A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY GOING DIGITAL ONLY This Week From Indian Country Today, the New York City-based publication owned by the Oneida Nation, is abandoning print in favor of an online-only presence, in a cost-cutting move that worries some readers who fear they may lose access because of the switch. According to the Federal Communications Commission, just 43 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have access to broadband Internet at home, compared to 65 percent of the U.S. population as a whole. Access on reservation and tribal lands is...
AFN STUDY TRACKS CONTAMINANTS IN FIRST NATION POPULATION June 26, 2013 - Ottawa (ON) - The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) released a scientific report on the presence of environmental chemicals in the adult First Nation population. The report, First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative - National Results, provides a comprehensive set of data on the concentrations of environmental chemicals found in the First Nation population. The First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative - National Results is a national survey that collects information relevant to...
CALL OUT: SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR ELSIPOGTOG JUNE 24 2013 - Sovereignty Summer Campaign Calling for National Solidarity Actions and Support for Elsipogtog First Nation Front Line Activists - IDLE NO MORE & Defenders of the Land put out National Call to Action! ELSIPOGTOG FIRST NATION - This is an official notice and “Call Out” to all Idle No More & Defenders of the Land –Sovereignty Summer - activists, allies and supporters, and partnership organizations to act in aid and in the defense of grassroots Elsipogtog First Nation, families, commu...
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY IS JUNE 21ST June 21st is National Aboriginal Day, a day for all Canadians to celebrate the cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and their contributions to Canada. Even before the Governor General of Canada proclaimed June 21st as National Aboriginal Day, there was a long-standing desire to set aside a national day to recognize and celebrate Aboriginal peoples and cultures. Here is a brief history of the origins of National Aboriginal Day: 1982 National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First...
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS! ADOLESCENT-FRIENDLY UNDRIP IS LAUNCHED IN NEW YORK NEW YORK, United States of America, 4 June 2013 – The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is the most advanced Declaration on indigenous peoples’ rights, and its adoption in 2007 was the result of many years of work. In order to help indigenous young people become more acquainted with the Declaration’s provisions, UNICEF – in collaboration with the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and the Global...
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED FOR NATIVE AMERICAN VETS’ MEMORIAL ON NATIONAL MALL Washington, DC— Senator Brian Schatz introduced a bill that would facilitate the construction of a Native American Veterans’ Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The Schatz bill, S.1046, will provide the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) with the flexibility to raise funds and move forward on construction of a memorial to honor the brave men and women of Native American heritage who have served. The new legislation would remove a number of techn...
AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN STATE, ONEIDA NATION, AND ONEIDA AND MADISON COUNTIES A comprehensive agreement settling multiple, long-standing disputes between the State of New York, the Oneida Nation of Indians, Oneida County and Madison County was reached recently. The settlement paves the way to end years of litigation over property tax, land and reservation issues. Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative, said, “Today, sovereign governments came together to begin a new partnership in shared prosperity. As a result of Governor Cuomo’s focus...
KASHECHEWAN EVACUEES RETURN HOME Cornwall’s guests from up north bid the city good-bye last Thursday and returned home to Kashechewan, Ontario. About 360 evacuees boarded 10 flights departing from the Cornwall Regional Airport. The first flight departed shortly after 11:30 am. Flooding concerns subsided in Kashechewan, which sits on the banks of the Albany River near James Bay. Chief Derek Stephen recalled his people back to their community. “I am very pleased that our guests have a chance to return to their homes and return to a normal daily r...
NCAI RELEASES PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ON KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE Draft Environmental Impact Statement doesn’t address potential impact to tribal water resources, sacred places, and lacks plans for emergency response coordination with tribes May 02, 2013 - Washington, DC - The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has released comments submitted by the organization the week of April 22, 2013 to the U.S. Department of State in response to the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) For the K...
AUDITOR GENERAL: AN ABSENCE OF COOPERATION IS HINDERING THE HISTORICAL RECORD’S CREATION Ottawa, 30 April 2013—The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada have been unable to cooperate, in the spirit of reconciliation, to create as complete as possible a historical record of the Indian residential school system and its legacy, says Michael Ferguson, Auditor General of Canada, in his Report tabled in the House of Commons. Under an agreement reached in 2006, the Commission, working with the Dep...
IORÌ:WASE GOING TO PRINT By Greg Horn Iorì:wase, Kahnawake’s online newspaper, will be going through some changes over the next few weeks. One of the biggest changes will be the addition of a bi-weekly printed newspaper – which will be available in and around Kahnawake in the coming weeks. Iorì:wase’s printed edition will complement Iorì:wase’s web site (www.kahnawakenews.com), and include news, sports and other features that are about or of interest to Kahnawa’kehró:non. It will also serve to further enhance the diverse media outlets availa...
AFN NATIONAL TREATY FORUM (Whitecap Dakota First Nation, SK) - More than 600 delegates from Treaty territories across the land attended the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Treaty Forum, March 26-27, at Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Saskatchewan. The Forum provided the opportunity to share experiences, ideas and visions for advancing the Treaty relationship. Over the past few months, First Nations have witnessed a ground swell in a collective appeal for full respect for Treaty, inherent and Aboriginal rights by the Government of...
SIX NATIONS PROTESTERS ORDERED TO PAY $350,000 FOR DISRUPTIVE BLOCKADES A group of Six Nations protesters have less than 30 days to pay $350,000 to the city of Brantford for a series of blockades several years ago. According to APTN National News, Judge Harrison Arrell ruled late last month in Brantford’s favour after the blockades in 2007 and 2008 slowed the development of a hotel, manufacturing facility, retail outlets and a residential subdivision. The blockades also resulted in one company suing Brantford for costs after it ended its develo...
