by Assembly of First Nations | Jan 11, 2013: The Assembly of First Nations has released this statement calling for “real change”, “remedies and actions required for first nations immediately”. The AFN’s demands are as follows. Emerging from First Nations dialogue and strategy sessions on January 9-10, 2013 in Ottawa the following are the
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The Canadian Progressive: Ottawa businesses support Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike
by Teresa Smith | Ottawa Citizen: OTTAWA — Two Ottawa businesses are donating their time and services to help Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence as she continues to her hunger strike for aboriginal treaty rights. Lara Purvis, 33, the floor manager at Venus Envy on Lisgar St. near Bank St., says
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Chief Spence says Harper government has encouraged “segregation”
For immediate release: December 31, 2012, Victoria Island, traditional territory of the Algonquian Peoples: Today is the thirty first day of Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike and the last day of 2012. Yesterday, Chief Spence met with Senators and Members of Parliament from the New Democratic Party, Liberal Party and Parti
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Amnesty International Urges Harper to meet with hunger striker Chief Spence
by Amnesty International Canada: Editor’s Intro: In the letter bellow, issued yesterday, Amnesty International urges Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with hunger-striker Chief Theresa Spence as her peaceful protest reaches Day 18. Chief Spence is demanding a meeting involving Harper, a representative of the Queen, and First Nations leaders. She wants
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Why does it take a hunger strike to gain media attention for Aboriginal issues in Canada?
Dana Wensley | Troy Media: The issue is one of of fairness As First Nation groups continue their protests against Bill C-45, what comes as a surprise to me is that it took so long to happen in Canada. In the lead up to Canada Day I noted that while other
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: No Sting: Feds Won’t Go Undercover to Prove Housing Discrimination
by Nikole Hannah-Jones | ProPublica: The four-bedroom house advertised on Craigslist sounded like just what Claire Rembis and her husband had been looking for. It sat on two verdant acres with plenty of room for their seven home-schooled children to run and play. And the $850 monthly rent was much cheaper than
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Alberta Federation of Labour urges Canadians to be Idle No More
by Alberta Federation of Labour: The Alberta Federation of Labour is urging Canadians to be Idle No More in opposing Bill C-45. On the morning of Friday, Dec. 21, union representatives marched with First Nations leaders and Albertans from all walks of life in Edmonton at an “Idle No More” rally against
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Chief Spence Hunger Strike: Solidarity letter from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers
by Canadian Union of Postal Workers: Chief Theresa Spence, The Canadian Union of Postal Workers honour Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat for her courageous stand in defense of the land against the moral bankruptcy of the Canadian state. We recognize the racist and genocidal history of Canada and that the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Council of Canadians celebrates first victories of the Robocalls case
by Council of Canadians: After a six-day federal court hearing, eight electors in six ridings have made a strong case that there was widespread voter suppression in the 2011 federal election that benefited Conservative Party candidates. They have asked the federal court judge to annul the results in the six
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: As Theresa Spence’s hunger strike enters second week, National Chief Atleo calls for urgent meeting with Harper
by Assembly of First Nations: Open letter on behalf of the First Nations leaders to the Right Honourable Governor General David Johnston and the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper: On behalf of the National Executive of the Assembly of First Nations, we write today regarding an urgent
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canada’s Human Rights Reputation is Fast Becoming a Myth
by Ontario Federation of Labour: This year, as the global community recognizes December 10 as International Human Rights Day, many Canadians struggle with a vanishing sense of pride in Canada’s once renowned reputation as a leader in human rights. While that reputation has always been contradicted by the lived experiences
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canada’s new refugee system unfair to refugees
by Canadian Council for Refugees AND Amnesty International Canada: On the eve of the introduction of important changes to Canada’s refugee determination system, the Canadian Council for Refugees and Amnesty International expressed fear that the system will fail some refugees, violate their rights in Canada, and send them back to persecution.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canadians Take Robocalls to Court – Day 1
by Maude Barlow | Council of Canadians: Under the sheen of freezing rain that blanketed the Supreme Court of Canada, the historic legal cases of eight Canadians against voter suppression and fraud in the 2011 federal election finally got underway. Day one of what is expected to be a full
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: U.S.: Cutting through the indefinite detention and NDAA controversy
by Cora Currier | ProPublica: Last Tuesday, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, a yearly military spending bill. Last year, the bill affirmed the U.S.’s authority to hold suspected terrorists indefinitely and without charges. The provision had generated plenty of controversy, particularly about whether U.S. citizens could be detained indefinitely. This year, the Senate bill says that citizens
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Liberals: Minister of Defence Must Resign Over F-35 Fight Jet
by Liberal Party of Canada Liberal Leader Bob Rae made the following statement today on the Conservative government’s reported cancellation of the F-35 contract: “The termination of this multi-billion dollar contract has fully exposed the Harper Conservatives’ fiscal incompetence and complete mishandling of the F-35 procurement process. They have spent
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Enbridge cross-examination focuses on campaigning, lobbying; ignores evidence
by Forest Ethics | Tuesday Nov 27, 2012: Given the opportunity to shed light on its proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline project at the NEB’s Joint Review Panel (JRP) hearings currently taking place in Prince George, Enbridge lawyer Laura Estep chose instead to focus on ForestEthics Advocacy’s use of the media,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: May 2011 election fraud legal challenges at Federal Court on Monday
by Council of Canadians WHAT: Beginning Monday, the most important legal cases in the history of Canadian elections will be argued before the Federal Court: the applications to contest the outcome of 2011 federal election in six ridings. WHEN: 9:30am, Monday, December 10 (International Human Rights Day). The full federal court hearing
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Harper Conservatives “Designated Countries of Origin” list equals more serious health risks for refugees
By Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care: With the federal government announcing that it will be revealing its Designated Countries of Origin list to inform its handling of refugees on December 15th, Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care is warning provincial governments, medical professionals and health institutions to brace for more chaos and cases of individuals
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Harper Conservatives and Big Oil turning Canada into a “petro-state”
by The Polaris Institute | December 4, 2012: A new report entitled “Big Oil’s Oily Grasp – The making of Canada as a Petro-State and how oil money is corrupting Canadian politics” released today by the Ottawa-based Polaris Institute found that six main oil industry players, including Enbridge and TransCanada, met
Continue readingCanadian Progressive: Jewish human rights group condemns Harper government’s UN vote on Palestine
by Independent Jewish Voices | December 3, 2012 A Canadian Jewish human rights group is condemning the Harper government’s opposition to giving Palestine non-member observer state status at the United Nations. In a vote taken this week by the General Assembly, 138 countries voted to grant Palestine this status. “Once again the Harper government has embarrassed […]
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