Media.Knet.Ca

May 30, 2007

Colin Mayes
CHAIR
Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Sixth Floor, 180 Wellington Street
Wellington Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A-0A6

SENT VIA FAX: C/O Bonnie Charron, Clerk of the Committee at (613) 996-1962

Dear Sir or Madam:

We would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. It is our understanding that on May 30, 2007, Minister Jim Prentice conveyed to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development the opinion that the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, in concert with the Alberta Chiefs of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations shared the view that the present Government of Canada “is one of the best governments that they have ever worked with on the ground getting things done.”

Please be advised that the Union of BC Indian Chiefs finds, at this point in time, Minister Prentice's opinion to be completely inaccurate, greatly exaggerated and premature to say the least.

In fact, the Government of Canada's failure to support the Kelowna Accord, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and a formal apology in relation to the Residential School experience has greatly contributed to the rising tensions and frustrations on the part of First Nations across Canada. Hence, the National Day of Action on June 29, 2007.

The Union of BC Indian Chiefs finds such sweeping inaccurate assumptions from Minister Prentice to be counter-productive.

Sincerely,

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip
President
Union of BC Indian Chiefs

CC: Members of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Chiefs Council
BC First Nations Leadership Council

Angus Reid Global Monitor: Polls & Research ...

Canadians Assess Aboriginal Claims, Protests
June 1, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Canada believe their federal administration should be more mindful of the country’s Aboriginal communities, according to a poll by Angus Reid Strategies. 68 per cent of respondents want the government to speed-up existing Aboriginal land claims disputes.

In addition, 60 per cent of respondents want Ottawa to do more to deal with poverty in Aboriginal communities.

Still, Canadians are disappointed with the recent railway line blockades staged by Aboriginal protesters. 56 per cent of respondents believe these actions are unjustified, and 67 per cent agree with Indian affairs minister Jim Prentice, who suggested penalizing native leaders if federal money is used to plan blockades.

According to the 2001 census, more than 900,000 Aboriginal persons inhabit Canada. In the 1990s, the Canadian government established the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples to assess the success or failure of past policies and develop recommendations for future programs and projects. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories give official status to Aboriginal languages.

In recent weeks, some Aboriginal groups have discussed staging a national day of action on Jun. 29, to protest the slow pace of negotiations on more than 800 native land claims.

On May 21, Prentice suggested that changes in the process would be implemented, saying, "There has been a complaint in this country for 60 years that the government of Canada serves as the defendant and the judge and the jury and the research body. (...) The government of Canada is in conflicting roles. And that’s something that we are trying to get to the heart of."

Last month, Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "Provinces and territories are caught up in peacekeeping missions, trying to settle a (land claims) dispute, a dispute that often predates Confederation between a federal government and a first nations community."

Polling Data

As you may know, Aboriginal protesters have blockaded railway lines in recent weeks, as part of ongoing land claims disputes. Do you think these actions are justified?
Justified 35%, Unjustified 56%, Not sure 9%

Do you agree or disagree with these statements?

The federal government should speed-up existing Aboriginal land claims disputes
 68% Agree, 20% Disagree, 12%  Not sure
 
Native leaders should be penalized if federal money is used to plan blockades
 67% Agree, 17%, Disagree, 16%  Not sure
 
The federal government should do more to deal with poverty in Aboriginal communities
 60% Agree,  28% Disagree,  11%  Not sure

Source: Angus Reid Strategies
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,097 Canadian adults, conducted on May 22 and May 23, 2007. Margin of error is 3.0 per cent.

From Saskatoon Star Phoenix ...

First Nations want cash for cellphone airspace
Paul Samyn, CanWest News Service - May 31, 2007

OTTAWA -- The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs wants to charge Manitoba Telecom Services for cellphone signals that pass through the airspace of the province's reserves.

Earlier this month, the province's chiefs passed a resolution calling on MTS to pay for using First Nations airspace, which the AMC believes is a resource no different than its land or waterways.

First Nations don't charge airlines for flying through their airspace, nor do they bill owners of satellites for orbiting above their reserves.

The chiefs want to share in the revenues for the "transmission of signals (inclusive of phones -- land/cellular, information technology access, etc.) that cross the land, water and air space of our reserves."

The AMC resolution may be a legal long shot, but also in its motion was another demand echoed by the Assembly of First Nations that may have a fighting chance: Ottawa is preparing to auction off more airwaves for cellphone coverage and the country's First Nations want a piece of the action to ensure that reserves get better cell phone service.