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED ON FIRST NATIONS CORRECTIONS March 7, 2013 - (Ottawa, ON) – AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo expressed the need for action in response to the Special Report on Aboriginal Corrections by Correctional Investigator of Canada, Mr. Howard Sapers, tabled in Parliament. This independent report comes on the heels of another damaging report last week, which pointed to racism and systemic discrimination in the Ontario justice system by Justice Iacobucci. The incarceration r...
REVIEW OF FIRST NATIONS REPRESENTATION ON JURIES ENTAILS FORMING AN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM FIRST NATIONS February 26, 2013 - Attorney General John Gerretsen issued the following statement on the release of the Honourable Frank Iacobucci’s report “First Nations Representation on Ontario Juries”: “I am pleased to receive Mr. Iacobucci’s report, which proposes a number of ways to increase First Nations representation on juries, and strengthen our province’s justice system overall. I will be reaching ou...
BERNARD VALCOURT NEW MINISTER OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT On Friday, Prime Minister Harper announced that Bernard Valcourt, Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche (New Brunswick), is the new Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Bernard Valcourt was first elected to the House of Commons in 1984 and has since throughout the years been appointed to many positions including Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and to the Minister of State (Science and Technology),...
AFN URGES IMMEDIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT February 13, 2013 - (Ottawa, ON) – AFN National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo and AFN Regional Chief for British Columbia Jody Wilson-Raybould thanked Human Rights Watch for their attention to the tragic situation experienced by Indigenous women and girls in Northern British Columbia and strongly urged the governments of Canada and British Columbia and the RCMP to work together with Indigenous peoples and nations to implement their recommendations. The report entitled “Those Who...
ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS WELCOMES ALL-PARTY SUPPORT FOR TREATY IMPLEMENTATION AND RESPECT FOR ABORIGINAL TITLE AND RIGHTS (Ottawa, ON) – February 7, 2013 - Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo welcomed all-party support for concrete action on Treaty implementation and respect for Aboriginal title and rights, including the full and meaningful consultation of First Nations on legislation, and making improved economic outcomes for Indigenous peoples a central focus of the next federal budget. An opposition m...
VILSACK SIGNS REGULATION CONFIRMING “GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT” CONSULTATION WITH TRIBES WASHINGTON—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has signed a Departmental Regulation which “establishes over-arching Department-wide guidance” concerning consultation and coordination with Indian Tribes. As approved by the Secretary, the Departmental Regulation directs USDA and its agencies to provide Federally recognized Tribes the opportunity for government-to-government consultation in policy development and program activities “which have direct and substant...
TRIBAL NATIONS SET TO GAIN AUTHORITY TO MAKE DISASTER DECLARATIONS DIRECTLY TO U.S. PRESIDENT Jan 29, 2013 - Washington, DC – Tribal nations will soon have the same ability provided to states to make disaster relief declarations and requests for assistance directly to the President of the United States. In a 62-36 vote on Monday night, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 152, the Hurricane Sandy Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, which includes amendments to allow tribal governments to make direct requests for emergency assistance to the P...
CHIEF SPENCE SET TO END FAST BY THURSDAY According to a report from APTN National News, Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence is set to end her fast by Thursday. On their website APTN wrote, “A delegation of band councillors from Attawapiskat is expected to hand-deliver a letter to Spence Wednesday urging her to end her fast or face removal as chief of the community.” Spence began her fast on Dec. 11. ATLEO TO RETURN TO AFN THIS WEEK, HARPER GOVERNMENT: NO MEETING WITH GOVERNOR-GENERAL January 21...
EVENTS PLANNED FOR THE CAMPAIGN TO RENEW THE TWO ROW WAMPUM 400-year-old treaty for peace and friendship to be marked with educational events and historic canoe trip January 14, 2013—Syracuse, NY—The Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, a statewide educational initiative throughout 2013, announced the formal endorsement of the campaign by the Haudenosaunee Grand Council today. The campaign was initiated by Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation, a project of the Syracuse Peace Council, and developed in partnership with the Onondaga Nation and mem...
FEDERAL COURT GRANTS RIGHTS TO MÉTIS, NON-STATUS INDIANS January 8 - The Federal Court has ruled Metis and non-status Indians are indeed “Indians” under a section of the Constitution Act, and fall under federal jurisdiction. The decision helps to clarify the relationship between Ottawa and the more than 600,000 aboriginal people who live off-reserve. While the decision does not go so far as to declare that the federal government has a fiduciary responsibility to the group, it says such duties would flow automatically now that their stan...
VA AND INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE ANNOUNCE NATIONAL REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WASHINGTON--December 6, 2012--American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans will soon have increased access to health care services closer to home following a recent Department of Veterans Affairs and Indian Health Service (IHS) joint national agreement. As a result of the national agreement, VA is now able to reimburse the IHS for direct care services provided to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans. While the national agreement applies only to VA and IHS, it wi...
U.S. CHAMBER LAUNCHES NATIVE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE New Advocacy Initiative Will Promote Interests and Agenda of Tribes and Tribal Entrepreneurs WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today launched the Native American Enterprise Initiative (NAEI) to promote the interests and agenda of tribes and tribal entrepreneurs across the country. The NAEI will work with tribes and businesses to highlight opportunities for economic growth and networking for Native American enterprises, as well as promote foreign direct investment on t...
