[Indigsol] Solidarity with Attawapiskat! Learn, Speak up, and Rally on Feb. 14 2012!!

Sun Jan 8 10:31:24 PST 2012

*SHARE THE WORD!*

As the crisis of inadequate housing and colonial repression continues in
Attawapiskat and other First Nations, what can we do to hold our
governments accountable for the prevalent violence deliberately perpetrated
against these unique peoples?

With our gratitude and respect to the original peoples of this land we live
on, and acknowledgement of the over 500 years of their resistance to
colonialism, patriarchy and racism, in the spirit of reconciliation, we ask
all to show solidarity by:

   1. *learning* about the root causes of the crisis;
   2. *speaking* out against the governments and media’s misrepresentation
   of the issues;
   3. *rallying* in front of the Supreme Court of Canada on Tuesday,
   February 14 at 10:30 am as it hears a landmark human rights case on
   Canada’s systematic underfunding of services on First Nations reserves; and
   4. *attending* the court to show your solidarity during the hearing of
   this unprecedented human rights case (Feb. 13-15) at the Supreme Court of
   Canada

Details about each of these actions follow, below.

*1. Learn more*

Check out the link below for an overview and other insightful analysis of
the crisis in Attawapiskat:

*Canadian Colonialism: The Attawapiskat Humanitarian Crisis – an Example of
Continuing Oppression and Genocide by Canadian Government*:
http://ipsmo.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/canadian-colonialism-the-attawapiskat/

*2. Speak out*

We must speak out against skewed, colonialist misrepresentations of the
situation wherever we encounter them in our daily lives.

We also must let public officials know about our disgust with the federal
government’s shameful victim-blaming response to the humanitarian emergency
in Attawapiskat, and the Ontario government’s irresponsibility to the
well-being of the First Nation. We must demand peace, justice and equity
for all of First Nations peoples. It is our responsibility.

Here are a few suggestions for officials to write to:

   - John Duncan, Federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
   Development: minister at aadnc-aandc.gc.ca, Phone: 819-997-0002, FAX: 819
   953 4941
   - Kathleen Wynne, Ontario Minister of Aboriginal Affairs:
   minister.maa at ontario.ca
   - Joanne Wilkinson, Ontario Regional Director General of Aboriginal
   Affairs and Northern Development Canada: Phone: 416-973-6201
   - Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada: pm at pm.gc.ca,
   stephen.harper at parl.gc.ca, Phone: 613-992-4211, Fax: 613-941-6900
   - Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario: dmcguinty.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org,
   Phone: 416-325-1941, Fax: 416-325-3745
   - David Johnston, Governor General of Canada: info at gg.ca, Phone:
   613-993-8200, Fax: 613-998-8760

You can also contact your member of Parliament (contact info can be found
here: http://bit.ly/pKCBj4), and member of Provincial Parliament (see
http://bit.ly/dl8sdz)

*3. Attend Have a Heart Day Rally *

*Tuesday, February 14th
10:30 am ~ 11:30 am
In front of Supreme Court of Canada
301 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Algonquin Territory*

Bring your creative signs to support First Nations children!

*From February 13th to 15th*, the Federal Court will hear an appeal on a
human rights case that challenges Canada’s racially discriminatory
underfunding of children’s welfare services on First Nations reserves by
the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (the Caring
Society) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Timed to coincide with
this hearing, the Caring Society has declared February 14th *“Have a Heart
Day for First Nations children”*.

Allies of First Nations children, led by the students of Lady Evelyn
Alternative School and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School, are
organizing a rally in front of the courthouse to show Canada we care about
First Nations children!

The case is relevant to Attawapiskat because it centres on the principle of
*culturally based equity* that essential services accessed by First Nations
children and families on reserves should be funded at a level equal to the
funding level for all of Canadian residents. If the Caring Society and AFN
are successful in this human rights case, it will set a precedent to
address funding inequities in all areas on reserves, including housing,
education, recreation, health care, clean water and sanitation. Canada is
not arguing this case on the facts relevant to whether discrimination is
occurring rather they are trying to avoid a hearing on this matter using
legal loopholes.

For more information on this *historic* event: http://www.fnwitness.ca

*We are calling upon peoples to attend the rally on Feb. 14 at 10:30 am in
front of the Supreme Court of Canada (301 Wellington Street).
*

*4. Court Support throughout the Federal Court Appeal on the child welfare
case*

*Feb 13-15, 2012
9:30 am ~ 4:30 pm
(10:30, 2:30 coffee break & noon-1pm lunch break)
Supreme Court of Canada
301 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Algonquin Territory*

The Caring Society is calling upon observers to attend the hearing of the
appeal throughout these three days.

For more information on this appeal please see above or check this web
site: http://www.fnwitness.ca.
If you have any questions regarding this court support, please e-mail
Sylvia at info at projectofheart.ca.

To share this message on facebook and other social media, you can use this
link:
http://ipsmo.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/solidarity-with-attawapiskat-learn-speak-up-and-rally-on-feb-14/.

Thanks!

-- 

In Solidarity,
IPSMO
on unceded Algonquin Territory
--

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