Canada Military News: We #IdleNoMore - this week we learn that our First Nations Disabled Children get less than 1/3 of other Disabled Children in Canada (which is so sheeeety anyway)- COME ON CANADA - DON'T BE AUSTRALIA ANYMORE OR WORSE THE U.S.A. - #NoDKPL

  

OTTAWA -- It will take a lot more than just lip service to put right the years of systemic discrimination and underfunding endured by First Nations children, an emotional group of indigenous advocates said Tuesday as their nine-year battle with Ottawa culminated in a landmark human rights decision.
Money -- specifically, at least $200 million more a year in child welfare funding in order to close the fiscal gap -- would be a good first start, said Cindy Blackstock, the social worker whose tireless crusade is at the heart of the ruling.
"Why did we have to bring the government of Canada to court to get them to treat First Nations children fairly -- little kids?" Blackstock asked during an emotional news conference not far from Parliament Hill.
"Why would it ever be OK to give a child less than other children?"
The long-awaited ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found that children in First Nations communities have long suffered adverse effects as a result of the way federal services are delivered on reserve. In some cases, government involvement has meant some children have been unfairly denied benefits.
The federal government failed to provide the same level of child welfare services that the provinces provided off-reserve, the tribunal noted. As a result, countless First Nations children have ended up in foster care, away from their families.
"By analogy, it is like adding support pillars to a house that has a weak foundation in an attempt to straighten and support the house," the tribunal said.
"At some point, the foundation needs to be fixed or, ultimately, the house will fall down."
Race and ethnic origin have also been factors, perpetuating the historical disadvantage and trauma suffered by Canada's Aboriginal Peoples as a result of the residential school system, the tribunal concluded.
Blackstock, the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, brought the original 2007 complaint to the tribunal, along with the Assembly of First Nations.
Federal funding for child welfare is between 22 and 38.5 per cent less than what has typically been provided at the provincial level, she added.
The ramifications of Tuesday's decision were etched on the face of Charlie Angus, the NDP's indigenous affairs critic and a northern Ontario MP who knows all too well the tragic legacy of underfunded child welfare in aboriginal communities.
"I was in one of my communities just recently and all the teachers kept leaving the classroom because we had a child on a suicide watch and there was no money," Angus said, fighting back tears.
"They fired the child welfare workers at the height of a suicide epidemic in James Bay -- 89 kids, and they fired the child welfare workers to save both the province and the feds money. That's what it looks like on the ground."
The Liberal government's forthcoming federal budget, expected next month, needs to contain significant, tangible financial commitments in order to address the ongoing crisis flagged in the decision, he added.
The government will review the lengthy decision, but it's unlikely there will be any cause to seek judicial review of the ruling, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said Tuesday during question period.
Wilson-Raybould and Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett stopped short of providing a dollar figure on how much the government is willing to provide to address the disparity.
"We know we are going to have to significantly increase the dollars that are available for child welfare programs," Bennett acknowledged.
Wilson-Raybould, a former B.C. regional chief with the Assembly of First Nations, said the tribunal's decision is "about equity."
"This is a good day," she said, citing the now-familiar Liberal commitment to reset the relationship between the federal government and Canada's Aboriginal Peoples.
"This is about ensuring that there is equal investment, and it is not just in terms of money, it is in terms of outcomes -- that we create the space in this country for every child to be able to succeed," Wilson-Raybould said.
"This is the place and time."
Angus scoffed at the notion that the government doesn't have at least some sense of how much it needs to spend per year to end the disparity. And beyond that, there are other important considerations, such as damages, he added.
"What are they going to pay in compensation for the damage that they've done to this generation of young people?"

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/26/federal-government-discriminated-against-first-nations-children-tribunal

1. Kids information sheet for translation - FNCFCS

   https://fncaringsociety.com/sites/default/files/Kids information... · PDF file

   in the Yukon get less child welfare services than other ... over 163 000 First Nations kids. It means the Government of Canada must give First Nations kids ...
   
