[Indigsol] Tonight Attawapiskat! Come and meet leadership reps from Attawapiskat

[ipsm ottawa]

It has been almost 6 months now since Theresa Spence, the chief of
Attiwapiskat First Nation declared a state of emergency due to a chronic,
systemic housing crisis and poor living conditions in the community. Since
then, the federal government has responded in disgrace. Last week, the feds
imposed the Third-Party management onto the community, took away completely
the community's inherent right to handle their own affairs. Third-Party
Management is the most extreme and intrusive step to a First Nation
community in Canadian contemporary colonialism. Yesterday, the community
rejected this decision and kicked off the appointed third-party manager off
the reserve (Yes!).

Let's show our support for the people of Attawapiskat. Come to meet the
leadership reps from the community tonight as we talk about the crisis on
James Bay coast. Listen to the people of Attawapiskat, they know the
solutions.

*7:30 pm, Tuesday Oct. 6 2011*
*Centretown United Church *
*507 Bank Street, Ottawa, Unceded Algonquin Territory*

There are reasons for the way things have happened. The following links
provided overall explanations of the situations in Attawapiskat. Meanwhile,
Ipsmo has also researched on several topics that are relevant to the
situations. In the next few days, we will provide our own critical
analysis, response and call for actions. Stay tune.


*Seeing the Forest and the Trees*
*By Bob Lovelance on Dec. 5, 2011*
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=310313952321959&id=222117117808310

It is difficult in the face of human suffering to turn attention to the
systemic and structural reasons that have led to this catastrophe but this
is the very time when thoughtful analysis is needed.

(It is on facebook, but everyone can see it)


 Attawapiskat Chief Spence says department-appointed third-party manager
booted from community
APTN National News on Dec. 5, 2011
http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2011/12/05/attawapiskat-chief-spence-says-department-appointed-third-party-manager-booted-from-community/


Press Release from Attwapiskat
On December 1, 2011,Attawapiskat First Nation issued a press release in
response to the fed’s decision on putting the community under third-party
management and its misinformation on the community’s financial situation.
http://www.attawapiskat.org/wp-content/uploads/Press-Release-Afn-Third-Party-Intervention-Nov-30-2011.pdf

In this release:

Chief Spence has said. “On our traditional lands, that we once shared in
the past with the visitors to our land, our lands, have proven to be
bountiful in natural resources, and have been a benefit to all of Ontario,
and Canada, but we were left behind. In our territory, we have a world
class diamond mine, the pride of the Canadian, and Ontario governments, as
well as De Beers Canada. They have every right to be proud of that mine,
but each party has failed to acknowledge the First Nation peoples who
continue to use the land as our grandparents did.”

While they reap the riches, my people shiver in cold shacks, and are
becoming increasing ill, while precious diamonds from my land grace the
fingers, and necklaces of Hollywood celebrities, and the mace of the
Ontario Legislature.

My people deserve dignity, humane living conditions, for that our community
asked for the assistance from my fellow citizens, for our simple request
for human dignity, the government’s decision was to impose a colonial
Indian Agent.

- Attawapiskat First Nation (emphasis added)
 *Dealing with comments about Attiwapiskat
By âpihtawikosisân on Nov. 30, 2011*
http://apihtawikosisan.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/dealing-with-comments-about-attawapiskat/
The feds and mainstream media have put a lot of attention on the
community's financial management. It should not be the focal point of this
crisis, it has distracted us from understanding the real causes of the
situations and the fact of apartheid in this country. A great article
explains it. In this post, the author provided detailed explanation of how
money was allocated, information on funding breakdown (counter-spin to
"mismanagement" ), plus other topics.

*What if they declared an emergency and no-one came? *
*By Charlie Angus MP on Nov. 21, 2011
*This article was published before Duncan claims he received a declaration
of emergency from the community (three weeks after it was declared). It
includes 10min video, 5 graphic photos, and details of what Angus and MPP
Bisson saw in the community. It is this article that triggered wide-spread
attention on the situations of Attawapiksat First Nation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/charlie-angus/attawapiskat-emergency_b_1104370.html#undefined
 **It also includes update box on situation with Red Cross intervening.


In Solidarity,
IPSMO
on unceded Algonquin Territory
--

Web Site: http://www.ipsmo.org
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ipsmo
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