Topic: Today’s News

(Taykwa Tagamou Nation Territory ON, April 22, 2021) – On April 22, Earth Day and Great Lakes Day, the Ontario Regional Chief, RoseAnne Archibald, asks everyone to collectively give thanks to Mother Earth and reflect upon the essential role we all play in protecting and preserving our land, waters, air, and natural resources.

“Today, April 22, marks the annual Earth Day and Great Lakes Day, a day to bring awareness and take action in addressing climate change and protecting Mother Earth,” said Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald. “As First Nations, we have an inherent, sacred responsibility to protect and preserve our lands, waters, territories, air and other natural resources, as well as uphold these responsibilities for our future generations.”

“This year, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people across the globe have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we have learned much and truly came together during a time of crisis, it is abundantly clear that Earth Day must include a larger call for action to address the ongoing environmental crisis, which has played a prominent role in our food supply, global health, climate disasters and more during the pandemic.

Today, I am calling on all Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to take the lead on climate action and seek greater environmental protections. For us to build back an equitable society for all, it requires a global, concrete action plan that includes addressing the environmental crisis. We must work together, alongside the federal and provincial governments, to create a sustainable long-term strategy rooted in partnership and the mutual goal of healthy, safe, and vibrant First Nations communities for our future generations.

As we collectively mark Earth Day and Great Lakes Day, I would also like to acknowledge the tireless work of the many Water Walkers and advocates for their dedication in protecting and preserving our lands, waters, air and natural resources.”

Ninanaskamon!

Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald

Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde will address the international community virtually at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues  tomorrow on the topic of implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples  (UN Declaration) in Canada.  

DATE: Friday April 23, 2021  

TIME: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET 

LINK: UN WebTV 

National Chief Bellegarde will speak during a session identified for follow up to the 2014 World  Conference on Indigenous Peoples where states unanimously agreed to the importance of national implementation of the global, minimum standards set out in the UN Declaration. National  Chief Bellegarde’s comments and written submission will focus on the implementation of the UN  Declaration in Canada, its significance as a foundational international standard and the need for  parliamentary support for Bill C-15 and Royal Assent before this current session of Parliament  ends.  

Bill C-15 is a proposed federal law setting out a process to implement the UN Declaration in  Canada. The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on December 3, 2020 and passed  second reading in the House of Commons April 19, 2021.  

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations people in  Canada. Follow AFN on Twitter at @AFN_Updates. 

Wendake, le 19 avril 2021 – L’Assemblée des Premières Nations Québec-Labrador (APNQL)  souhaite réagir au dépôt du budget fédéral. L’honorable Chrystia Freeland, vice-première ministre  et ministre des Finances du Canada, a dévoilé aujourd’hui le budget fédéral 2021-2022  intitulé « Une relance axée sur les emplois, la croissance et la résilience ». 

Ce budget, réparti sur cinq ans, prévoit des investissements de plus de 18 milliards de dollars  globalement, afin de réduire davantage les écarts existants entre les peuples autochtones et non  autochtones dans différents domaines : lutte contre la COVID-19, les services de l’éducation, les  services de santé et sociaux, la sécurité, la culture et la relance économique. 

Des investissements substantiels, d’une somme de 6 milliards de dollars, sont également prévus  en matière d’infrastructure dans les communautés autochtones. Le fonds pourra être lié à différents  projets de cette nature, par exemple, des projets d’approvisionnement en eau potable ou en matière  de logement. « Le logement est une grande priorité des chefs des Premières Nations au Québec.  Toute annonce de fonds additionnels destinés à aider nos communautés à construire plus de  logements est évidemment bien accueillie, quand on sait que 10 000 nouvelles unités sont  nécessaires pour combler les besoins », a déclaré le chef de l’APNQL, Ghislain Picard. 

Bien que significatifs, ces investissements demeurent toutefois insuffisants. « Nos chiffres  démontrent clairement que les budgets réguliers sont loin de répondre aux besoins en logement  des Premières Nations. Les nouveaux fonds annoncés arrivent à point, puisque la dernière initiative  fédérale en logement a pris fin le 31 mars dernier. Bien sûr, ça ne comblera pas tous les besoins,  mais ça nous aidera à faire plus, d’autant plus que nos communautés doivent aussi composer avec  une augmentation faramineuse des coûts de construction », selon le chef Lance Haymond. 

