[Indigsol] Monday SIS vigil, plus more

[ipsmo at riseup.net]

In this message:

* This Monday at noon: Sisters in Spirit vigil on Parl't Hill
* Wed Oct 6: Meet UofOttawa's new Chair in Métis Studies
* Call for organizers: Indigenous Sovereignty Week
* Save the South March Highlands, an ancient and sacred site of the
Alqonquin Peoples
* Call for resistance to the IMF in Washington, Oct8-10



~~~~



SISTERS IN SPIRIT VIGIL - Mon Oct 4 in Ottawa, across Canada, and
internationally

The SIS Vigil in Ottawa will begin Mon Oct 4 at 12 p.m. on Parliament Hill
with a feast to follow at The Church of St. John the Evangelist at 1 p.m.
- 3p.m.
(154 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 0H8)

October 4th is a day where we honour the lives of missing and murdered
Aboriginal women and girls. The violence experienced by Aboriginal women
and girls in Canada is a national tragedy. We must take the time to give
thanks to the families who have inspired the SIS movement and who are our
reason we all continue to demand action.

STAY INFORMED! GET INVOLVED! MOBILIZE!

For more information, or to find a vigil in other locations across the
country:
http://www.nwac.ca/2010-sisters-spirit-vigils

Ottawa event promotions:
FB: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162677430410943
Poster: http://ipsmo.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/sis-vigil-poster-2010.pdf
Flyer: http://ipsmo.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/sis-flyer-2010-wlogo.pdf



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The Forum for Aboriginal Studies and Research brownbag lunch sessions

Meet the University’s new Chair in Métis Studies

Brenda Macdougall, Chair Metis Studies, University of Ottawa
Metis Across the Homeland: Land, Mobility, Family.
Wednesday October 6th, 11:45-1pm - DMS 3105, UofOttawa campus

-------

Les conférences midi du Forum d’études et de recherches autochtones

Venez rencontrer la récipiendaire de la nouvelle chaire en Études métisses

Brenda Macdougall, Chaire d’études métisses de l’Université d’Ottawa
Metis Across the Homeland: Land, Mobility, Family
Mercredi 6 octobre, 11h45-1h – DMS 3105, campus Ud'Ottawa

Présentation en anglais, questions-réponses dans les deux langues
Pour plus d’informations/ for more information: fera at uottawa.ca

Information: fera at uottawa.ca / 613-562-5800 (2657)



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Indigenous Sovereignty Week 2010: Indigenous resistance and revival
November 21-27, 2010

** Note that organizers in Ottawa are planning to have ISW the last week
of October, Oct25-31, highlighted by a day-long Indigenous Sovereignty
Symposium on Sat Oct 30. More info will be posted at
http://www.bit.ly/iswottawa or you can contact 613-656-5498 or
ipsmo at riseup.net **


Called by Defenders of the Land last year, the first Indigenous
Sovereignty Week was a huge success, taking place in 2 dozen cities,
towns, and communities across Canada. Building on that success, and a year
that has seen continuing land-based struggles to defend Indigenous lands
and rights, and growing mobilization for Indigenous rights in cities,
Defenders of the Land is calling for a second Indigenous Sovereignty Week
to take place in communities across Canada from November 21-27.

Communities and groups should organize their own events according to their
capacity; this may mean holding Indigenous Sovereignty Week at a different
time. Defenders of the Land may be able to provide materials for
presentation, and may be able to make available or facilitate contact with
speakers.

We have in mind that this work will reach different audiences: Indigenous
people living in communities, urban Indigenous people, and non-Indigenous
people living in cities and towns.  Events may take place on campuses, in
community centres, in schools, or other locations.

The purpose of this week is to build local relationships between groups
and individuals, disseminate ideas of Indigenism, and generally,
contribute to building a cross-Canada movement for Indigenous rights,
self-determination, and justice that is led by Indigenous communities but
with a broad base of informed support.

