[IPSM] Re: Media advisory - First Nation trip to Israel

[sarita at resist.ca]

hello all --

this gives another motive to make sure that there is a grassroots native 
delegation that can participate in the Freedom Summer or Olive Harvest 
Campaign 2006.

later. sarita


On Sat, 18 Feb 2006, Macdonald Stainsby wrote:

> Media advisory - First Nation trip to Israel
>
> Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations stated, "Indigenous 
> people in Canada have much in common with the people of Israel, including a 
> respect of the land...? Perhaps Mr. Fontaine and other native leaders are 
> unaware of Israel?s well documented practices of polluting or stealing water 
> from stolen Palestinian land, uprooting, destroying and stealing olive trees, 
> destroying farmland and olive grows in the process of building Israel?s 
> illegal wall on stolen Palestinian land....It is astounding and so sad to 
> witness Canada?s own native people accepting to visit Israel,...
>
> FROM: carolle at bellnet.ca
>
>  POSTED FEB 17, 2006
>  Dear Friends,
>  Ref: First Nation trip to Israel (see press release below)
>  The Canadian Jewish Congress has organized a trip to Israel with leading 
> members of Canada?s First Nation people.
> Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations stated, "Indigenous 
> people in Canada have much in common with the people of Israel, including a 
> respect of the land...? Perhaps Mr. Fontaine and other native leaders are 
> unaware of Israel?s well documented practices of polluting or stealing water 
> from stolen Palestinian land, uprooting, destroying and stealing olive trees, 
> destroying farmland and olive grows in the process of building Israel?s 
> illegal wall on stolen Palestinian land and poisoning Bedouin land in 
> Israel?s Negev. It should be additionally noted that unlike Canada, Israel?s 
> native people (Arabs) do not share the same rights as the country?s Jewish 
> majority. It is astounding and so sad to witness Canada?s own native people 
> accepting to visit Israel, a country that, in addition to stealing and 
> destroying land and resources, treats its own native people so abysmally.
>  Please contact Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor, Office of the National 
> Chief, (613) 241-6789 ext. 243 or cell (613) 298-6382 to express your 
> disappointment and concern about this trip to Israel. Please call her today 
> and follow up with an official letter. You are also encouraged to express 
> your desire to build a relationship with them in solidarity with natives of a 
> colonized land.
>
>
> Attention News/Assignment Editors:
>  Media advisory - CJC, AFN travel to Israel for educational mission
> TORONTO, Feb. 17 /CNW Telbec/ - In the largest-ever mission to Israel by a 
> North American First Nation group, First Nation leaders from across Canada 
> will learn how their Israeli counterparts preserve their historic languages 
> and culture as part of the first joint Canadian Jewish Congress-Assembly of 
> First Nations (AFN) visit to Israel.
>
> During this six-day educational journey co-chaired by CJC National President 
> Ed Morgan and AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine, First Nation Chiefs, women 
> and experts in the fields of business, law and academics will learn about 
> best practices in agriculture, aquaculture and the preservation of minority 
> languages from Israeli experts.
>
> "Indigenous people in Canada have much in common with the people of Israel, 
> including a respect of the land and their languages. This mission is an 
> excellent opportunity for us to share our values and our traditional ways of 
> life, in the hope of building greater understanding, awareness and respect 
> for our similarities and differences, both at home and abroad," said 
> Fontaine.
>
> "We share values and similar historical experiences with our First Nations 
> friends," said Morgan. "This trip presents an exceptional challenge and 
> opportunity to learn about what each of our communities holds most dear - our 
> culture and our history."
>
> While in Israel, the group will visit numerous sites of cultural, religious 
> and historical significance, including the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in 
> Jerusalem. They will meet with Canada's ambassador to Israel, Donald 
> Sinclair, and will have the opportunity to explore kibbutz, or collective 
> farm, life. The mission arrived in Israel this morning and returns Wednesday, 
> February 22. CJC CEO Bernie M. Farber will provide professional support for 
> the trip.
>
>  The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing 
> First Nations citizens in Canada.
>
>  Canadian Jewish Congress represents the Jewish communities of Canada.
>
>  Backgrounder: Participants on CJC-AFN Mission to Israel
>
>  MISSION CHAIRS:
>
>  Phil Fontaine
>  National Chief, Assembly of First Nations
>  Member, Sakgeeng Ojibway Nation, Manitoba
>
>  Ed Morgan
>  National President, Canadian Jewish Congress
>
>  MISSION PARTICIPANTS - FIRST NATIONS LEADERS:
>
>  Second Peter Barlow
>  Chief, Indian Island Nation, New Brunswick
>
>  Kelly Bird
>  Chief, Mosquito Grizzley Bear's Head First Nation, Saskatchewan
>
>  Beverley Jacobs
>  President, Native Women's Association of Canada
>  Member, Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario
>
>  Tina Levesque
>  Chief, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Manitoba
>
>  Rick O'Brien
>  AFN Regional Chief, Yukon Territory
>
>  MISSION PARTICIPANTS - INVITED GUESTS:
>
>  Bernie M. Farber
>  Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Jewish Congress
>
>  Blaine Favel
>  Advisor to AFN National Chief, Calgary
>
>  Brenda Gedeon-Miller
>  Executive Director, Migmawe Mawiomi Secretariat (Tribal Council)
>  Member, Listiguj, Quebec
>
>  Fred Kelly
>  Elder,
>  Member, Onigaming First Nation, Ontario
>  Accompanied by his wife, Sharlene Kelly
>
>  Jack London
>  AFN Legal Counsel and CJC volunteer
>  Accompanied by his wife, Belva London
>
>  Kathleen Mahoney
>  AFN Advisor on Indian Residential Schools and University of Calgary Law
>  and Human Rights Professor, Alberta
>
>  Kathleen McHugh
>  Co-Chair, AFN Women's Council
>  Member, Siksika Nation, Alberta
>
>  Frank Meawasige
>  First Nation Artist and Entrepreneur,
>  Member, Serpent River First Nation, Ontario
>
>  Anna Morgan
>  Freelance journalist, Toronto; wife of CJC National President Ed Morgan
>
>  David Porter
>  Chair, Kaska Dena Council, Vice-Chair of the Council for Yukon Indians
>  Member, Kaska Nation, British Columbia
>
>  Dr. Cora Voyageur
>  Professor of Sociology, University of Calgary, Alberta, with academic
>  interests in culture, identity, women's issues and Aboriginal issues
>
>  Donna Wuttunee
>  Regional Director, Industry Canada, Aboriginal Business Canada for
>  Western Canada and the North
>  Member, Red Pheasant First Nation, Saskatchewan
>
>  For further information: Bernie M. Farber, CJC CEO, 011-972-50-406-1266 
> (Israel cell phone), bfarber at on.cjc.ca; Wendy Lampert, CJC National Director 
> of Communications, (416) 631-5844 (office) or (416) 845-4674(cell), 
> wlampert at on.cjc.ca;
>
> Ian McLeod, AFN Bilingual Communications Officer, (613) 241-6789 ext. 336 or 
> cell (613) 859-4335; Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor, Office of the 
> National Chief, (613) 241-6789 ext. 243 or cell (613) 298-6382
> -- 
> Macdonald Stainsby
> http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada
> http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
> In the contradiction lies the hope
>   --Bertholt Brecht.
>
>