« Lorsque l’on travaille à améliorer les conditions de vie par l’investissement dans le logement,  nous contribuons, par la même occasion, à résoudre des enjeux de taille sur d’autres plans, comme  la santé, l’éducation et le développement économique. Par exemple, l’augmentation du parc de  logements contribuera certainement à rendre nos communautés moins vulnérables en cette période  de pandémie », a conclu le chef de l’APNQL, Ghislain Picard. 

BC nurses plea for public to follow health orders as hospital admissions climb

New numbers over weekend show province’s hospitalization, ICU levels at unprecedented high

The province’s COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalization and ICU capacity levels released this afternoon continue to be of great concern to BC Nurses’ Union president Christine Sorensen, who says nurses are at a breaking point as they work through this third wave.

As of today, BC is recording 441 people in hospital with COVID-19 and 138 people requiring intensive care support.

“I’ve heard from nurses throughout the weekend who are very worried about how much more strain this province’s health care system can manage,” says Sorensen. “They are worried for their patients and are managing unacceptable and unsafe workloads.”

Capacity challenges have been reported in several of Metro Vancouver’s largest hospitals, including Surrey Memorial, Abbotsford Regional and Royal Columbian Hospital. Last week, modelling projections showed BC could hit a staggering 3,000 new cases a day if contact trends don’t go down.

Sorensen is calling on the province to implement enhanced measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and the growing pressure on the health care system, including a review of non-urgent surgeries. Given the situation the province is in, BCNU is awaiting what the government will unveil in Tuesday’s provincial budget that addresses the dire need for a health human resource plan, and strategies in managing the province’s nurse shortage.

(Taykwa Tagamou Nation Territory ON, April 20, 2021) Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald welcomes new and additional investments for First Nations in the 2021 federal budget, presented on April 19, 2021.

“First, I want to recognize Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as the first woman Finance Minister who has presented a budget. In my view, Minister Freeland’s budget presentation is heart-centred and, if fully implemented, could lead to a strong, joint action plan to build safer, healthier First Nation communities.”

As highlighted in the federal budget, the government is proposing a new investment of $18 billion over the next five years. This includes an allocation of $6 billion for infrastructure, $2.2 billion to address the national tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), and an additional $1.2 billion to assist First Nations in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One long-overdue investment mentioned in Budget 2021 is $861 million over five years to support culturally responsive policing in Indigenous communities. This includes funding to co-develop a legislative framework to recognize First Nation policing as an essential service, direct support for the First Nations Policing Program, policing infrastructure funding, and funding to develop more holistic community-based safety models for First Nations.

“While I welcome Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s announcements, there are some areas that require additional attention. Although some funds were allocated to support First Nation women entrepreneurs, further funding is required to secure capital for community investments and support all First Nations entrepreneurs.  Our First Nation economies must be prioritized to ensure they have an equitable and prosperous post-pandemic recovery. More specifically, we have called for an investment of $150 million for economic development for the Ontario Region alone. That amount nationally is simply not enough.

As the country works to build back our communities collectively, we have an opportunity to create long-term solutions that are rooted in our mutual goal of creating safe, healthy, and vibrant First Nations communities where all are safe, protected, and respected. I look forward to continuing this important work alongside the federal government through recognition of rights, respect, and cooperation.”

Ninanaskamon!
Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald

President Melanie Omeniho, of Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak / Women of the Métis Nation applauds the  investments geared toward Women and Girls, and distinctions-based investment in the lives of Métis Women and their  families, who have been disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic. In her affirmation of Minister Chrystia  Freeland’s first federal budget, President Omeniho stated, “We wish to congratulate Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on her historic budget submission today, the first budget presented by a female Finance Minister in  Canadian History. This budget assertively invests in improving the wellness, lives, and safety of Métis women and  girls, as we address key issues such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, anti-Indigenous racism in  Canadian health care, distinctions-based mental health and wellness, and the need for Métis women to participate  fully in a pandemic-impacted Canadian Economy. ”. 

Of note, the Canadian Government has committed to responding to the tragedy of Missing and Murdered Indigenous  Women and Girls. The government is accelerating work on the National Action Plan in response to the National Inquiry  into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice and the implementation of the Truth and  Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. Budget 2021 proposes to invest an additional $2.2 billion over five years,  beginning in 2021-22, and $160.9 million ongoing, to help build a safer, stronger, and more inclusive society. The  National Métis sub-committee has been working on a distinctions-based Métis-lensed approach to the National Action  Plan since August of 2020.  