There will be a range of events, including speaking events, cultural or
arts events, and ceremony where appropriate. Speakers will include
activists and leaders of struggles, elders, Indigenous intellectuals, and
supporters.


Canada's Indian policy in 2010

This year, the Canadian government has renewed an aggressive policy of
assimilation of Indians. Despite all the apologies and high-minded words
from elected officials over the last few years, this policy is the same
Indian policy the government has pursued since the 1850s. From Tom
Flanagan and the Fraser Institute, there is a push for privatization of
reserve lands and conversion of Aboriginal title into fee simple on a
small percentage of traditional territories. The comprehensive claims
process and the regional treaty tables continue to push First Nations
towards extinguishment of title using a range of carrot and stick tactics.
Indigenous Peoples who fight back too hard against the assimilation
agenda, like the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, are targeted for special
repression.

However, Indigenous Peoples across Canada are not backing down in their
demand for respect for Aboriginal title and rights. Increasingly, bands
are dissatisfied with the comprehensive claims process, which results in
permanent extinguishment of title in exchange for a small amount of cash
and a fraction of the land rights. Communities from coast to coast are
continuing to assert their rights to self-determination, and choosing to
chart their own destiny, insisting on consent for resource extraction and
industrial activity on their lands, and insisting on their right to choose
how they will govern themselves. The national chief of the Assembly of
First Nations is calling for the elimination of the Indian Act and the
refounding of the relationship between First Nations and Canada on a basis
of Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Defenders of the Land is calling on communities across Canada to explore
the themes of resistance and revival in the face of the government's
assimilation agenda. We are suggesting education and exploration of the
following themes:

    * Understanding and exposing the government's fundamental strategy of
assimilation and extinguishment, and the ways in which this is
implemented: through the comprehensive claims process, through the
Indian Act, and through Indian Affairs. How does Indian Affairs work
to pressure, shape, and control the choices of individual Indians and
First Nations? What are some practical case studies of Indian Affairs'
actions? How do we expose the very colonial character of Indian
Affairs to a broader public?

    * Exploring alternatives to the present colonial infrastructure. Shawn
Atleo has called for abolition of the Indian Act, but right wingers
will also seize on this to replace the Indian Act with fee simple and
assimilation policies. What is a viable, concrete alternative that
respects Aboriginal and Treaty rights? These questions could be
explored through the presentation of a range of concrete alternatives
and concrete strategies for achieving them.

    * Exposing the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement signed this past year
- a deal between ENGOs and industry without involvement of First
Nations on the excuse that there are "too many of them to consult".
The deal has serious implications for Indigenous Title and Rights but
does not even mention the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, and its language on Indigenous rights is very weak.

    * Understanding the importance of language and cultural renewal, and
traditional governance, to Indigenous resistance and
self-determination.

    * What does it mean for supporters to act in solidarity? What are the
dangers of people getting engaged to get something out of it for
themselves? How do we recognize and talk openly about the challenges
of building relationships of solidarity? What do people need to know
to enter into constructive relationships of solidarity, and not impose
a further burden, or their own ideological agenda, on First Nations?


We are suggesting that organizing groups may like to develop some of these
themes in relation to specific communities. For example, the situation in
Barriere Lake can be used as a launching point for a discussion of the
Indian Act, the role of Indian Affairs, third party management, and the
importance of traditional governance in resistance. Fish Lake could be
used to discuss Aboriginal Title, the question of consent, and the
comprehensive claims process.

Defenders of the Land maintains that political activism, culture, economy,
and language should all be seen as part of the overall picture of
resistance and renewal - one aspect should not be highlighted to the
exclusion of the others; rather, all should be seen as integral and
interrelated.

We encourage ISW organizing groups to explore issues at a range of depths,
and not only to stay at the "101" level where a lot of activist education
stalls, but to actually grapple with difficult and important questions for
movement building.

