A high-school text book – InukKutivut IlukKusivut Our People, Our Culture – to accompany the Labrador Inuit Society and Culture course being offered at schools within Nunatsiavut will be officially launched during a ceremony at Amos Comenius Memorial School in Hopedale this evening.
“The course has been offered for the past five years in our schools, but this is first year that students actually have a text book to accompany the course,” notes Education and Economic Development Minister Greg Flowers.
The Labrador Inuit Society and Culture course was developed by the Nunatsiavut Government, in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District. The two-credit course satisfies the provincial high-school graduation requirements under the Canadian Studies and Fine Arts requirements, giving students in Nunatsiavut more flexibility when choosing courses.
The course has been offered in Nunatsiavut schools since 2015, as well as in schools in other parts of Labrador.
Montréal, le 20 janvier 2020 – Les chefs de l’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador (APNQL) se sont réunis aujourd’hui à Montréal afin d’envisager tous les moyens à leur disposition pour exercer leur compétence en ce qui concerne leurs enfants et leurs familles.
Les Premières Nations affirment leur autorité en tout ce qui concerne le mieux-être de leurs populations, peu importe leur lieu de résidence. Le gouvernement fédéral a reconnu leur compétence par l’adoption, en juin dernier, de la Loi concernant les enfants, les jeunes et les familles des Premières Nations, des Inuits et des Métis. Or, le gouvernement Legault conteste devant la Cour d’appel la constitutionnalité de cette loi fédérale.
« Le gouvernement Legault veut continuer à imposer aux familles et aux enfants des Premières Nations des programmes et un régime qui leur causent des torts considérables largement reconnus, sous prétexte d’un accroc à sa propre autorité. C’est inacceptable et honteux. Les chefs de l’APNQL prendront toutes les mesures à leur disposition pour empêcher que les prétentions d’un gouvernement provincial privent les familles et les enfants des Premières Nations de services adéquats, adaptés à leurs besoins et à leurs cultures », déclare Ghislain Picard, chef de l’APNQL.
De plus, les chefs de l’APNQL s’attendent à ce que le gouvernement fédéral défende vigoureusement sa loi pour le respect et les intérêts des enfants et des familles des Premières Nations du Québec.
À propos de l’APNQL L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador est l’organisme politique qui regroupe 43 chefs des Premières Nations au Québec et au Labrador. Suivez l’APNQL sur Twitter @APNQL.
Montreal, January 20, 2020 – The Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) met today in Montreal to consider all the means at their disposal to exercise their jurisdiction over their children and families.
First Nations assert their authority in all matters concerning the well-being of their populations, regardless of where they reside. The federal government recognized their jurisdiction with the adoption of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families Act last June. However, the Legault government is challenging the constitutionality of this federal legislation before the Court of Appeal.
“The Legault government wants to continue to impose programs and a regime on First Nations families and children that are causing them considerable and widely recognized harm, under the pretext of an infringement of its own authority. This is unacceptable and shameful. The Chiefs of the AFNQL will take all measures at their disposal to prevent that pretentions from a provincial government deprive First Nations families and children of adequate services adapted to their needs and cultures,” says AFNQL Chief Ghislain Picard.
Furthermore, the AFNQL Chiefs expect the federal government to vigorously defend its law for the respect and interests of First Nations children and families in Quebec.
About the AFNQL The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador is the political organization which regroups 43 Chiefs of First Nations in Quebec and in Labrador. Follow the AFNQL on Twitter @APNQL.
The Law Society’s governing board of Benchers has determined that lawyer competence includes knowledge of the history of Aboriginal-Crown relations, the history and legacy of residential schools and specific legislation regarding Indigenous peoples of Canada. Beginning in 2021, all practising lawyers in BC will be required to take an Indigenous intercultural competency training course that will be provided online and at no cost.
