June 21 was proclaimed in 1996 as a day to celebrate the heritage, cultures and achievements of the First Nation, Metis, and Inuit peoples and raise awareness of the issues faced by Aboriginal peoples.
Since the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples reported on poor living conditions, indifference, inaction and ineptitude on the part of the government, those conditions have worsened. No wonder “lack of attention to Indigenous rights” tops Amnesty’s report on Canada:
- 70% of Inuit preschoolers live in “food insecure” households.
- First Nations communities have to boil their drinking water and some have been without potable water for as long as 15 years.
- Many homes lack running water or sewage systems.
- The government has cut funding for Aboriginal organizations.
- Following a pipeline spill that unleashed more than a million gallons of oil into the Lubicon Cree’s territory, the government refused consultation.
- The Yinka Dene Alliance filed a complaint against the government’s stated intention to push through the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipelines and tankers project, in violation of their constitutionally protected rights.
- The Algonquins of Barriere Lake have been fighting for years to ensure that Canada and Quebec honour the Trilateral Agreement.
- The government has refused to create a national taskforce on the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada.
- Last December the government derided James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous people, for speaking out about the dire living conditions at the Attawapiskat first nation reserve in Northern Ontario.
- Recently, senior cabinet ministers attacked the UN right to food envoy Olivier De Schutter for ‘lecturing’ Canada about hunger and poverty in remote aboriginal communities.
To celebrate National Aboriginal Day, members of the National Human Rights Committee Working Group decided to feature the Hawk on this year’s poster.
The Hawk represents insight and awareness and the First Nation, Metis, and Inuit Working Group want CUPW to bring insight and awareness of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit issues to the forefront not only within our locals, regions, and country but globally to develop and encourage international solidarity amongst Indigenous Peoples. – National Human Rights Committee
At our 2011 CUPW convention, delegates recognized the fact that the number of young Aboriginal workers is growing and passed Resolution D-35 on Aboriginal Hiring.
The CUPW Human Rights committee will continue to advance the issues facing First Nation, Metis, and Inuit communities such as:
- Calling on the government to show respect and take concrete actions.
- Calling on Canada Post to get serious about hiring First Nation, Metis, and Inuit workers.
- Calling on all CUPW members to learn about the rich cultures of the First Nation, Metis, and Inuit and dispel myths and stereotypes about Aboriginal peoples.
Please join us on June 21st.
In solidarity,
Cindi Foreman
2nd National Vice-President