We Must
Stand Together!
By:
Christine McFarlane
The Idle
No More Movement that began in early October 2012 is more than just a passing
movement that had its initial beginnings on facebook. It is about everyone
fighting for his or her rights. It is about standing together and righting the
wrongs that the Canadian government has put upon us all through their
legislative and colonialist practices.
It is
about everyone gathering together and standing united on core issues that will
affect all Canadians now and in the future. It is about grassroots voices,
treaty rights and sovereignty, and about Bill C-45. Bill C-45 is a
457-page omnibus budget legislation bill (also known as the Jobs and Growth
Act) that will make changes to several Canadian laws and enactments that
include the Indian Act, the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act, and the Navigable Waters Act.
It will
see just 97 of Canada's approximately 32,000 major lakes protected by the
stripped down act. The changes it will create to the Fisheries Act and the Hazardous
Materials Information Review Act will wreak havoc on our ability to maintain a
sustainable environment, and have clean water and healthy oceans for all
Canadians.
It also exempts companies behind major pipeline and inter-provincial power line projects from needing to prove that they won’t damage or destroy navigable waterways in Canada. Exempting companies from accountability is not only dangerous to First Nations people and their ability to continue a traditional lifestyle of hunting, trapping and fishing, but it will also affect Canada’s waterways and put our water and environment in danger for us and the seven generations behind us.
For First
Nations people, the passing of Bill C-45 eliminates treaty rights. It will
allow First Nations to lease out/surrender reserve lands based on votes taken
at a single meeting, rather than a majority vote from an entire first nation
(aka. community consent), eliminate the need for Governor in Council to approve
this vote, and changes to approval of Band Councils and Members.
Stephen
Harper and his government have blatantly disregarded consultation with First
Nations peoples and their leadership in regards to these amendments. These
amendments are outlined in our treaty rights and the UN Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In particular, I quote
Article 8
of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:
"1. Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right
not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture, and
2. States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention
of and redress for:
(a) Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them
of their integrity as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;
(b) any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing
them of their lands, territories or resources;
(c) any form of forced population transfer which has the aim
or effect of violating or undermining any of their rights;
(d) any form of forced assimilation or integration;
(e) any form of propaganda designed to promote or incite
racial or ethnic discrimination directed against them." [1]
We as
Canadians need to stand up to our Prime Minister Stephen Harper and say ENOUGH
IS ENOUGH!
Please,
if you haven't already, become as informed as you can about the facts regarding
Bill C-45. Take a stand to protect not only your rights, lands, waters and
future, but take a stand for everyone!
For
further reading please visit the following links:
and another key site
to visit is Dr. Pamela Palmater’s (a key organizer in Toronto’s Idle No More
movement) blog Indigenous Nationhood which can be viewed at:
[1] United
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Retrieved January 9, 2013. http://www.iwgia.org/publications/search-pubs?publication_id=27
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