First Nation leaders express their frustration with Harper government inaction on Aboriginal issues
Press Release ...
Québec First Nations Rattle Cages on Parliament Hill in Ottawa
OTTAWA, Dec. 10 /CNW Telbec/ - An important delegation of Chiefs and members of First Nations of Québec and Labrador are storming Ottawa Parliament today. Several activities and political meetings have been planned to foster federal government and opposition parties' awareness with regard to First Nations of Québec and Labrador issues and objectives. "We are going to rattle cages," promised the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador (AFNQL), Ghislain Picard.
Throughout the day, a dozen Chiefs will meet with different federal politicians, among which the Leader of the Bloc Québécois, Gilles Duceppe, and the leader of the NDP, Jack Layton.
An "open house" activity will also be held within the Parliament to allow federal elected representatives, their staff and different interest groups to get to know the various issues related to different sectors of Aboriginal activity (housing, economy, employment, education, health) and the solutions the AFNQL has proposed.
This lobby operation is also meant to express First Nations of Québec and Labrador Chiefs' profound weariness with the federal government's failure to act in numerous files. First Nations are presenting today their very own political platform, which will guide a series of actions aimed at profoundly modifying relations with the federal government. "What we are saying today is that the status quo cannot be tolerated anymore and that, from now on, we are going to take the actions required to put an end to the colonial system. We are taking our place and it would be in the federal government's best interest to accept it. Our presence should open eyes," declared Ghislain Picard.
The AFNQL platform rests on four basic elements: 1) the recognition of First Nations governments; 2) entering into territorial, fiscal and financial agreements; 3) replacing the Indian Act by a government-to-government relationship; 4) the implementation of the First Nations Action Plan.
The Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador is the organization that represents the Chiefs of First Nations of Québec and Labrador.
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/For further information: Alain Garon, Information and Communication Officer, AFNQL, (418) 842-5020, Cell: (418) 956-5720/