   

2. Children with Disabilities and Their Families in Canada A ...

   nationalchildrensalliance.com/nca/pubs/2002/hanvey02.pdf · PDF file

   Children with Disabilities and Their Families in Canada ... Children with disabilities and their families are ... five percent of all children are First Nations, ...

------------------


BLOG:

Canada Military News: Australia's horrific abuse and prejudice against their First Peoples (#Indigenous) ... WAIT A MINUTE.... that's us... that's Canada ... Oh F**K it's 2016/ So let's make it up to our First Peoples Canada and open our minds to the horrific abuse in the Inquiry for MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENIOUS WOMEN OF CANADA - Highway of Tears #IdleNoMore #OneBillionRising #NoDKPL #natives #FeelTheBern @TheDailyShow

http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2016/08/canada-military-news-australias.html


------------------------------

Aboriginal People and First Nations

Les Autochtones et les Premières nations

Updated September 10, 2016
Page révisée le 10 septembre 2016

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[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]

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New website aims to help non-aboriginal Canadians learn about indigenous issues
Groundworkforchange.org gives access to network of First Nations, Métis and Inuit information
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/manitoba/new-website-aims-to-help-non-aboriginal-canadians-learn-about-indigenous-issues-1.3217692
CBC News
September 7, 2015
(...) This website was created to provide access to information to help non-Indigenous (settler) peoples grow relationships with Indigenous peoples that are rooted in solidarity and justice. The site is meant to support people who are asking questions and looking to learn more in respectful and useful ways

Groundwork for Change
http://www.groundworkforchange.org/

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1448633299414/1448633350146 Source: Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100010002/1100100010021 --- Trudeau lays out plan for new relationship with indigenous people http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-afn-indigenous-aboriginal-people-1.3354747 Five-point plan includes a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women By Susana Mas December 8, 2015 Ministers outline 1st phase of national MMIW (Missing and murdered indigenous women) inquiry http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/missing-murdered-inquiry-1.3355492 December 8, 2015 Related CBC coverage (all dated Dec. 28): CBC Special Report: Missing and murdered indigenous women http://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/ 22 cases added to CBC's MMIW database http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/22-cases-added-to-cbc-s-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-database-1.3355012 Trudeau presents 5-point plan at special meeting of AFN chiefs http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-afn-indigenous-aboriginal-people-1.3354747 Read AFN National Chief Perry Bellegarde's opening address https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2643565-Bellegarde-speech-to-SCA-Dec-8-2015.html Editor's blog: Commenting and stories about indigenous people http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/community/editorsblog/2015/11/uncivil-dialogue-commenting-and-stories-about-indigenous-people.html CBC indigenous staff read real comments from CBCNews.ca http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/cbc-indigenous-staff-read-real-comments-1.3351635 More links to content on Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/topic/Tag/Missing%20and%20Murdered%20Indigenous%20Women

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/resources.shtml
9 August 2016
There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world's population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world's estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.

This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is devoted to the right to education.

Resources:
http://www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday/resources.shtml
- includes links to 30+ online resources under the following headings:
* Key Documents * Fact Sheets * Multimedia * Related Links

UN Quick Links
http://www.un.org/en/documents/index.html
Click thîs link to access all of the items below:
* UN Charter
* The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
* UN Journal
* e-Subscription: Sign up for electronic documents
* UN Treaty Collection
* Research Guide
* Maps and Geographic Information
* Conferences, Meetings and Events
* Documents in German

Source:
United Nations
http://www.un.org/

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- Go to the First Nations Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm

Trudeau’s first broken promise to First Nations is a whopper
http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/kelly-mcparland-trudeaus-first-broken-promise-to-natives-is-a-whopper-but-wont-be-the-last
July 18, 2016

21 things you may not know about the Indian Act
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/21-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-indian-act-1.3533613

Trudeau paddles at dawn to mark National Aboriginal Day
Sunrise smudging ceremony kicks off festivities across from Parliament Hill
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-bennetti-wilson-national-aboriginal-day-1.3645271
June 21, 2016

Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news

National Aboriginal Day Statement from the Honourable Carolyn Bennett
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1090049&tp=1
June 21, 2016
Ottawa, ON – Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
(...)
Today, Canadians will celebrate a special milestone; the 20th Anniversary of National Aboriginal Day, that was proclaimed in 1996 by the then Governor General Roméo LeBlanc. This date also marks the Summer Solstice – traditionally a very significant day for Indigenous Peoples.

From Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada:
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100010002/1100100010021

National Aboriginal Day
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1100100013249

Topics covered in the above:
* About National Aboriginal Day
* Reconciliation
* Indigenous and northern success stories
* Indigenous history in Canada
* Governor General's Proclamation
* Celebrate Canada

Source:
Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100010002/1100100010021
(formerly Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada)

First Nations leaders cautiously optimistic about new provincial indigenous health care plan:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/first-nations-ontario-health-care-plan-1.3600417
May 25, 2016

Shameful Neglect : Indigenous Child Poverty in Canada
By David Macdonald and Daniel Wilson
May 17, 2016

Abstract (HTML):
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/shameful-neglect

Complete report (PDF - 743.3KB, 36 pages)
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2016/05/Indigenous_Child%20_Poverty.pdf
This report calculates child poverty rates in Canada, and includes the rates on reserves and in territories—something never before examined.The authors call for immediate action to resolve the ongoing crisis affecting Indigenous people across the country, and recommend a poverty reduction plan for reserves that would: report poverty rates on reserves and in the territories; improve direct income support; improve employment prospects on reserves; and begin to implement longer-term solutions.

Version française du résumé:
Honteuse négligence : la pauvreté chez les enfants autochtones au Canada (PDF - 9,6KB, 3 pages)
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2016/05/Honteuse_n%C3%A9gligence.pdf
[Il n'y a aucune version française du rapport complet.]

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/

From StatCan:

March 14, 2016
Aboriginal peoples: Fact sheets
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/160314/dq160314e-eng.htm
Fact sheets on Aboriginal peoples in Canada's provinces are now available.
These fact sheets present a statistical overview of the socioeconomic characteristics of Aboriginal peoples in the provinces. They include information on living arrangements of children, education, employment, income, housing, health and languages of the Aboriginal population. Data are from the 2011 National Household Survey, the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey.

Human Rights Commission rules Ottawa discriminates against First Nations kids on reserve
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/01/26/ottawa-discriminated-against-kids-on-reserves-human-rights-panel-says.html
January 26, 2016

APTN coverage: Ruling is historic
http://aptn.ca/news/2016/01/26/ottawa-discriminates-against-first-nation-children-says-historic-ruling-from-canadian-human-rights-tribunal/

Pam Palmater: Decision is a game changer for First Nations
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/Canada-Human-Rights-Decision-a-Game-Changer-for-First-Nations-20160127-0041.html

Here’s the ruling (PDF - 1.1MB, 182 pages):
https://fncaringsociety.com/sites/default/files/2016%20CHRT%20Ruling%20on%20FN%20child%20welfare%20case.pdf
January 26, 2016

From CBC Radio:

How non-Indigenous allies can help make the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations a reality:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-january-4-2016-1.3388195/how-non-indigenous-allies-can-help-make-trc-recommendations-a-reality-1.3388230
January 04, 2016

From StatCan (December 24, 2015):

Aboriginal statistics at a glance
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151224/dq151224b-eng.htm
Second edition
Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance is a compilation of data on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations covering a variety of topics. Each subject is illustrated with a chart presenting key indicators, a plain language definition of the indicator and links to related data tables and published articles. There are two editions of Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance. The first edition was released on June 21, 2010. The second edition, released today, includes updated data on the key indicators.

Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance — 2nd Edition, 2009-2012 (PDF - 693KB, 34 pages)
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-645-x/89-645-x2015001-eng.pdf

November 9, 2015
Aboriginal Peoples Survey: Data tables, 2012
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151109/dq151109b-eng.htm
New data tables from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) are now available. The APS is a national survey on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal people (First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) aged six years and older. It is designed to identify the needs of Aboriginal people and focuses on issues such as education, employment, health, language, income, housing and mobility.