The Indigenous intercultural competency course content will be finalized in 2020 and will cover specific topics and themes referred to in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report and calls to action. The course will also include information and knowledge that prepares lawyers to participate in, and respond to, changes to provincial laws as contemplated by the recently enacted Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
The six-hour online course will be available in modules and will be eligible for annual continuing professional development credit. Lawyers will have up to two years to complete all of the modules.
“The Truth and Reconciliation Commission revealed a gap in legal education in an area that the Benchers have recognized is a core area of competency for lawyers. We are acting in the public interest by establishing training that provides lawyers with a baseline of education to address this pressing and substantial need.” Nancy Merrill, QC, Law Society President
“Better training makes for better lawyers. As federal and provincial lawmakers have begun taking steps toward reconciliation through legislation that requires all current and future laws to be harmonized with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it is incumbent upon all lawyers to have the legal education and tools that Indigenous intercultural competency training will provide.” Dean Lawton, QC, Second Vice President and Co-Chair, Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee
“Serving the public interest means a knowledge of the facts of history, even if that history does not show our society in a good light. These are historical and legal facts that continue to permeate all of Canada, its economy, its social fabric, its education system and its legal system. We need to ensure the public interest is met by ensuring that lawyers have that core knowledge.” Michael McDonald, QC, Co-Chair, Truth and Reconciliation Advisory Committee
As the toponymic landscape is enriched with more and more new place names of Aboriginal origin, the Commission de toponymie now adds sound files to the Place name bank of Québec. hear the pronunciation of indigenous place names and appreciate the richness of this cultural heritage.
The International Year of Indigenous Languages, which has just ended, was the perfect time to start this establishment. In a first step, audio pronunciation files for 125 new names in the Inuktitute language were put online. This addition was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Avataq Cultural Institute. Ultimately, the Commission wishes to offer the possibility of listening to the pronunciation of all the names of places of Aboriginal origin disseminated in its bank.
Highlights
The Commission de toponymie added sound files to the file of 125 place names of Aboriginal origin from the Place Names Bank of Quebec. Ultimately, the Commission wishes each toponym of Aboriginal origin to be accompanied by its pronunciation.
Created in 1912, the Commission proceeds to the inventory and the conservation of place names. It formalizes them, distributes them and gives its opinion to the government on any question concerning toponymy.
In 2018-2019, the Commission formalized 1,505 place names, including 217 Aboriginal names.
Le paysage toponymique s’enrichissant de plus en plus de nouveaux noms de lieux d’origine autochtone, la Commission de toponymie ajoute dorénavant dans la Banque de noms de lieux du Québec des fichiers sonores qui permettent d’entendre la prononciation de toponymes autochtones et d’apprécier la richesse de ce patrimoine culturel.
L’Année internationale des langues autochtones, qui vient de se terminer, était le moment tout désigné pour démarrer cette implantation. Ainsi, dans une première étape, des fichiers audio de prononciation pour 125 nouveaux noms en langue inuktitute ont été mis en ligne. Cet ajout a été rendu possible grâce à la collaboration de l’Institut culturel Avataq. À terme, la Commission souhaite offrir la possibilité d’écouter la prononciation de tous les noms de lieux d’origine autochtone diffusés dans sa banque.
Faits saillants
La Commission de toponymie a ajouté des fichiers sonores à la fiche de 125 noms de lieux d’origine autochtone de la Banque de noms de lieux du Québec. À terme, la Commission souhaite que chaque toponyme d’origine autochtone soit accompagné de sa prononciation.
Créée en 1912, la Commission procède à l’inventaire et à la conservation des noms de lieux. Elle les officialise, les diffuse et donne son avis au gouvernement sur toute question touchant la toponymie.
En 2018-2019, la Commission a officialisé 1 505 noms de lieux, dont 217 toponymes autochtones.