In its federal submission last week, the AFN said a lack of cell phone coverage for rural and remote First Nations is hurting the economic prospects of reserves.

"Some First Nations communities do not have equal opportunity to participate in the new economy because they do not have access to wireless service. . . . First Nations peoples and communities are disadvantaged from realizing the benefits of participating in the new economy," the AFN said.

University of Manitoba law professor Bryan Schwartz said there appears to be a clear role for the federal government to ensure First Nations interests and needs are reflected in its upcoming auction of additional wireless bandwidth.

AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans won't be commenting on the revenue-sharing proposal until he has had a chance to discuss the matter with MTS.

MTS officials could not be reached for comment.

(Winnipeg Free Press)

From the Executive Summary ....

Aboriginal protests and occupations occur throughout the province, often with little warning, and no one can predict where they will occur. The fundamental conditions and catalysts that spark such protests continue to exist in Ontario, more than a decade after Ipperwash. However, my analysis has convinced me that Aboriginal occupations and protests are not inevitable, nor are they inevitably violent.

The provincial government and other institutions must redouble their efforts to build successful, peaceful relations with Aboriginal peoples in Ontario so that we can all live together peacefully and productively. There have been significant, constructive changes in the law and to key public institutions in the twelve years since Ipperwash. Yet more is needed. ...

Click here for the full report web site ...

Volume 1. Investigation and Findings
Volume 2. Poilicy Analysis
Volume 3. Inquiry Process
Volume 4. Executive Summary

Government To Respond To Report Today

TORONTO, May 31 - The Ontario government has received the final report of the Ipperwash Inquiry, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

"On behalf of the McGuinty government, I would like to thank Justice Sidney Linden and the staff at the Ipperwash Inquiry for their dedicated efforts in conducting this important review," said Bryant. "The report is the result of more than three years of hard work, which, as promised, is immediately being made available to the public."

In November 2003, Attorney General Michael Bryant asked Justice Linden to conduct a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the 1995 death of Dudley George, who was shot by an Ontario Provincial Police officer during a First Nations protest at Ipperwash Provincial Park. Justice Linden was also asked to make recommendations about how to prevent similar events from occurring in the future.

The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Monte Kwinter, and the Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, David Ramsay, will be in Forest, Ontario to provide a preliminary response to the report following Justice Linden's news conference.

"This has been an historic and profoundly important commission," said Bryant "We had an excellent commissioner who produced an extremely detailed report that will help us learn from the past and promote peaceful resolutions in the future."

The report is posted on the Ipperwash Inquiry's website at www.ipperwashinquiry.ca. The ministry has also posted a link on its website at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca. Printed copies are available through the Publications Ontario bookstore, 880 Bay Street, Toronto, 1-800-668-9938, www.publications.gov.on.ca.

For further information: Greg Crone, Ministry of the Attorney General, Minister's Office, (416) 326-1785; Brendan Crawley, Ministry of the Attorney General, Communications Branch, (416) 326-2210

Online Bullying Prevention Education

Description:

Facilitators from the Ontario Principals Council will be conducting a workshop regarding bullying prevention. Join us to learn more about how we can make our schools and communities a safer place to learn.

Agenda - FRIDAY, JUNE 1

8:00 – 11:00 CST 

• Types of bullying and how to recognize warning signs (Placemat activity)
• Making bullying prevention a priority in your community

12:00 – 14:30 CST 

• Strategies and tips on how you can help to prevent bullying (Fishbone activity)
• Where to go for bullying prevention resources

There is no cost for the workshop. There will be group work and exercises so make sure you have enough room to work. All are welcome; you can join for the full, or half day.   

Please book your video conference site as a participant at least one-day prior to the workshop. 

Contact: Terry Moreau   Phone: 877.737.5638 X 1266   Email: tmoreau@knet.ca 

Please fax the following form to: 807.768.4817

From the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO Hansard (May 29) during question period

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

Mr. Howard Hampton (Kenora–Rainy River): My question is for the minister responsible for native affairs. Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation has a $650,000 legal bill because it was forced to go to court to defend its constitutional and legal rights against a $10-billion lawsuit by a mining exploration company. The First Nation was forced to go to court to defend its rights because the McGuinty government failed to fulfill its constitutional obligations to consult with the First Nation before handing out mineral exploration permits to the mining company. Since it was the failure of the McGuinty government to fulfill its constitutional obligations and consult with the First Nation about its rights and interests that forced the First Nation to go to court, will the McGuinty government do the right thing and pay the $650,000 legal bill, which rightfully belongs to the McGuinty government?