CANSIM Table 577-0002
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/pick-choisir?lang=eng&p2=33&id=5770002

November 3, 2015
Aboriginal peoples: Fact sheet for Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-656-x/89-656-x2015001-eng.htm

* About the data sources
* Aboriginal people in Canada number 1.4 million
* Aboriginal population younger than non-Aboriginal
* Half of Aboriginal children live with both parents
* On-reserve First Nations people and Inuit most likely to live in crowded homes and homes requiring major repairs
* Ability to speak an Aboriginal language highest among on-reserve First Nations people and Inuit
* About half have postsecondary qualifications
* Employment rates and median total income increase with education
* Half rate their health as excellent or very good
* One in two Inuit smoke daily

Women and Girls in Canada:
Presentation to the
Social Trends, Policies and Institutions
Deputy Ministers' Policy Committee (PDF - 2.3MB, 32 pages)
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2363152/statusofwomen.pdf
February 10, 2015*
[*Document released under the Access to Information Act]
(...)
Canada is falling behind on key indicators:
* Canadian men are paid 20% more than their female colleagues, a full two percentage points above the OECD average of 18%. Only Korea, Japan and Germany rank higher than Canada on the gender pay gap.
* In 2014, Canada came in 52nd on the ranking of gender equality in Parliament, with 24 female legislators for every 75 males.
* Canada's investments in child care payments and parental benefits are 17% less than the average of comparable industrialized economies.
* Canada has no comprehensive national strategy to address violence against women, lagging behind several comparable countries, including the U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand

Excerpt from the Introduction:
A recent comprehensive review of police records conducted by the RCMP found that, despite the fact that Aboriginal women make up four percent of Canada's population, they represented 16 percent of all murdered women (between 1980-2012) and 12 percent of all missing women on record.

Excerpt from the Executive Summary:
This five-year Action Plan to Address Family Violence and Violent Crimes Against Aboriginal Women and Girls brings together actions the Government of Canada will take under three pillars:
* Preventing Violence by supporting community level solutions.
* Supporting Aboriginal Victims with appropriate services.
* Protecting Aboriginal Women and Girls by investing in shelters and continuing to improve Canada's law enforcement and justice systems.

Source:
Status of Women Canada
http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/index-en.html

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New website aims to help non-aboriginal Canadians learn about indigenous issues
Groundworkforchange.org gives access to network of First Nations, Métis and Inuit information
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/new-website-aims-to-help-non-aboriginal-canadians-learn-about-indigenous-issues-1.3217692
By Brett Purdy
September 7, 2015

Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/

The new website:

Groundwork for Change:
Supporting solidarity and just relationships with Indigenous peoples
http://www.groundworkforchange.org/
Over the past few years there have been more and more public expressions of sovereignty by Indigenous peoples. At the same time, increasing numbers of non-Indigenous peoples have been paying attention and asking questions about Canada's - and their own - relationship with Indigenous peoples. Groundwork for Change was built to provide access to information to help non-Indigenous (settler) peoples grow relationships with Indigenous peoples that are rooted in justice and solidarity.

Lower down on this page... (click to jump directly to a specific section) Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) *** Income Assistance Program *** Redesign of Indian Government Support Programs (January-May 2009) *** Evaluation of the INAC Income Assistance Program (December, 2007) *** AANCD Statistics on Aboriginal People [ See also : Statistics Canada reports on Aboriginal People ] *** National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative *** Matrimonial Real Property *** Urban Aboriginal Strategy *** Indian Residential Schools *** Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - RCAP (1996) *** National Aboriginal Day Aboriginal Early Childhood Development Other federal departments - incl. Health Canada - Public Health Agency of Canada - Canadian Heritage - Human Resources and Skills Development Canada - Justice Canada - Library of Parliament - Auditor General of Canada - Library and Archives Canada - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Non-Government Sites First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

 

SEARCH	FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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NOTE: links below are in reverse chronological order, for the most part...

