[Indigsol] IPSMO newsletter Nov. 21, 2010 - read, share and take action!

[Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement -Ottawa]

Headlines:

In Memoriam: Dr. Patricia Monture, an Indigenous scholar of Mohawk Nation 
A wounded survivor a country's shame, the life story of Pauline Wesley
Five Demands for Climate Justice
Shannen's Dream Campaign for First Nation Education Rights
Support Sisters In Spirit
Mount. Milligan mine in Northern BC
Canada endorses the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights - THE REAL STORY
Toxic Leak from northern Alberta tailings pond northwest of Fort McMurray
-
REPORT from the CRIME SCENE


But, first see an upcoming event:

3rd World Canada - Ottawa premiere
Location:National Arts Centre (NAC-CNA)
Time:7:30PM Tuesday, November 30th
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141489995903709

Film web site: http://thirdworldcanada.ca/
To order your tickets in advance, please go to
http://thirdworldcanada.ca/order (Note: Toronto Premiere was a sell-out!)

Tues Nov 30 - Ottawa premiere of documentary film by local filmmaker Andrée
Cazabon (it is also a fundraiser)

"Through intimate testimonies, ‘Third World Canada’ reveals an
impoverished First Nations community and its struggles to care for eight
children left behind by their parents’ suicides."

This event is an invitation to all Canadians to participate in solutions and
celebrate the reconciliation movement under way

~~~

Local Actions:

Climate Justice Ottawa Drops Banner in Parliament "If They Won't Take Action
on Climate Justice, We Will!"  Five demands for Climate Justice:
http://www.mediacoop.ca/photo/youth-drop-banner-parliament-if-they-wont-take-action-climate-justice-we-will/5158

Human Rights Award Help Launch Shannen's Dream Campaign for First Nation
Education Rights.  Read more:
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/162997#ixzz15nctJh7V.

Sign up to support Shannen's Dream:
http://www.fncaringsociety.com/shannensdream

Support Sisters In Spirit
http://www.nwac.ca/sisters-spirit-supporters

~~~

*In Memoriam: Dr. Patricia Monture*

One of our esteemed former colleagues, Dr. Patricia Monture, passed away
last night after battling an illness.  Dr. Monture leaves to mourn her
three
sons, many lovely relatives, and a nation of sisters, nieces, cousins,
mentored men and women, brilliant scholars and friends who were all led by
her to a place of strength, power and higher consciousness of Indigenous
understandings.

Every Indigenous academic and many, many other academics owe her a debt of
gratitude for her consistent advocacy and passionate writing and
vociferation of Indigenous ways of knowing.  Known internationally for her
profundity, her connection to Indigenous Knowledge and for her capacity to
work with Indigenous community members on solving Indigenous community
problems, with Indigenous solutions, Professor Monture was teaching at the
University of Saskatchewan at the time of her passing.

Known for being a great mother, a profoundly aware and critical intellect,
and a loyal friend, Dr. Monture adhered to the traditions of her people,
the
Haudenosaunee, and worked tirelessly as a grassroots advocate.

In lieu of flowers the family will be gratefully accepting monetary
donations for the boys to cover funeral and travel costs to take her to
her
peoples' traditional territory.  Please contact Patricia's son Justin at
jmonture at gmail.com in order to contribute.

Source:
http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/en/news/common-law-section-news/in-memoriam-dr.-patricia-monture.html

~~~

*A wounded survivor a country's shame*

Pauline Wesley drowned in the Rideau River. Those who knew her were shocked
at the news of her death. How she came to be in the river is not clear.
Reports are that she was seen thrashing in the water, and then she was
gone.


Pauline, who was Cree, was born in November, when the beauty of autumn had
left the land. At the time of her birth, the leaves painted by Kichi
Manido
(God) with the colours of sunrise were in layers on the forest floor. The
geese had sung their songs of farewell to the North and the snake, the
turtle and the songbirds were gone away from the people till spring.

Though dreary and uninviting, the days of that time of year could never have
foretold what Pauline's life would be like; her time on this Earth was one
of enormous suffering. The torment she endured could only stem from the
cruelty of human beings. It does not lie elsewhere in nature to do so.

Pauline was removed from her family at an early age and placed in a
residential school, where she endured endless days of ridicule. She was
abused as a child in terrible ways. A great force called the Government of
Canada was determined to "remove the Indian from the child." Many children
were broken in those shameful places, some beyond repair.

To read the full story:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/wounded+survivor/3862089/story.html#ixzz15vv6EhZ1

~~~

*Nak’azdli blockade enters second day, Mt Milligan mining project
proponent threatens legal action*
Nak’azdli Keyoh Huwunline | Tuesday November 16 2010

As a First Nation Blockade of work on the Mount Milligan open pit mine site
continues for a second day the mine site owner threatened legal action
against the blockaders.