Hon. David Ramsay (Minister of Natural Resources, minister responsible for aboriginal affairs): Let’s give him the direct answer right off the bat—the answer is no—and then let’s talk about consultation and the attempt of the McGuinty government to engage First Nations of this province in a consultation exercise that we launched over a year ago.

We are working with the Chiefs of Ontario and other native organizations right across the province to get that engagement so that we can have a clear understanding of what our obligation is and what, in a sort of class sense, we’ll be required to do in regard to consultation for each sort of government activity. I have worked with all my fellow ministers and have had them look at their ministries and at what their obligation is for all the activities they engage in, and we’re actively pursuing that discussion with aboriginal people right across this province so that we’ll have a clear-cut set of the consultation guidelines over the next year.

Mr. Hampton: Minister, you might want to read what the judge said about the McGuinty government when he handed down his judgment: “Despite repeated judicial messages delivered over the course of 16 years, the evidentiary record available in this case sadly reveals that the provincial crown”—the McGuinty government—“has not heard or comprehended this message and has failed in fulfilling this obligation.”

“The Ontario government was not present ... and the evidentiary record indicates that it has been almost entirely absent from the consultation process” with Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug.

“The crown (Ontario) ... [has] chosen to ignore ... the concerns and ignore the perspective of the First Nations band in question.”

It’s very clear, when you read the judge’s decision, that the First Nation was forced to go to court to defend its rights because the McGuinty government failed.

This is a poor community. The unemployment rate is 85%. Don’t you think it’s fair that you finally meet your obligation and pay the legal bill instead of foisting it off on a poor—

The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): The question has been asked.

Hon. Mr. Ramsay: Speaker, I refer the question to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines.

Hon. Rick Bartolucci (Minister of Northern Development and Mines): I wish the leader of the third party would quote from the May 22 decision. However, let me tell you that Ontario has consistently presented solutions that are fair and reasonable as a way to keep all parties in this case moving forward to a resolution. Justice Smith has now adopted some of these provisions and timelines in his latest decision.

Our immediate priority isn’t about division, the way the third party’s is. Ours is to meet the timelines for information disclosure and to ensure that both parties move on in a collaborative, constructive manner.

From INAC web site

Notes for an address the Honourable Jim Prentice, PC, QC, MP Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians
to the
House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

on the Main Estimates of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
May 29, 2007

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for inviting me to discuss the Main Estimates of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development with you and your colleagues.

I am grateful for the attention this Committee has given to my department’s agenda over the past year. I appreciate your consideration of such important issues as post-secondary education and housing, as well as legislative initiatives such as Bill C-34 and Bill C-44, now before you. I know we all share the same objective – improving the quality of life for Aboriginal peoples and Northerners.

You heard from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s Accounting Officer, Deputy Minister Michael Wernick, a short time ago regarding the Department’s Supplementary Estimates. I would like to speak today in the context of this year’s Main Estimates, the next step in the financial planning cycle, and how we are determined to move forward to make a real and positive difference in the lives of Aboriginal people and Northerners.

The current 2007–2008 Main Estimates includes $6.3 billion for my department. This represents a net increase of $36 million from 2006–2007.

The Main Estimates are of course the first step in the fiscal cycle, the starting point, which does not include resources that will be allotted through the Supplementary Estimates.

Mr. Chairman, funded by the Main and Supplementary Estimates, we are determined to move forward in clearly defined areas, through approaches and initiatives that will enable real change in Aboriginal communities and furthermore will give Aboriginal people the tools and the organizational structures they need to take charge of their own future.

First, we need to effect structural reform to protect women, children and families.

Whether the reform is legislative, as is the case with the repeal of Section 67 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, or a change in policies and programs, we must ensure that Aboriginal women, children and families have the same rights and have access to the same quality of services as all other Canadians.

Our continued work to address the issue of matrimonial real property and our recent partnership with the province of Alberta and Alberta First Nations to implement a new approach to child and family services are recent examples of new and innovative thinking—new approaches to the existing challenges in First Nation communities.

I am confident that, working in partnership with the provinces, territories, and Aboriginal groups, we can build on successes such as these.

Second, we must consolidate economic development tools, to obtain the maximum efficiency from our programs and services and to enable First Nations to take charge of their own economic development.

That is why the Aboriginal Business Canada program and the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board were unified under my department in December 2006.

Furthermore, under the Aboriginal Workplace Partnerships Initiatives we have formalized partnerships with local governments, influential businesses, and trade unions to promote the employment of an Aboriginal labour force.