From Statistics Canada:

November 9, 2015
Aboriginal Peoples Survey: Data tables, 2012
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/151109/dq151109b-eng.htm
New data tables from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) are now available. The APS is a national survey on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal people (First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) aged six years and older. It is designed to identify the needs of Aboriginal people and focuses on issues such as education, employment, health, language, income, housing and mobility.

CANSIM Table 577-0002
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/pick-choisir?lang=eng&p2=33&id=5770002

November 3, 2015
Aboriginal peoples: Fact sheet for Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-656-x/89-656-x2015001-eng.htm

* About the data sources
* Aboriginal people in Canada number 1.4 million
* Aboriginal population younger than non-Aboriginal
* Half of Aboriginal children live with both parents
* On-reserve First Nations people and Inuit most likely to live in crowded homes and homes requiring major repairs
* Ability to speak an Aboriginal language highest among on-reserve First Nations people and Inuit
* About half have postsecondary qualifications
* Employment rates and median total income increase with education
* Half rate their health as excellent or very good
* One in two Inuit smoke daily

August 19, 2015
Avoidable mortality among First Nations adults in Canada: A cohort analysis
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150819/dq150819-eng.pdf
According to an analysis of linked census and mortality data, during the 1991-to-2006 period, First Nations adults had more than twice the risk of dying from avoidable causes compared with non-Aboriginal adults. The study examined avoidable mortality among a cohort of 61,220 First Nations and 2,521,285 non-Aboriginal people aged 25 to 74 who responded to the 1991 Census and were followed up for mortality to 2006.

From the
Standing Committee on Public Accounts:

July 22, 2015
The first link below is to a report of the Auditor General (A-G) of Canada that was posted on the Parliamentary Website on July 22, 2015.
It provides an overview of the issues identified in Report 4 of the Spring 2015 A-G's report and a summary of the government's response to each issue in the Spring 2015 report. The second link below will take you to the Spring 2015 report, and the third is a link to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Access to Health Services for Remote First Nations Communities, Chapter 4 of the Spring 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=8052165&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=2
(Adopted by the Committee on June 17, 2015; Presented to the House on June 18, 2015)
Posted on the Parliamentary website on July 22, 2015
NOTE : To navigate through this report, as for most Parliamentary website content, you'll have to find and click the almost-microscopic link to the word "Next" in the top right and bottom left of each page, OR you can click "Table of contents" in the top right corner to return to the sparsely-worded and not-particularly-useful T. of C.

From the 2015 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada:
Report 4—Access to Health Services for Remote First Nations Communities
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201504_04_e_40350.html

Source:
House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts : 41st Parliament, 2nd Session - October 16, 2013 - Present
http://www.parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/CommitteeHome.aspx?Cmte=PACP&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=2

From
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada:

National Aboriginal Day
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1100100013249
National Aboriginal Day (NAD) takes place on June 21. It is a special day to celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.

* Find National Aboriginal Day events across Canada
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013322/1100100013323

* Find learning resources
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013251/1100100013253

Topics:
* About National Aboriginal Day
* Aboriginal and northern success stories
* Aboriginal history in Canada
* Governor General's Proclamation
* Celebrate Canada

Aboriginal Children in Care (PDF - 55 pages)
http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/en/component/phocadownload/category/27-publications-en?download=718:aboriginal-children-in-care
July 17, 2015
Excerpt from the Executive summary:
Aboriginal children are over-represented in child welfare systems across Canada. In August 2014, Canada’s Premiers directed provinces and territories (PTs) to work with Aboriginal communities in their respective jurisdictions to share information on local solutions; and acknowledged the need for governments and Aboriginal communities to work collectively to address this Canada-wide problem. Although Premiers also requested that the federal government be engaged in this work, neither the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, nor the Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada responded to invitations to participate.

Source:
Council of the Federation
http://www.canadaspremiers.ca/

National Aboriginal Day: Six events that changed the conversation
Monumental moments from Meech Lake to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/national-aboriginal-day-6-events-that-changed-the-conversation-1.3120843
By Maeengan Linklater
CBC News
June 20, 2015

Aboriginal Affairs “retaliated” against First Nations child advocate over human rights complaint: Tribunal
http://aptn.ca/news/2015/06/06/aboriginal-affairs-retaliated-first-nations-child-advocate-human-rights-complaint-tribunal/
June 6, 2015
By Jorge Barrera
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal awarded a First Nations child advocate $20,000 after determining an official in the office of the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs “retaliated” against her over a human rights complaint against the department. The tribunal released its decision in the case of Cindy Blackstock on Friday.

