canada, are equally authoritative, and are entitled to respect. In an age of truth and reconciliation, respect for the rule of law must include respect for the authority of Indigenous law and a commitment to work out a just and sustainable relationship between Indigenous and settler Canadian legal systems.
BC and Canada are obligated to act honourably in their dealings with Indigenous Peoples, including by engaging in respectful processes to advance reconciliation. Moreover, a key reason that the 1867 Constitution gave the federal government exclusive legislative authority over “Indians, and the lands reserved for the Indians” was the recognition that local settler communities might fail to respect the pre-existing relationships between Indigenous Peoples and their territories. The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed Ottawa’s responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples. For Canada to shirk them now would be contrary to a key principle of Canadian constitutionalism.
The federal and provincial positions risk undermining Canada’s collective effort to achieve meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. We are just beginning to confront our shared colonial past and present, and to address the longstanding wrongs inflicted on Indigenous Peoples. Some governments have taken positive steps in this direction, including commitments to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the UN Declaration. These initial steps ring hollow when the Crown refuses to honour the Hereditary Chiefs’ request for a meeting, let alone recognize and respect Wet’suwet’en law.
More than twenty years ago, Chief Justice Lamer, writing for Supreme Court, recognized the Crown’s moral duty to engage in good faith negotiations with the Wet’suwet’en to resolve the issue of ownership and jurisdiction over their ancestral lands. This apt statement is reinforced by the growing appreciation that these negotiations are between two systems of legal and political authority. Reconciliation and justice cannot be achieved by relying on the RCMP or resource companies to do the Crown’s work.
We urge BC and Canada to meet with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs and to commit to a process for the peaceful and honourable resolution of this issue.
SENT ON BEHALF OF:
Dr. Gordon Christie Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Dr. Jocelyn Stacey Assistant Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Dr. Stepan Wood Professor, Canada Research Chair in Law, Society and Sustainability Director of the Centre for Law and the Environment Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Patricia Barkaskas Academic Director, Indigenous Community Legal Clinic Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Johnny Mack Assistant Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Efrat Arbel Associate Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Margot Young Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Darlene Johnston Associate Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Julen Etxabe Canada Research Chair in Jurisprudence and Human Rights Assistant Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Debra Parkes Professor and Chair in Feminist Legal Studies Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Lee Schmidt Associate Director, Indigenous Legal Studies Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Dr. Emma Cunliffe Associate Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Dr. Mary Liston Assistant Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Dr. Alexandra Flynn Assistant Professor Peter A. Allard School of Law University of British Columbia
Brenda Gunn Member of Métis Nation, Manitoba Associate Professor Robson Hall Faculty of Law University of Manitoba
Dr. David Milward Associate Professor Faculty of Law University of Victoria
Alan Hanna Assistant Professor Faculty of Law University of Victoria
Sarah Morales (Su-taxwiye) Associate Professor Acting JID Director Faculty of Law University of Victoria
Felix Hoehn Assistant Professor College of Law University of Saskatchewan
Sakej Henderson Research Fellow College of Law University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Beverly Jacobs Barrister & Solicitor Assistant Professor Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Dr. Claire Mummé Associate Professor Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Gemma Smyth Associate Professor Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Anneke Smit Associate Professor Director, Centre for Cities Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Jillian Rogin Assistant (Clinic) Professor Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Sukanya Pillay Visiting Professor and Law Foundation of Ontario Scholar University of Windsor
Annette L. Demers Law Librarian Faculty of Law University of Windsor
Robert Hamilton Assistant Professor Faculty of Law University of Calgary
Dr. Joshua Nichols Assistant Professor Faculty of Law University of Alberta
Kent McNeil Professor Osgoode Hall Law School York University
Estair Van Wagner Assistant Professor Academic Director, Environmental Justice and Sustainability Clinic Osgoode Hall Law School York University
Deborah McGregor Associate Professor Canada Research Chair, Indigenous Environmental Justice Osgoode Hall Law School & Faculty of Environmental Studies York University
Naiomi W. Metallic Chancellor’s Chair in Aboriginal Law and Policy Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Law Dalhousie University
Larry Chartrand Full Professor Faculty of Law, Common Law Section University of Ottawa
Drew Lafond President, Indigenous Bar Association Partner, MLT Aikins LLP
The Honourable Stephen O’Neill Ontario Superior Court of Justice (1999-2015) Retired Associate Lawyer at Nahwegahbow, Corbiere (2016-present)
Laura Sharp Secretary of the Indigenous Bar Association Board of Directors
Rheana E. Worme President, Indigenous Law Students’ Association University of Saskatchewan
Harold R. Johnson LL.B. LL.M. (Harvard) Retired Crown Prosecutor La Ronge, Saskatchewan
Ottawa, ON, January 21, 2020 – The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) is alarmed by the findings released today by the Correctional Investigator of Canada, including the record high rate of incarceration among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women. Today’s report shows that Indigenous women now represent 42-percent of incarcerated women in Canada. The total percentage of incarcerated Indigenous peoples has now surpassed 30-percent despite representing only 5-percent of the country’s population.
“These findings are nothing short of problematic,” says NWAC President Lorraine Whitman. “It is time that Canada recognizes the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in correctional systems. These findings are a symptom of historical and current systems of colonialism, racism and sexism against First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women.”
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ (MMIWG) Calls for Justice and the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action both demand transformative change within the criminal justice system. It is NWAC’s position that all governments must commit to urgent action to address the growing and persistent cycle of colonial violence and genocide perpetrated against First Nations, Metis, and Inuit women, girls and gender-diverse people. NWAC urges the Federal Government to make changes to the correctional system, in partnership with Indigenous peoples, to amend systemic oppression and reduce recidivism as well as the social determinants of health that lead to crime.
“All levels of government need to take real action now to reduce the number of incarcerated Indigenous peoples,” says Whitman. “To support the successful reintegration of Indigenous women in a holistic manner, the response needs to recognize the impacts of lived trauma and offer access to gender-based, culturally safe and trauma informed programs and services for women throughout their sentences and upon release.”
The MMIWG Report outlines the reality that Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people face in the criminal justice system, including the many societal issues that lead to their incarceration. The report’s Calls for Justice demand comprehensive changes to the criminal justice system, including creating a Deputy Commissioner for Indigenous Corrections, mandatory cultural training for those involved in the legal system, and asking police services to change the way in which they handle cases involving Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse people. NWAC has done significant analysis on these issues – to find out more, visit https://www.nwac.ca/policy-areas/prisons-criminalization/.