I am especially proud of the agreements that have been signed in the last several months with Siemens Canada Limited in Saskatoon, the City of Edmonton, the Calgary Health Region, the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, and the Nova Scotia Trucking Human Resources Council. All of these agreements will bolster the number of employment opportunities available to Aboriginal people.

To give you another example, this government allocated $300 million in Budget 2007 for the establishment of the First Nations Market Housing Fund. This fund will enableFirst Nation families and individuals to purchase, build and renovate on-reserve housing that meets their specific needs and tastes.

The program is expected to help finance the development of approximately 25,000 new housing units over the next 10 years, but the First Nations Market Housing Fund will not only encourage housing development. It will also help First Nation people living on reserve to obtain bank loans, build equity and generate wealth through home ownership.

Third, there is a desperate need to address the existing approach to the resolution of Aboriginal land claims.

I am happy to point to some recent successes. The Nunavik Inuit Land Claims Agreement, for instance, was signed in December last year, resolving this country’s last major Inuit land claim. Bill C-51, ratifying this Agreement, has recently been introduced in this House. And last year three treaties were initialed with First Nations in British Columbia, the first to be initialed under the British Columbia Treaty Process.

But more, much more, needs to be done. I know that members of this Committee are eager to hear about our plans to address the current untenable situation presented by the specific claims process. Although I am not in a position to elaborate at this time, I am pleased to note that we intend to announce a new approach to the resolution of this long-standing issue.

Fourth, we must work to enable the participation of Aboriginal people in major resource development opportunities. The close proximity of many First Nation communities to resource development projects presents excellent opportunities for them to participate in these projects in a meaningful manner, and to share in the social and economic benefits that are generated by these initiatives.

For instance, this government recently passed regulations under the First Nations Commercial Industrial Development Act that will enable the Fort McKay First Nation, in partnership with Shell Canada Limited, to develop a multi-billion dollar oil sands mine in Northern Alberta. This project will attract investors from around the world and create hundreds of meaningful, well-paying jobs for community residents.

And we have also dedicated $500 million to the Mackenzie Valley Socio-Economic Impact Fund. Committed in Budget 2006, this Fund will assist those communities whose development is affected by the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project, should the Project proceed.

And fifth, we must continue to address the legacy of Residential Schools.

I am pleased to report to this Committee that the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement has received final Court approval. Now, former students and their families must choose whether to stay in the agreement or remove themselves from it. All parties to this historic agreement have agreed it is a fair resolution to the sad legacy of Indian Residential Schools.

Canada's New Government recognizes the importance of achieving fair and lasting resolution to the Indian Residential Schools legacy, and moving forward in partnership with Aboriginal communities across Canada. That is why we supported the motion for the House of Commons to apologize for the legacy of Indian Residential Schools.

We are moving toward the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, potentially as early as September of this year. In particular, we look forward to the important work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which is an element of this historic agreement and will provide a complete historic record of the unfortunate legacy of the Indian Residential Schools.

My department is not only responsible for First Nation, Inuit and Northern issues, but I am also Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. My officials work with Métis, Non-Status Indians and urban Aboriginal people in order to assist them in realizing their full economic and social potential.

In this capacity, I announced a refocused Urban Aboriginal Strategy earlier this month that concentrates on job training and entrepreneurship for the nearly 50 percent of Aboriginal people who live in cities and towns across the country.

The strategy unites federal, provincial, municipal governments as well as Aboriginal and community organizations, and invests $68.5 million over five years to improve life and employment skills, promote entrepreneurship, and provide support to Aboriginal women, children and families.

Mr. Chairman, you and your colleagues are quite aware that the North is an important part of my mandate. Canada’s New Government is committed to working with Canada’s three northern territories to develop the North’s natural resources, and create jobs and prosperity for Northerners and indeed for all Canadians.

The North holds a significant percentage of Canada’s energy resources.  These represent an immense opportunity for exploration and development investment for generations to come. Resource-based projects in the North, including diamond mining and oil and gas exploration, have contributed to increased economic growth in the North over past few years.

This economic growth, besides being the means of improving quality of life for Northerners, also serves to bolster Canadian sovereignty in the North, raising the profile of Canada as an Arctic nation. We must do what we can to ensure that the current boom in the North continues, to the benefit of Northerners and other Canadians alike.

International Polar 2007-2008, which was launched on March 1st, will be another enabler of growth and development in the North. We expect that the research by Canadian and international scientists funded through the International Polar Year program will lead to new knowledge and environmental, health and economic benefits to Canadians in the North, and across our nation.