Blackstock is the president of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society [ http://www.fncaringsociety.com/main ] which, along with the Assembly of First Nations [ http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en ], launched a human rights complaint in 2007 alleging the federal Aboriginal Affairs department discriminates against First Nations children on the basis of race and national ethnic origin by underfunding child-welfare services on reserves. Blackstock added the retaliation complaint to the original discrimination complaint on Dec. 22, 2009. The tribunal has not yet ruled on the discrimination complaint.

Source:
APTN National News
http://aptn.ca/news/

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Truth and Reconciliation Commission urges Canada to confront 'cultural genocide' of residential schools:
Testimony from thousands of residential school survivors leads to 94 recommendations
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-urges-canada-to-confront-cultural-genocide-of-residential-schools-1.3096229
June 2, 2015
Canada needs to move from "apology to action" if reconciliation with Aboriginal Peoples is to succeed, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission says in its landmark report, which includes 94 recommendations for change in policies, programs and the "way we talk to, and about, each other." The summary of the final report, released today after years of hearings and testimony from thousands of residential school survivors and many others, makes many bold and potentially costly recommendations — not just to the different levels of government, but to schools, societies, churches and aboriginal governments.

Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From The Truth and Reconciliation
Commission of Canada:

Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future:
Summary of the Final Report of the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (PDF - 13.1MB, 388 pages)
http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Exec_Summary_2015_05_31_web_o.pdf
Contents:
* Introduction
* Commission activities
* The history
* The legacy
* The challenge of reconciliation

The Survivors Speak: A Report of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (PDF - 7.9MB, 260 pages)
http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Survivors_Speak_2015_05_30_web_o.pdf
[Version française : http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Survivors_Speak_Fr_2015_05_30a_web_o.pdf ]

What We Have Learned : Principles of Truth and Reconciliation (PDF - 7.9MB, 200 pages)
http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Principles_2015_05_31_web_o.pdf
Contents:
* Introduction
* The history
* The legacy
* Reconciliation
* Bibliography
* Endnotes

Truth and Reconciliation Commission
of Canada : Calls to Action (PDF - 299KB, 20 pages)
http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf
94 recommendations
[ Version française : http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_French.pdf ]

Source:
The Truth and Reconciliation
Commission of Canada (TRC)
http://www.trc.ca/
The TRC is a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Its mandate is to inform all Canadians about what happened in Indian Residential Schools (IRS). The Commission will document the truth of survivors, families, communities and anyone personally affected by the IRS experience.
- the home page includes links to the following:
* Home * Reconciliation * Statement Gathering * Events and Projects * About Us * Media * Resources * Contact Us

-----------------------------------------------------

Government remains silent on Truth and Reconciliation recommendations
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-remains-silent-on-truth-and-reconciliation-recommendations/article24785944/
By Bill Curry
June 4, 2015
Source:
The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Federal Government’s Unilateral Removal of Funding from First Nations Social Development Society Denounced
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/fedfunding_fnsds
By Donald Bain
May 20, 2015
As of September 30, 2015 the First Nations Social Development Society (FNSDS) will no longer have funding to support essential social programs for on-reserve social assistance programs. The FNSDS and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) are condemning the unilateral decision by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) BC Region to cease support for Persons with Disability on Reserve adjudication service, and AANDC’s negotiation in bad faith of a contract with an unknown, outside agency. On-reserve income assistance support for all 203 First Nations in BC will cease and policy clarification, support and training will be absorbed by AANDC, putting FNSDS First Nations staff into unemployment.