Budget 2021 prioritizes the establishment of a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care System, which will support  Métis women and families to more affordably manage their childcare needs. This investment will aim to reduce fees for  parents with children in regulated childcare by 50 per cent on average, by 2022, with a goal of reaching $10 per day on  average by 2026, everywhere outside of Quebec. Budget 2021 will invest almost $30 billion over the next five years and  provide permanent ongoing funding, working with provincial and territorial, and Indigenous partners to support quality,  not-for-profit child care, and ensuring the needs of early childhood educators are at the heart of the system. 

President Omeniho is a long-standing advisory committee member in the creation of the first-ever National Action Plan  to End Gender-Based Violence, which this budget confirms is moving forward. This plan will focus on ensuring that  anyone facing gender-based violence has reliable and timely access to protection and services, no matter where they  live. Budget 2021 proposes to invest $601.3 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to advance this plan. An  additional 55 million was announced for Indigenous women for gender-based violence prevention. 

Budget must also support continued COVID-19 emergency response and recovery for Inuit women, in Inuit Nunangat and urban centres

April 16, 2021 – OTTAWA, Increased funding for the construction and operation of Inuit-specific shelters and second-stage transition housing for women and children fleeing violence is among the top priorities for Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, in the federal budget being tabled on April 19^th. 

“New funding for safe spaces for Inuit women and children will demonstrate some tangible government action on the June 2019 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Inquiry report,” said Rebecca Kudloo, President of Pauktuutit.  

Pauktuutit is also calling for continued emergency support and recovery funding to address increased food insecurity and the loss of income Inuit women have faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Women who sell their clothing, jewelry and art to tourists, or who sell their products at Inuit or Indigenous arts and craft fairs, have been especially hard hit during the pandemic,” Kudloo said.

Pauktuutit also wants to see greater investments in connectivity, education and training for women and youth so more Inuit can secure stable and well-paying jobs in sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, natural resources and technology, as well as the public service.  “Inuit women are on the front lines providing social supports within our communities.  Far too often however, due to gender bias and a lack of formal education, they are not recognized for their significant cultural contributions or paid for their tireless commitments,” Kudloo said.

There is an urgent need for funding for both shelters and transition housing for Inuit women. A shelter is a starting point to escape domestic violence and abuse.  Transition housing is the next step to self-determination and self-reliance in order to permanently escape abuse. 

Statistics Canada estimates Inuit women are 14 times more likely to experience violence than other women in Canada. Currently, more than 70% of Inuit communities do not have a safe shelter, and there are approximately 15 shelters serving 51 communities at any given time across Inuit Nunangat. Often, as a result, Inuit women and children fleeing violence must not only leave their homes and schools, but they must also leave their communities and family support systems. 

Women who move south to escape violence frequently find that the transition from their home communities to urban centres is fraught with social and economic challenges, including securing housing and employment – not to mention becoming vulnerable to other forms of violence and exploitation. 

Pauktuutit is the national non-profit organization representing all Inuit women in Canada. Its mission is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, and to encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to social, cultural and economic development.

ALL FOR APPLICATIONS
from BC and Yukon Indigenous Youth

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted
on an ongoing basis throughout 2021

YVR Art Foundation offers Aspiring Artist Awards to British Columbia and Yukon Indigenous youth between the ages of 15 and 20 who reside in BC or the Yukon. Aspiring Artist Awards are $500 each and are awarded on an annual basis to youth to support their self-directed work in the visual arts.

Up to ten Aspiring Artist Awards will be awarded in 2021. Award recipients will be asked to complete a short questionnaire six months following receipt of their award.
Who May Apply

To be eligible for a YVR Art Foundation Aspiring Artist Award, applicants must:

• Be of BC or Yukon First Nations ancestry*
• Reside in BC or the Yukon
• Be between the ages of 15 and 20 in 2021 (born between 2001 and 2006)
• Create visual art that reflects BC or Yukon First Nations art and culture
• Provide up to five images of your artwork with your application

Eligible Activities

This award is to support recipients’ self-directed work in the visual arts! Some examples include (but are not limited to) purchasing materials and/or supporting the production of artwork, attending workshops or other training,

To learn more about the Aspiring Artist Award and to apply online visit:www.yvraf.com/programs.

Please forward this email to those who are eligible and interested in applying. Questions may be directed by email to programs@yvraf.com or by phone to 604.276.6261.