Current Events
Bill C-31 twenty years later: AFN National Chief calls for First Nations control of First Nations citizenshipOTTAWA,
ON - On June 28, the twentieth anniversary of Royal Assent of the 1985
Act to Amend the Indian Act (commonly referred to as Bill C-31), AFN
National Chief Phil Fontaine called on the government of Canada to
address the systemic inequities it has created and to work with First
Nations governments so that they can assume control of citizenship.
"After living with Bill C-31 for twenty years, we can clearly and
unequivocally say that it has failed Canada and it has failed First
Nations," said National Chief Fontaine. "The Bill has not resolved any
of the problems it was intended to fix and has in fact created new
problems. Significant gender discrimination still remains, control over
Indian status is still held by the Crown, and the population of status
Indians is declining as a direct result of Bill C-31. This is a
critical issue and the time to act is now."
Click here for more informationOttawa to spend $500M to get Mackenzie pipeline movingOTTAWA,
ON - The federal government has promised to spend $500 million over 10
years to remove a barrier to the proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas
pipeline. Ottawa announced the deal with the Northwest Territories and
the Gwich'in, Kahsho Got'ine, Inuvialuit, Tulita/Deline and Deh Cho
First Nations late Monday, July 18. All participants at the meeting
agreed that this announcement represents an important step in the
collective effort to move the Mackenzie gas project forward," a
statement from Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan's office said.
Click here for more informationIt's time for formal treaties to settle Mi'kmaq claimsOTTAWA,
ON - The Supreme Court of Canada, in two related cases, recently
restored criminal convictions against a number of Mi'kmaq individuals
for unauthorized logging, rejecting claims that "peace and friendship"
treaties signed in 1760-61 confer a modern right to pursue commercial
logging outside of the laws of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The Court
also rejected the Mi'kmaq claim of aboriginal title to Crown lands as a
basis for unfettered access to the provincial forests. The Supreme
Court did two things in this judgment. First, it provided a legal
interpretation of what the 1760s' treaties mean in modern terms.
Secondly, the court provided commentary on its evolving view of the
concept of aboriginal title and, to a lesser extent, other aboriginal
rights.
Click here for more informationOntario First Nation signs diamond mine agreementTORONTO,ON
- De Beers Canada is a step closer to developing Ontario's first
diamond mine on the James Bay coast after striking a deal with the
Attawapiskat First Nation. The company wants to construct the mine in
the muskeg about 90 kilometres west of the small, isolated Cree
community. The agreement sets out how the aboriginal group will be
compensated for use of its traditional lands.
Click here for more informationSigning of an Outline for an Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Crees of QuebecOTTAWA,
ON - Minister Andy Scott and Grand Chief Ted Moses announce the
commencement of negotiations between the Government of Canada and the
Crees of Quebec, following the signing of an Outline for an Agreement
June 30th. Through the negotiations the parties are seeking to resolve
issues with respect to the implementation of the James Bay and Northern
Quebec Agreement and to confirm a Cree Nation Government in subsequent
federal legislation. The Outline was signed by the Chief Negotiator for
Canada, Mr. Raymond Chrétien, Strategic Advisor at the law firm of
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin and former Canadian Ambassador to the United
States, and the Chief Cree Negotiator, Mr. Bill Namagoose, Executive
Director of the Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Regional Authority.
Click here for more informationGovernment of Canada and Dehcho First Nations reach agreementYELLOWKNIFE,
NT - The Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of Indian and Northern
Affairs, and Herb Norwegian, Grand Chief of Dehcho First Nations, today
announced an agreement that provides direction for land, resource and
governance negotiations under the Dehcho Process and which
cooperatively resolves issues related to the review of the Mackenzie
Gas Project (MGP). "With this agreement, Canada's discussions with the
Dehcho First Nations on land, resources, and governance are back on
track and will proceed with renewed vigour - and in turn generate
greater certainty in the Mackenzie Valley." said Minister Scott. "We
are committed to ensuring effective and meaningful participation of the
Dehcho in both the environmental assessment and regulatory review of
the Mackenzie Gas Project."
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