Source:
First Nations Social Development Society (FNSDS)
http://www.fnsds.org/

Union of BC Indian Chiefs
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/

From Statistics Canada:

May 13, 2015
Study: Participation in extracurricular activities and high school completion among off-reserve First Nations people, 2012
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150513/dq150513a-eng.htm
First Nations male and female students living off reserve are more likely to complete high school when they participate in certain weekly extracurricular activities.

---

March 30, 2015
Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2012
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/150330/dq150330g-eng.htm
Statistics Canada releases today new data from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS). The APS is a national survey on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal Peoples (First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) aged six years and older. It is designed to identify the needs of Aboriginal people and focus on issues such as education, employment, health, language, income, housing and mobility.

From CBC News:

International Women's Day: Indigenous women still not equal in Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/international-women-s-day-indigenous-women-still-not-equal-in-canada-1.2985100
By Pamela Palmater
March 7, 2015
(...)
Canada has ignored more than 50 studies which have made more than 700 recommendations on how to address murdered and missing indigenous women and girls. The majority of Canadians, First Nations, provinces and territories and the United Nations have all called for a national inquiry and an emergency action plan.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women:
UN Urges Canada to call inquiry into missing, murdered Native women
https://redpowermedia.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/un-urges-canada-to-call-inquiry-into-missing-murdered-native-women/
March 6, 2015
GENEVA – A United Nations committee has joined the chorus of critics who say Canada should establish a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women said Canada has violated the rights of aboriginal women by failing to thoroughly investigate why they are targeted for violence.

---

Canada’s failure to effectively address murder and disappearance
of Aboriginal women ‘grave rights violation’ - UN experts
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15656&LangID=E
News Release
GENEVA (6 March 2015) – Canada has committed a “grave violation” of the rights of Aboriginal women by failing to promptly and thoroughly investigate the high levels of violence they suffer, including disappearances and murders*, a UN expert committee has found. In a report published today, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) says that the Canadian police and justice system have failed to effectively protect Aboriginal women, hold offenders to account, and ensure that victims get redress.

Full report:

Report of the inquiry concerning Canada of the Committee of the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women under article 8 of the Optional Protocol to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (PDF - 545KB, 57 pages):
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/CAN/CEDAW_C_OP-8_CAN_1_7643_E.pdf
March 6, 2015

Source:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
http://www.ohchr.org/

Canada has disagreed with CEDAW’s finding that there have been grave violations of rights. It has, however, accepted 34 of the Committee’s recommendations, although not the call for a national inquiry and plan of action.

Canada's complete response to the report:

Observations of the Government of Canada on the report of
the inquiry concerning Canada of the Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination against Women under article 8
of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (PDF - 391KB, 25 pages)
http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/CAN/CEDAW_C_OP-8_CAN_2_7644_E.pdf
March 6, 2015
Funniest (but not ha-ha funny) line in the Canadian Government's response, according to Gilles:
"...Canada takes its international human rights obligations seriously."

BULLSHIT.

* Federal minister says child poverty not Ottawa’s problem
http://www.news1130.com/2013/12/15/federal-minister-says-child-poverty-not-ottawas-problem/

* John Baird announces plans to close Rights and Democracy group
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1155970
April 3, 2012

* Canada's commitment to adequate, affordable housing (PDF - 155KB, 27 pages):
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/10session/A.HRC.10.7.Add.3.pdf

* Implementing Canada's Human Rights Obligations:
Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/huma/rep/rep02dec01-e.htm

* United Nations raps Canada on children's rights
http://www.timescolonist.com/life/raps+Canada+children+rights/7306925/story.html
September 27, 2012

* CANADA: Persistent violations of children's rights
http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=29731&flag=report
Violations include:
* Use of, and conditions in, detention for children
* Violence against children, including domestic violence
* Sexual exploitation of children
* Inequality in the provision of social and welfare services for vulnerable children, including those from minority backgrounds
* Poverty disproportionately affecting children from minority backgrounds
* Barriers to access to education for children from minority backgrounds and discrimination against those children within the education system
* Gap between healthcare provision for children from indigenous backgrounds and other Canadians
* Discrimination against First Nations women and children in relation to personal status rules
Source:
Child Rights International Network
http://www.crin.org/

International Human Rights Organizations Take On Government of Canada in Homelessness Case
http://www.escr-net.org/node/365508

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...

