[Indigsol] Upcoming Events: Sept 8, 12, 21, 22

[ipsmo at riseup.net]

4 Upcoming Events:
(details follow below)


Wed Sept 8 - Tar Sands Protest, 12 noon at Parliament Hill

Sun Sept 12 - Indigenous Solidarity Workshop, 3pm-5pm at Cafe Alternatif,
basement of Simard Bldg, U of Ottawa

Tues Sept 21 - Paddle For Peace ceremony with Grandfather William
Commanda, 11am-3pm on Victoria Island

Wed Sept 22 - Public Lecture by Cindy Blackstock, 7pm at Alumni Theatre,
University Centre, U of Ottawa



~~~~ DETAILS: ~~~~


On Wed Sept 8, the US Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy
Pelosi will make a special trip to Ottawa. Already, Tar Sands politicians
and corporate executives have made sure to get a meeting with her, and try
to sell their toxic goods south of the border.

In response, the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Rainforest Action
Network, Lush Cosmetics, the Polaris Institute and others have organized a
little welcoming party to let them know that we are opposed to their dirty
oil, and want to see the Tars Sands megaproject shut down. And we will be
joined by over 8,000 people tomorrow.

When: 12:00pm - Wednesday September 8

Where: Parliament Hill

Join us at noon as we hand deliver over 8,000 postcards from across the
country demanding a stop to the Tar Sands' devastating effects, and make a
statement on the hill, showing off the true costs of our addiction to oil.


~~~~~~~



Indigenous Solidarity Workshop - Decolonial Study Group

September 12 · 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Cafe Alternatif, University of Ottawa (basement of Simard Hall)


** note: childcare, ASL interpretation, and/or French whisper translation
are all available for this workshop if you contact gripocampus at gmail.com
or  613-230-3076 enough in advance **


Come join us in learning more about perspectives on being in solidarity
with Indigenous peoples.

An event for both Alt 101 week participants ('activism frosh week' at U of
O), and members of the greater community. Part of the Decolonial Study
Group series organized by IPSMO (Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement
Ottawa). ipsmo at riseup.net http://ipsmo.org/

Will include discussion to deepen our understanding of what the following
mean:
- solidarity
- colonization, and decolonization
- oppression, and anti-oppression

... as well as looking at specific instances of working in solidarity with
diverse struggles for justice for Indigenous peoples

Map: http://www.uottawa.ca/maps/
SMD building code (just SE from corner of Laurier and Waller)


~~~~~~~



Paddle for Peace Celebration at Victoria Island

Join us on the United Nations International Day of Peace September 21,
2010 for Grandfather William Commanda’s Eleventh Annual Peace Event in
Ottawa

Launch the City of Ottawa’s Peace Festival

Animate the quintessential Canadian Spirit of Canoe and build bridges,
promote peace and partnerships, and celebrate Sustainable Relationships!

Supporters of Elder Commanda, under the auspices of The Circle of All
Nations and The Wolf Project, are organizing a special Paddle for Peace
event to ignite a flame for the Canoe as the synergetic symbol for Peace

Join Grandfather William Commanda and friends and celebrate the spirit of
the Canoe with notable canoeists, peace and environmental activists who
will share their perspectives on how canoes, water and nature combine to
animate deep peace.

Then participate in a community picnic, art and birch bark canoe making
demonstrations, canoe demos on the water, a concert and information
sharing and see how he animates a Circle of All Nations!


AGENDA

11.00 Canoes arrive at Victoria Island

11.15 Opening Ceremony and Welcoming Remarks
William Commanda, Peter Decontie, T8aminik Rankin, Gilbert Whiteduck, others

11.30 Remarks from Special Guests including
Kirk Wipper: A Passion for Canoes
Max Finkelstein, Jay Morrison and Daniel Beauchamp: Canoe Journeys
Todd Labrador: Canoe Making with William – Good Enough for Two
Rebecca Mason: Canoes, Water and Art
Larry Graham: Ottawa River Heritage Designation Project featuring the
Canoe Brigade
Larry McDermott: Rivers, Canoes, Eels and Environmental Stewardship
Ray Sunstrum and Minnie Matoush: The Wolf Project and Racial Harmony
George Fenn: Fast Waters, Fast Friends and Pulling Together
Lynda Kitchikeesic: Flotilla for Friendship
Bryan and Elyse Bowers: Canoes, Rivers and Healing
Douglas Cardinal: Reconciling Differing World Views

12.30 Lunch - Add your pot luck specials to the feast!

1.30 Concert with Tito Medina and friends
Birch bark canoe making demonstrations and discussions – Chuck Commanda
and Marcel Labelle; and River art – Elena Love; and community
participation in the Creation of a Living Brook with Marcel Dubec!
Information sharing tables – themes: water, creativity, peace and nature and
Grandfather’s Circle of All Nations books and dvds

3.00 Overview of City of Ottawa Peace Activities – Peter Stockdale/Bill
Bhaneja
Closing Prayer