We encourage the leadership of First Nations in this process, both on the
land, and in urbanized settings, recognizing that there are tensions and
limitations. How do people in different locations relate differently to
the land? How do we connect urban and land issues? How do urban and rural
Indigenous people relate to non-Native communities? How can urbanized
Indigenous people participate in supporting land-based struggles and in a
broader movement for Indigenous rights? Some of these themes might be
explored in private, Native-only or mixed workshops leading up to the week
of educationals. The question of solidarity and relationship building with
non-Natives could be tackled through one or two-day symposia involving
Native and non-Native organizers.


If you are interested in organizing an Indigenous Sovereignty Week in your
area:

If you are interested in organizing educational events in your community
during this week, please contact us by email at
defendersoftheland at gmail.com. We will add you to a list to cooperate on
developing and organizing this event. Communities can plan their own
programs according to their needs and capacities--the purpose of a joint
organizing list is to share resources and coordinate speakers' itineraries
for example. You can find out more about Defenders of the Land at our
website. http://www.defendersoftheland.org

Defenders of the Land is a network of First Nations in land struggle
working with urbanized Indigenous people and non-Native supporters in
defense of Indigenous lands and rights.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



HELP SAVE THE SOUTH MARCH HIGHLANDS


Dear Ottawa Peeps (or Friends of Ottawa Peeps),

Fight the Good Fight. This is our chance to save a beautiful,
irreplaceable, ecologically priceless forest. Right here in Ottawa.

Please read this, use the form letter to write to your City Councillor and
the Mayor, and then forward this e-mail to your friends and networks.
Background information in the opening paragraphs is to help inform people
you forward this to.

Thanks very much!!!
******************

As you may know, more than 5000 people across Ottawa have been fighting to
save the South March Highlands from development. Now we have a huge
opportunity to influence City Council to purchase a section of this forest
and protect it from being blasted and clear-cut. Councillors Marianne
Wilkinson and Clive Doucet have introduced a motion to expropriate a
section of the land known as the Beaver Pond Forest, and the motion will
be voted on at City Council on October 6th.

We need to swamp the Councillors with letters and e-mails, in support of
this motion! And to show councillors that voters do care about
environmental issues.

This is an old-growth forest located in Kanata that, according to Dr. J
Kerr (Professor of MacroEcology at the University of Ottawa) may be one of
the most bio-diverse areas in Canada. To date, we’ve received the support
of the David Suzuki Foundation, Ottawa Valley Field Naturalists, Ecology
Ottawa, Ottawa Carleton Wildlife Centre, Canadian Parks and Wilderness
Society, the Sierra Club of Canada, Green Party of Canada, Greenbelt
Coalition, and a half-dozen other organizations.

The SMH is a mini-Costa Rica that is only 3 km x 4 km in size, yet is home
to over 675 species of life including 19 species-at-risk and another 18
species that are on the priority list for the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The area has been designated as a
Provincially Significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest by the
Ministry of Natural Resources and it also contains the largest deer-yard
in the City.

The South March Highlands has also been declared by William Commanda (the
most senior Elder in the Algonquin First Nation) to be an ancient and
sacred site for his people. The archaeological significance of this area
has been confirmed by Dr. R McGhee (former president of the Cdn
Archaeological Association and past-curator of the National Museum of
Civilization) and by Dr. H. Muller-Beck (Professor Emeritus of
Palaeohistory of Hunting Cultures at University of Tubingen, Germany) who
have both confirmed archaeological sites of human habitation dating back
10,000 years in this area.

Incredibly, over the past 20 years, a series of planning decisions have
left this unique area open to development, and now the the only recourse
for protecting it is to buy some of the lands back from developers .
Recently, we’ve been able to put a motion before City Council to
expropriate a portion of this area which otherwise will be clear-cut and
blasted by Urbandale for a housing development north of the Beaver Pond.

City Council will vote on this motion on Oct. 6 and it is important that
as many people as possible contact their Councillors and ask them to
support the motion.

Please send the following email to your Councillor. By voting to
expropriate this part of the forest, development plans will be stalled
long enough for us to engage the support of the National Capital
Commission to provide long-term protection for the balance of the area.

