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See the Pope's story to the UN that follows this press release ... 

First Nations Summit Political Executive News Release

Canada Continues Offensive Campaign Opposing UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

April 17, 2008

Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver - In a statement delivered to a meeting of the Organization of American States Working Group to Prepare the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (" OAS Working Group") in Washington DC, the Canadian Government has declared that it will no longer actively participate in negotiations on the Draft American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ("Draft American Declaration").

Canada has formally reserved its position on the final text under negotiation. However, if the final document "does not adequately address Canada's concerns", Canada has indicated that it would attempt to block consensus unless two conditions are met: the document adopted clearly indicates that Canada does not support it and that there is an explicit understanding that the text therefore does not apply to Canada.

In doing so, Canada has continued its offensive campaign against the rights of Indigenous people in Canada and around the world by maintaining its rejection of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ("United Nations Declaration") as the "starting point or minimum outcome for further negotiations" on the Draft American Declaration.

"In its statement to the OAS Working Group, the minority Conservative government has again demonstrated immense disrespect for the human rights of indigenous peoples", said Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit political executive. "Canada's attempts to "pick and choose" which human rights standards apply to it violate the rule of law in Canada and threaten the international human rights system. We urge the Canadian government to play a constructive role in deliberations on the Draft American Declaration, to drop its unreasonable conditions and to not block consensus on the final text."

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the United Nations Declaration on September 13, 2007. Canada was one of only four States to vote against the United Nations Declaration.

The rights recognized by the United Nations Declaration constitute the "minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world". The majority of American States have supported the use of the United Nations Declaration as the baseline for negotiations on the Draft American Declaration.

Canada's statement to the OAS Working Group directly defies the motion passed by a majority of Parliamentarians in the House of Commons on April 8, 2008 calling upon the Government of Canada to endorse the United Nations Declaration, and for Parliament and the Government of Canada to "fully implement the standards contained therein".

"OAS member states have a duty to ensure the minimum standards set out in the United Nations Declaration are upheld in the draft American Declaration" stated A-in-chut (Shawn Atleo), Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations. "BC First Nations urge the Government of Canada to continue working with OAS member states and indigenous peoples to build on the important foundation of international human rights standards set out in the historic United Nations Declaration. Let us work together to leave a legacy for future generations that we can all be proud of."

"Canada, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues to wantonly exploit the lands and resources of the indigenous peoples of this country. It is despicable to witness the lengths governments and companies have gone to use Canadian courts to jail Indigenous people for protecting their territories," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. "We call on the entire international community to witness that Canada has prosecuted and imposed jail terms on indigenous leaders of the Agonquin Ardoch and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nations for their efforts to protect the birthright of their children and human rights of their peoples. Once again, at the international level, Canada has disgraced itself by demonstrating its racist and highly prejudicial attitudes towards the land and human rights of Indigenous Peoples here in Canada and throughout the world."

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The First Nations Leadership Council is comprised of the political executives of the BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

The Council works together to politically represent the interests of First Nations in British Columbia and develop strategies and actions to bring about significant and substantive changes to government policy that will benefit all First Nations in British Columbia.

For more information please contact:

Grand Chief Edward John
778-772-8218
First Nations Summit Political Executive

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
President, UBCIC:
250-490-5314

Ryneld Starr
BC Assembly of First Nations

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From CTV.ca

Pope addresses human rights in speech before UN

CTV.ca News Staff - Apr. 18 2008

Pope Benedict addressed the United Nations' General Assembly Friday as part of his first visit to the United States as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

He commended the work of the international body, calling it "vital," but he said that nations need to work together to solve crises, rather than act unilaterally.

"Multilateral consensus continues to be in crisis because it is still subordinated to the decisions of a small number," he said, speaking in French.

"The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups, and increasing security."

This is only the third time that a visiting pope has addressed the UN.

The pontiff's arrival at the UN was greeted by several hundred supporters, many of them Hispanic, behind police barricades.

There was also a small anti-pope demonstration by a group calling itself the Forum for Protection of Religious Pluralism.

That group had a number of complaints about the Vatican, including increased conversions to Catholicism in India and the church's impact on Native Americans during the colonization of the U.S.

The pontiff has a busy schedule in New York. His agenda includes a visit to Ground Zero, a mass at Yankee Stadium, a visit to a synagogue and a meeting with leaders of other Christian denominations.

He will also lead mass for priests, deacons and other clergy at Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral.

ABC's Viviana Hurtado told CTV's Canada AM on Friday that the Pope has clearly been trying to reach out to Catholics in the United States.

"The main goal has been to really re-energize and renew the American Catholic Church and to do that by spreading a message of hope," Hurtado said.

Pope addresses abuse

The Pope has also taken the opportunity during his visit to try and repair the damage done by the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the Church in the U.S. The pontiff has paid considerable attention to the scandal, including acknowledging the suffering of victims during a mass for 45,000 people at Washington's Nationals Park baseball stadium.

On Thursday, he prayed with abuse victims from Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley's archdiocese.

Papal spokesperson, the Rev. Federico Lombardi said that Benedict and O'Malley met with a group of five or six abuse victims. The group who met with the pope were all adults, who had been molested when they were minors.

One of the victims, Bernie McDaid, told The Associated Press that he told the pope that when he was an alter boy, he was abused by a priest in his parish. He said the abuse was not just sexual, but spiritual.

"I said, 'Holy Father, you need to know you have a cancer in your flock and I hope you will do something for this problem; you have to fix this,'" McDaid said. "He looked down at the floor and back at me, like, 'I know what you mean.' He took it in emotionally. We looked eye to eye."

Hurtado said that the Pope's efforts to make peace with American Catholics over the abuse scandal is the key to reviving the religion in the country.

"This scandal has really shaken the American Catholic church to its core over the last several years and certainly turned off wayward Catholics, Catholics that are on the fence, and it's actually bankrupted some diocese," she said.

The Pope has also acknowledged the Church's strong roots in the American Latino community -- as well as its strength across Latin America -- as he addressed Washington mass attendees in Spanish for several minutes.

With files from The Associated Press