The musical was a co-production of Urban Ink presented at the Cultch and BC tour in 2019
Urban Ink Productions (Vancouver) is excited to announce that Corey Payette’s musical Children of God earnedThe Segal Centre for Performing Arts (Montreal) a Grand Prix nomination, one of nine finalists, for its co-production with Urban Ink. The 35th edition of the Grand Prix du Conseil des arts de Montréal award celebration, which recognizes the excellence of a Montreal artistic organization and its remarkable achievements and highlights the artistic vitality of creators from Montreal, will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Each finalist will each receive a $5,000 cash award offered by generous Montreal donors and the winner will receive a $30,000 cash award and an artwork by a Montreal artist.
“We are gratified of the work we’ve done touring Children of God over the last few years. It means so much to us that this work is being recognized for transforming the communities we visit”, stated Payette. “We are so proud of the collaborative partnership we created with the Segal Centre and the local Indigenous community who supported us so beautifully during our run. We look forward to celebrating everyone’s hard work at the awards ceremony in March!”
The nomination of Children of God is the ultimate example of Segal’s many years of inclusive practices, its expertise in musical theatre, and of programming dealing with social issues of all kinds. The music, text, directing, and the courageous and authentic performances in Children of God and collaborative community-based approach of the project with its many ancillary activities reached a broad audience with the deeply sensitive subject of residential schools, and built bridges between the stories and people from all communities.
Federal Indian Day School settlement claims process now open
APTN News After years of waiting, day school survivors can finally apply for compensation beginning Monday, Jan. 13.
“We’re feeling Garry McLean smiling down upon us,” Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett said of the original lead plaintiff.
McLean, a day school survivor from Manitoba, initiated a multi-billion-dollar class-action lawsuit in 2009 against Canada after day school survivors were left out of the residential schools settlement agreement.
He was all smiles last year when Bennett announced her government would settle.
“We’re taking everything that we learned from the residential school process, a little bit from what we learned after 60s Scoop, to not have to go to court,” Bennett told APTN News in an interview.
Sadly, McLean died of cancer last year before the federal court approved the settlement. Claims will be accepted until July 2022.
An estimated 140,000 former students – also known as survivors – make up the class. They may have been allowed to sleep in their own beds at night but say they suffered the same atrocities as residential school students.
They were all taken from their families and forced to attend the schools that operated in Canada for more than a century.
“Today, we honour the legacy of Garry McLean and the work he did with other courageous survivors to right historical wrongs,” Bennett added in a statement.
“Thousands of Indigenous people who were harmed by attending federally-operated Indian Day Schools are now able to seek compensation.”
Bennett said settling the suit is her government’s way of using “negotiation instead of litigation…
“This settlement is based on the premise that those who were sent to Federal Indian Day Schools were harmed,” she added.
Along with a minimum of $10,000 in individual compensation, the settlement includes $200-million for a foundation to provide ongoing support, healing and commemoration.
Survivors are eligible for additional financial compensation of between $50,000 and $200,000 based on the severity of abuse they suffered. But they won’t have to retain a lawyer or testify at a hearing like residential school survivors did as part of their settlement.
The Gowling law firm is being paid $50-million from the government to provide legal services to survivors. Deloitte will handle the claims process as third-party administrator.
“This is an important step towards healing and justice for day school survivors and their families,” Bennett added in the emailed statement.
“This agreement demonstrates a comprehensive approach accomplished by working with survivors which cannot be achieved through court processes.”
It’s the third class-action lawsuit settled by the Trudeau government involving former residential school students.
But others are still hoping for a similar deal with the government.
Another group known as day scholars is seeking similar redress from Canada. They have been unable to reach a settlement and are headed to court.
“We’re just having trouble coming together on a way forward,” Bennett told APTN, “…but we want those survivors compensated appropriately.”
Added Bennett: “My job is to stay out of court.”
As well, talks are ongoing with Métis survivors of the former Île-à-la-Crosse residential school in northern Saskatchewan, which was operated by the province of Saskatchewan.
Bennett said she met with the survivors’ group as recently as last December.