The two key themes for International Polar Year science – climate change impacts and adaptation, and the health and well-being of Northern communities – will be important to many nations, given the global effects of climate change.

In closing, I feel it is essential to note that while funding is a crucial element in the success of our programs and initiatives, it is not the only significant factor.  I have said before that simply continuing to fund existing programs without considering their validity or efficiency is not good enough. We must continue to consider whether the means by which we currently deliver services is truly producing the best results for Aboriginal people and Northerners.

The funding provided in the Main Estimates is essential to maintain and advance programs to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people and Northerners.

I welcome any questions or comments you may have.

Click here for the INAC Estimates web page

AFN's HEROS OF OUR TIME SCHOLARSHIPS

Deadline for applications: June 21

Click here fore the Application Booklet

Background:

Since 1988/1989 the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) has sponsored the Heros of OUr Time scholarships to recognize the hard work, dedication and academic achievements of Aboriginal post-secondary education students who demonstrate excellence in their educational development. The scholarships are now divided into EIGHT categories that represent eight First Nation heroes and academic disciplines, each with a value of $2,000.

The Heros of Our Time scholarships provide an excellent opportunity for the AFN to acknowledge and celebrate the success of Aboriginal students in achieving their educational goals. It gives us great satisfaction to know that we are helping those who hold the future of First Nations in their hands.

The Awards:

• Jake Fire Award - CRIMINOLOGY
• Tommy Prince Award - NATIVE STUDIES
• Walter Dieter Award - SOCIAL WORK
• Omer Peters Award - POLITICAL SCIENCE
• Robert Smallboy Award - MEDICINE
• James Gosnell Award - LAW
• John Young Award - SCIENCE
• Doctor Freda Ahenakew Award - EDUCATION

The following press release from the First Nations Education Council in Quebec addresses many of the same challenges facing First Nation schools across the country. Another shortfall facing First Nation secondary schools is the outdated formula funding only addressing the needs of community elementary schools and not taking into account the additional demands for providing an adequate secondary school program in the First Nations (ie. counselling services, accreditation, etc).

Press Release ...

FNEC challenges Prentice to solve long-term issues in First Nations education

     OTTAWA, May 28 /CNW Telbec/ - The First Nations Education Council (FNEC) is today embarking on a huge communications and public relations campaign designed to make the public aware of the realities of funding for First Nations schools and influence the federal government. Today, the FNEC along with a number of Quebec First Nations Chiefs, are urging the federal government to take another look at funding for First Nations schools, which are at a severe disadvantage when compared to the other schools in the province. "Our schools are attempting to survive with an outdated funding formula that has hardly changed in the last twenty years. This situation is unacceptable and intolerable." stated the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Ghislain Picard, at a press conference held on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

     On the eve of the appearance of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, Jim Prentice, before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Quebec First Nations have been expressing their major concerns on funding and reiterating that it does not correspond to real costs or reflect First Nations needs. "How can we possibly fight against the high dropout rate when we have nothing for sports programs, nothing for vocational training and nothing to buy books with?" continued Chief Picard.

     Lise Bastien, Director of the First Nations Education Council, recalled that numerous studies confirm that the funding formula used by the federal government since 1988 is outdated and fails to meet current needs in education. "For years, the government has been telling us that they are revising these programs. This answer is unsatisfactory. Time has come to take action in order to offer essential services in First Nations schools as of September 2007," she stated.

     The First Nations funding formula was drawn up in 1988. Some of the costs it ignores are:

• Costs connected with the integration of technology in schools.
• Costs connected with running libraries in schools.
• Costs connected to vocational training.
• Costs connected to extracurricular sports and recreation.
• Costs connected to following provincial reforms, which have considerable impact on the curriculum, teaching hours and support measures such as homework assistance, etc.

     In addition, funding of First Nations schools has not been indexed since 1996.

     Lastly, unlike all the provinces have done, the federal government has never invested to equip First Nations with modern management systems. "Its refusal to provide First Nations with the resources to access quality education means that the Government of Canada is deliberately closing the door on their future," concluded Ghislain Picard.

     Should you wish to receive further information, we invite you to visit our Web site, at www.avenir-future.com.

     The FNEC is a non-profit organization, which defends First Nations interests in the field of education.

-30-

/For further information: Lise Bastien, FNEC Director, (418) 842-7672; For requests for interview, please contact: Alain Garon, (418) 956-5720; Source: Eric Cardinal, Communications advisor, (450) 638-5159, Cell: (514) 258-2315/