It is especially important for you to write to your Councillor if you
support this and do not live in Kanata. City Council needs to know that
this is an issue that people all across the city are support.

Please take a couple of minutes to cut and paste the following with your
name and address at the bottom and email it to your City Councillor with a
cc to the Mayor at larry.obrien at ottawa.ca. If you have the time, it is
even better if you customize the letter to reflect your own particular
reasons for supporting the motion to expropriate.

The email addresses for all City Councillors are found at:

http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/index_en.html

The ward maps for those who may not recognize their City Councillor can be
found at:

http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/wards/index_en.html

It would be great if you can also forward this to other caring people as
well so that they can send a similar email to their Councillor. Our goal
is to get as many individual emails as possible sent in to City Council.
You can find out more about the South March Highlands by checking
outhttp://southmarch.wordpress.com/


SAMPLE LETTER:


Dear Councillor,

I live in your ward and I urge you to vote in support of the motion to
expropriate the portion of the South March Highlands (SMH) known as the
Beaver Pond Forest. I want you to know that how you will vote on this will
influence who I vote for in the upcoming election. I support the motion
for the following reasons:

- The South March Highlands is one of the most bio-diverse and
ecologically important areas of the City that has long been recognized by
the City as worthy of preservation. It is green infrastructure that
provides valuable services to this city in helping combat both air
pollution and invasive species, improve water quality, control flooding,
and as a wildlife refuge including 19 species-at-risk.

- The South March Highlands contain Provincially Significant, stone-age,
cultural resources that are twice the age of Stonehenge and are considered
sacred by the aboriginal people of this area. This enriches and uniquely
differentiates our City as a desirable place to live and visit.

- Expropriation is the right thing to do and the only way this City can
correct the horrible mistake made by the RMOC when it allowed the area to
be included in the Campeau development plans back in the 1980s. Every
politician of that day now recognizes that it was a mistake and, given
what we know now, would never have allowed it to happen had they known
more facts.

- The cost of expropriation is reasonable. Municipal Property Assessment
Corporation (MPAC) assessed value on the land is less than $55 K /acre.
Staff is likely to come up with a valuation of $200 K /acre or higher,
which will certainly be generous and fair to the landowner.

- The funds for expropriation are available. The city currently has a
surplus of $31 M in unspent infrastructure funds. I’m tired of seeing my
tax dollars being used to support only non-green development projects.
Last year the city had over 115 infrastructure development projects and no
green infrastructure projects at all.

- The electorate is increasingly attuned to green issues as a result of
climate change, oil spills, soaring energy costs, etc. A survey of Ottawa
residents by the NCC as part of their Greenbelt planning study found that
Ottawa residents overwhelmingly place a high value on green space and want
it expanded.

- Protecting the South March Highlands creates immense value for the City
that, properly managed, can be used to attract tourism. No other city in
the world has an old-growth forest teaming with species-at-risk and other
interesting wildlife, stone-age archaeological sites, ancient
vortexes/energy sites, and unique geological features that showcase how
the ice age transformed Canada.

Therefore, I ask that you vote FOR Marianne Wilkinson and Clive Doucet’s
motion to expropriate the Beaver Pond Forest in the South March Highlands
of Kanata.

Sincerely,

<name>
<address>



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IMF RESISTANCE

>From October 8th-10th 2010, the International Monetary Fund will be
meeting in Washington DC. The IMF Resistance Network call to action has
been posted below.

Those in the Ottawa community are invited to partake in a discussion via
email regarding whether or not they would like to join other activists in
Washington DC to resist the IMF. We will also be discussing the needs of
those interested in attending and trying to make attending this weekend in
DC as financially accessible as possible.

Please e-mail noimfottawa at gmail.com to be added to the listserve. Once we
get a feel for what people are interested in and what needs they have to
accommodate these interests, we will decide to meet in person.

Call To Action- The IMF Resistance Network:
http://imfresistance.org/?p=1