Almost three years ago (although I only worked up the nerve to post it two years ago, so sensitive is the topic) I wrote a blog post about First Nations youth, and how I suspected they were going to radically alter Canada’s relationship with First Nations, and likely change the
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Accidental Deliberations: Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading. – Jeffrey Simpson rightly notes that Alberta (like other resource-heavy jurisdictions) should be trying to diversify its revenue sources and economic development instead of relying on the one-time sale of publicly-owned resources to pay the bills. And Robyn Allan points out why we
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: It takes a Village
Shorter John Ivison: I consider it a sign of profound unseriousness that Romeo Saganash and the NDP want to give effect to an international treaty which might result in indigenous people having some influence over policy. Veto power for multinational corporate conglomerates, that’s fine. But *people*? Outrageous, says I.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: New social movement assembly launches to take on the Harper agenda
Common Causes to hold solidarity actions across the country by Council of Canadians | Jan 24, 2013 On January 28, when Parliament resumes, the Harper agenda will face an unprecedented assembly of social movements uniting in Common Causes. The new people’s network is working with progressive partners, including Idle No More, to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Supreme Court of Canada to hear landmark Tsilhqot’in Aboriginal title case
by Tsilhqot’in National Government | Jan 24, 2013 TŜILHQOT’IN TERRITORY, BC – The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that it will hear the Tsilhqot’in Nation’s landmark Aboriginal title claim, a decision welcomed by the Tsilhqot’in Nation and its members. “We are truly grateful for the many Tsilhqot’in Elders that showed the courage
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Chief Theresa Spence Ends 43-Day Hunger Strike With Declaration “Towards Fundamental Change”
by Guest Blogger | The Canadian Progressive, Jan 25, 2013 Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence signed the First Nations declaration that ended her 43-day hunger strike at Ottawa’s Victoria Island . The 13-point declaration, entitled “First Nations: Working Towards Fundamental Change”, was signed jointly with First Nations leaders and Canada’s federal opposition parties.
Continue readingSaskboy's Abandoned Stuff: Newspaper Comments Highlight Canadian Racism
The comments sections on some newspapers and online news sites can be infamously bad. The Calgary Herald’s commenters, many of them frequent enough to be “top commenters”, put on a despicable display today. Chief Spence ended her hunger strike, and was hospitalized as a precaution because she’s been without proper
Continue readingMontreal Simon: My Thank You Letter to Chief Spence
Dear Chief SpenceI was so happy to hear that you will be ending your long hunger strike.Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has decided to end her six-week-long hunger strike after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and New Democrat caucuses agreed to back a list of commitments supporting
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Council of Canadians supports First Nations legal challenge to Canada-China investment treaty (FIPA)
by Council of Canadians | Jan 22, 2013: Ottawa – The Council of Canadians supports the Hupacasath First Nation’s legal challenge to the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), a notice of which was filed in B.C. court on January 18. The Council hopes the dispute will force
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Seeks Public Support For Licence Renewal Process
by Aboriginal Peoples Television Network | Jan 23, 2013: Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) has submitted an application to renew its licence to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC governs the conditions and terms by which APTN operates to provide programming to the Canadian audience. The licence renewal
Continue readingbastard.logic: Idle No More: Baseless Stigmas Are An Unwelcome Distraction
by Sara Mai Chitty I wanted to let people know a couple things about my heritage as a First Nations woman, about what is being said about the Idle No More movement (and there is much more to be said), and what I feel is EXCEEDINGLY DISTRACTING from the other
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Forest Ethics Responds to New Kinder Morgan Pipeline Expansion Proposal
by Forest Ethics | Jan 11, 2013: Yesterday Houston based energy giant Kinder Morgan announced that they planned to further expand their proposed pipeline through the most densely populated areas of the province of British Columbia. The company’s Canadian representative held a telephone press conference yesterday announcing that they planned
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Norway’s experience with Big Oil offers lessons for Idle No More
by Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Jan 21, 2013: Norway’s experience with Big Oil offers lessons for Idle No More and other progressive movements determined to stop Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives from turning Canada into a petro-state. Earlier, I blogged about a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, which
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: #skndpldr Roundup
This past weekend saw another Saskatchewan NDP leadership debate, this time in Weyburn. But oddly enough (particularly given the presence of some of the most active social media presences in the campaign), Saturday’s debate was the first not to be covered live at the time – meaning that the best
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Métis Nation Welcomes Plans to Reform Aboriginal Child Welfare System
by Métis Nation of Ontario | Jan 18, 2013: Métis Nation of Ontario Encouraged by Plans to Reform Aboriginal Child Welfare System Today Laurel Broten, Ontario Minister of Children and Youth Services announced the Government of Ontario’s intention to work with Aboriginal partners to develop a multi-year Children and Youth Strategy.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Trent University to Host North at Trent 2013 Lecture Series
by Trent University | Jan 18, 2013: Trent University is pleased to once again host the North at Trent 2013 lecture series, featuring three free public lectures from Trent and visiting professors about Indigenous, health and security topics in Canada’s north. “I am very pleased that Trent University and Peterborough
Continue readingPolitics, Re-Spun: A Not-So-Public Hearing
Yesterday I gave my testimony to the Joint Review Panel for the Northern Gateway Pipeline Project. Protesters in Vancouver January 2013 Some might argue it was an exercise in futility because ultimately Bill C-38 gives decision-making power for these projects to Cabinet. Perhaps. Yet yesterday on the fourth floor of
Continue readingSketchy Thoughts: Zig Zag on Idle No More: "In any liberation movement there are internal and external struggles"
We are living in exciting times, with large numbers of people clearly fed up and taking action, no longer content to wait for the right moment or the right ideas or the right leadership to tell them what to do. Whether we think of Occupy, the Arab Spring, or the
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Aboriginal status ruling challenges policymakers
by John D. Whyte | The Leader Post, Jan 17 2013 Recent developments in relations with aboriginal peoples – the prime minister’s meeting with First Nations leaders, the protest by Chief Theresa Spence, who is on a liquid fast, and especially the Idle No more demonstrations – are likely to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Paul Martin says Ottawa has ‘no understanding’ of native issues
Former prime minister was the architect of the 2005 Kelowna Accord By Jennifer Clibbon | CBC News, Jan 17, 2013 4:58 AM ET Few Canadian leaders know the issues raised by Idle No More better than former prime minister Paul Martin. As Canada’s 21st prime minister, Martin will be remembered as the architect of
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