The blockade was set up Monday afternoon by Howard Sam and Wayne Sam,
holders of adjoining keyohs, traditional First Nation landholdings. The
proposed mine would be a deep, wide pit mine straddling the boundary
between
the two keyohs.

Continue reading: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/5172

Three Mt. Milligan Blockaders Arrested:
http://hqprincegeorge.com/news/12498/THREE%20MT.%20MILLIGAN%20BLOCKADERS%20ARRESTED/

More on the Mount Milligan open pit mine:

Waves of Controversy Continue on BC Lakes: Mt. Milligan mine in Northern BC
far from a done deal - http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/3676

BC Government Breaks the Law - Nak’azdli vows to stop Mt. Milligan mine -
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#drafts/12c67bf21d3f2131

~~~

*Canada endorses the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights -- time to party?*
Ben Powless | November 16, 2010

So, Canada has announced that it will ‘support' the UN Declaration. Is it
time to celebrate yet? What does that even mean?

Let's take a closer look. First off, they announced this on a Friday
afternoon, right after they announced major plans with the Afghanistan
war,
burying the story. Second, the announcement came as a press release posted
online - no press conference where people could ask clarifying questions,
no
informing Indigenous Peoples, just a passive admission on a website.

To really understand it underneath all the incredible praise the
government has for itself, you have to look at the operative paragraph in
their statement: "We are now confident that Canada can interpret the
principles expressed in the Declaration in a manner that is consistent
with our Constitution and legal framework."

Read more:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/ben-powless/2010/11/canada-endorses-un-declaration-indigenous-rights-time-party

~~~

*Joint Statement to Canada’s Endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples*
For Immediate Release | November 16, 2010

On November 12th the Canadian government endorsed the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We urge the government to
move ahead with the implementation of its provisions in a principled
manner
that fully respects their spirit and intent.
....

“We remain concerned that Canada’s actions, both domestically and abroad,
are not reflecting the standards that the government now professes to
support,” says Grand Chief Edward John, First Nations Summit, “Actions are
more important than words. We will be carefully looking for concrete
evidence that the government’s endorsement of the Declaration reflects a
genuine willingness to uphold its provisions.”
.....

“The purpose of instruments like the Declaration is to encourage
governments
to change policies and laws that are discriminatory or that fail to uphold
and fulfill the human rights protections guaranteed to all,” said Alex
Neve,
Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. “Canadian laws and
policies are not above reproach. We strongly encourage the government of
Canada to use the Declaration as a tool in reforming laws and policies
that
fall below international human rights standards.”

“The Declaration is important because it recognizes that the social and
economic challenges facing Indigenous peoples are not isolated problems
but
part of a long-standing and deeply entrenched pattern of racism and
exclusion,” said Merrill Stewart, Clerk of Canadian Friends Service
Committee (Quakers). “Honouring the Declaration requires a commitment on
the
part of government and civil society to forge a new relationship with
Indigenous peoples based on partnership, equality and justice.”

Read the full statement:
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/News_Releases/UBCICNews11161001.html

~~~

*Alta. oilsands pond sludge oozes into bush*
CBC News | November 15, 2010

A northern Alberta tailings pond appears to have toxic sludge flowing into
the muskeg from an uncontained western edge, a situation uncovered by a
CBC
News investigation.

The pond, located in a remote area about 70 kilometres northwest of Fort
McMurray, contains toxic waste from the Horizon oilsands project operated
by
Calgary-based Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL). It has been in
operation for about a year.

The pond has containing berms on all but its western side. According to
documents obtained by CBC News, the company is relying on topography and
clay beneath the surface to contain the tailings on that section of the
pond.

CNRL is legally permitted to have this setup. The plan was approved six
years ago by Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB).

But members of the Fort McKay First Nation are worried animals they
traditionally hunt and trap may be drinking the water flowing from the
tailings pond because there isn't a barrier to keep them away.

"I feel like I want to cry," said band councillor Mike Orr. "I grew up on
the land. That's the way I was brought up — to live off the land."

Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/11/14/edmonton-tailings-pond-cnrl.html#socialcomments#ixzz15nPgLmMi<http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/11/14/edmonton-tailings-pond-cnrl.html#socialcomments%23ixzz15nPgLmMi>

~~~

*Tailings pond plans not part of public hearings*
CBC News | November 16, 2010

Plans to construct a northern Alberta tailings pond without a berm on its
western edge were not required to be ready when public hearings were held
into the Horizon oilsands project in fall 2003.

Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner was asked Tuesday if he was
concerned that the plan to build the pond, operated by Canadian Natural
Resources Ltd. (CNRL), with only three berms instead of four wasn't raised
at the 2003 hearings.

Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/11/16/edmonton-cnrl-pond-environment-canada.html#ixzz15nKMVcXI

See Photos of the tailings pond crime scene: http://bit.ly/bgeQPi


-- 
In Solidarity,
IPSMO
on unceded Algonquin Territory
--
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