Chief Wallace Fox challenges Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver in the foyer of the House of Commons, December 4, 2012. Photo by Fred Chartrand/ Canadian Press.
We recently highlighted that the Attawapiskat First Nation and the International Indian Treaty Council have sought the support of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) to challenge, in part, C-38 and C-45, the Harper government’s omnibus legislation bills. They have filed a request for consideration under the ‘Early Warning/ Urgent Action Procedures’ of the UN Committee. That committee will consider their request on February 26.
And now today, the Globe and Mail reports, “Twenty Canadian first nations have taken to the world stage to accuse the Harper government of violating the human rights of their people and of failing to take action against ‘racist’ media reports. The communities – most of them Cree – made two presentations before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva on Friday (February 22).”
“The first nations accused the federal Conservative government of introducing a slate of legislation that violates the human rights of first nations. The legislation includes two omnibus bills that were passed into law last year, as well as bills dealing with first-nations financial transparency, matrimonial rights on reserve, first-nations elections, reserve drinking water, self-government and changes to the Indian Act. All have been the target of demonstrations by the loosely knit protest group Idle No More.”
The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society (AMMSA) adds, “Chief Wallace Fox of the Onion Lake Cree Nation was part of the Indigenous delegation in Geneva and stated, ‘It’s a rosy picture that was painted for the expert members at the United Nations. Members of the Canadian delegation described such a great place to live to the expert committee that I thought, I want to move to this place that they are portraying.'”
“The CERD’s final report and recommendations will be posted on the UN CERD website, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/, by March 9.”
For more, please see:
NEWS: Onion Lake First Nation challenges Harper government on C-45
NEWS: Chief Spence takes fight against C-45 to the United Nations
NEWS: Water protections lost under Harper’s C-38 and C-45
NEWS: Baird lectures largely empty UN General Assembly hall