“We are hoping the province of Saskatchewan will come to the table,” she said. “But we want to do what we need to do for the sake of those survivors.”
Application Deadline: Thursday, January 30, 2020, at 4pm.
YVR Art Foundation (YVRAF) provides $5,000 art scholarships annually for emerging BC and Yukon Indigenous visual artists (age 17-29) to work with an artist mentor or study at a recognized art school. Scholarship recipients’ artwork is exhibited at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) for one year. Who May Apply To be eligible for a YVR Art Foundation Emerging Artist Scholarship applicants must:
Be of BC or Yukon First Nations ancestry
Reside in BC or the Yukon
Be between the ages of 17 and 29
Create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nations culture
Have the goal of becoming a professional artist
Have been accepted to study/work with an artist mentor or at a recognized school of art
Commit to attend the Scholarship Awards Event in Vancouver at the Vancouver International Airport in May 2020 and May 2021
Commit to delivering their completed Scholarship artwork to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) by April 2021
Note: an Emerging Artist Scholarship can be awarded to an individual a maximum of two times.
Mid-Career Artist Scholarship Program
YVR Art Foundation (YVRAF) provides $5,000 art scholarships annually for BC and the Yukon Indigenous Mid-Career visual artists (age 30+) to work with a master artist, attend a recognized school of art or work on a special project. Who May Apply To be eligible for a YVR Art Foundation Mid-Career Artist Scholarship applicants must:
Be of BC or Yukon First Nations ancestry
Reside in BC or Yukon
Be age 30+
Create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nations culture
Have completed basic art training including but not limited to formal education in visual arts, worked with an artist mentor or a combination of similar experience
Have achieved local and/or provincial recognition through public presentation of their artwork
Be able to submit a portfolio of artwork that demonstrates the artist’s commitment to their practice
Be accepted to study/work with a master artist, attend a recognized school of art or work on a special project that is of cultural significance to the artist’s community
Note: a Mid-Career Artist Scholarship can be awarded to an individual one time only.
For more information on YVR Art Foundation and to apply for a scholarship go to:www.yvraf.com/programs.
L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador (APNQL) est solidaire de la Première Nation Wet’suwet’en dans sa lutte pour protéger son territoire contre la construction et l’exploitation de tout projet de pipeline sans son consentement.
Rappelons qu’en octobre 2018, le gouvernement du Canada a autorisé la construction du pipeline Coastal Gaslink sur le territoire de la Première Nation Wet’suwet’en sans avoir obtenu le consentement de la communauté, sans l’avoir dûment consultée ni accommodée. De façon aberrante, le gouvernement du Canada s’est même permis d’envoyer la GRC en janvier 2019 sur le territoire des Wet’suwet’en pour y arrêter avec violence des membres de la communauté qui s’opposaient physiquement à la construction du projet.
« Il est frustrant et décevant de constater qu’encore une fois, le gouvernement du Canada s’engage d’un côté à respecter les principes du consentement préalable, libre et éclairé, mais autorise de l’autre des projets sans chercher à collaborer avec les Premières Nations directement affectées par ceux-ci. Clairement, aucun projet ne sera viable s’il est imposé par la force aux communautés des Premières Nations », a déclaré Ghislain Picard, Chef de l’APNQL.
L’APNQL réitère qu’aucun projet affectant le territoire et les ressources ne devrait pouvoir être autorisé ou construit sur le territoire d’une Première Nation tant que celle-ci n’a pas exprimé son consentement et n’ait été dûment consultée ou accommodée. Autrement, ceci porterait atteinte aux droits constitutionnels des Premières Nations et entraverait notre droit inhérent à utiliser et à protéger nos territoires traditionnels et les ressources qui s’y trouvent.
À propos de l’APNQL L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador est l’organisme politique qui regroupe 43 chefs des Premières Nations au Québec et au Labrador. Suivez l’APNQL sur Twitter @APNQL.