~~~~~~~



Wednesday, Sept 22, 2010, 7 pm
Alumni Theatre, Jock Turcot University Centre, University of Ottawa
Algonquin Territory

Please join us for

A Public Lecture by Cindy Blackstock,
the Executive Director of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of
Canada:

Is this Our Canada?
How racial discrimination in children’s services undermines the potential
of this generation of First Nations children and what you can do to help

with an opening ceremony by an Algonquin Elder and introduction by Georges
Sioui, the coordinator of Aboriginal Study of University of Ottawa


** Admission is free, everyone is welcome.  Donation is appreciated.

As of May of 2005, the Wen:de study found that 0.67% of non Aboriginal
children were in child welfare care in three sample provinces in Canada as
compared to 10.23% of status Indian children.

According to federal government figures the number of status Indian
children entering child welfare care rose 71.5% nationally between
1995-2001.

Is this our Canada?

The Canadian Incidence Study on Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS) has
found that First Nations children come to the attention of child welfare
authorities for different reasons than non Aboriginal children. First
Nations are not more likely to experience abuse than non-Aboriginal
children. First Nations children are more likely to be reported for
neglect which is driven by poverty, poor housing and caregiver substance
misuse.

Based on an audit conducted by the Auditor General of Canada, the
percentages of children in care on reserves ranged from 0 to 28% in 2007.

Is this our Canada?

Provincial child welfare laws apply both on and off reserves. The
provinces fund child welfare for children off reserve but expect the
federal government to fund it on reserve. If the federal government does
not fund the services or funds them inadequately, the provinces typically
do not top up the funding levels. This results in a two tiered child
welfare system where First Nations children on reserves get less funding
for child welfare than other children.

Repeated reports, including by the Auditor General of Canada (2008) and
Standing Committee on Public Accounts (2009) confirm that federal
government funding for child welfare services on reserves is inadequate
and must be changed in order to ensure First Nations children and families
on reserves receive a comparable and culturally based child welfare
services.

Although the federal government has been aware of the shortfalls in its
child welfare funding for over nine years, it has implemented only modest
improvements in three provinces.

Overall there are more First Nations children in child welfare care in
Canada than at the height of residential schools.  Canada ranked 3rd on
the United Nations Human Development index however; the First Nations
communities in Canada ranked 72nd.

Is This Our Canada?

Please join us in this lecture to learn about the reality of child welfare
services in Indigenous communities across Turtle Island (a.k.a. Canada)
and ways you can make difference for the First Nations children.

For comprehensive background information, research and publications on
First Nations Child Welfare, please visit 
http://www.fncaringsociety.com/.

Presented by First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada,
Forum on Aboriginal Research and Study – University of Ottawa and
Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa.

Sponsored by Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Public Service Alliance of
Canada and Ontario Public Interest Research Group – University of Ottawa

This lecture will be presented in English.