National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
February 27, 2015

Joint Statement from Ontario's Delegation at the Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
http://news.ontarionewsroom.com/opo/en/2015/02/joint-statement-from-ontarios-delegation-at-the-roundtable-on-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women.html
February 27, 2015
Ontario's delegation at the National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released this statement.

Roundtable Agenda (small PDF file, 2 pages)
http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/15-02-24_roundtable_agenda_fe.pdf

Backgrounder : Ontario's Proposed Pan-Canadian Actions for the Roundtable
http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2015/02/ontarios-proposed-pan-canadian-actions-for-the-roundtable.html
February 27, 2015
This backgrounder covers the following themes:

Prevention and Awareness
--- Pan-Canadian Prevention and Awareness Campaign.
--- Socio-economic Action Plan for Aboriginal Women and Girls.
Community Safety and Healing
--- Community Safety Plans.
--- Inter-agency Information Sharing.
--- Reduce Number of Aboriginal Children in Care.
--- Improve Victim Services.
Policing Measures and Justice Responses
--- Community Engagement Protocols.
--- Cultural Competency Training.
--- Pan-Canadian Collaboration, Databases and Information Sharing.
--- First Nations Policing.

---

From the
National Post:

Harper and aboriginals not in same room, let alone on same page
http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/27/stephen-maher-stephen-harper-and-aboriginals-not-in-same-room-let-alone-on-same-page/
By Stephen Maher
February 27, 2015
On Friday afternoon, Stephen Harper went to Rideau Hall to present the Public Service of Canada’s Outstanding Achievement Award to Ian Burney, assistant deputy minister of trade. The prime minister did not have time, or judge it appropriate, to attend another event taking place in Ottawa: the national roundtable on missing and murdered aboriginal women

From the CBC:

Politicians, First Nations agree to another roundtable before end of 2016
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/politicians-first-nations-agree-to-another-roundtable-before-end-of-2016-1.2975001
The Harper Government™ has repeatedly rejected calls for a national inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

First Peoples, Second Class Treatment : The role of racism
in the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada (PDF - 2.2MB, 71 pages)
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Report-First-Peoples-Second-Class-Treatment-Final.pdf
January 2015
This paper explores the role of racism in the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It provides an overview of the historical and contemporary contexts of racism which have historically, and continue to, negatively shape the life choices and chances of Indigenous people in this country.

Indigenous people experience the worst health outcomes of any population group in Canada. This alarming detail underscores the urgency and importance of understanding and addressing racism as a determinant of Indigenous health.

This paper was prepared for Wellesley Institute by Dr. Billie Allan and Dr. Janet Smylie of the Well Living House [ http://www.stmichaelshospital.com/crich/well-living-house/ ], an action research centre founded to develop and share knowledge and practices that promote the health and well-being of Indigenous infants, children and their families.

Executive Summary (PDF - 1.8MB, 20 pages)
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Summary-First-Peoples-Second-Class-Treatment-Final.pdf

Source:
Wellesley Institute
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/

---

- Go to the First Nations Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm

From the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations (Queen's University) Federal and Provincial/Territorial Departments responsible for Aboriginal Rights and Governance http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/links/linksAborig/canada/governments.html --- Aboriginal Rights and Governance http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/links/linksAborig.html The Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen's University offers a collection of links to First Nations' government bodies, representative bodies, and other related organizations. --- Aboriginal Rights and Governance in the United States http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/links/linksAborig/usa.html --- Source: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/index.html Queen's University http://www.queensu.ca/

Stephen Harper and the myth of the crooked Indian
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/pamela-palmater/2014/11/stephen-harper-and-myth-crooked-indian
By Pamela Palmater
November 26, 2014
Can you think of any Prime Minister, President or World Leader that would withhold food, water, or health care as a bullying tactic to force its citizens into compliance with a new government law, policy or scheme? Can you ever imagine this happening in Canada? I don't think most of us could.

Yet, this is exactly what is happening with Harper's implementation of the illegal C-27. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Bernard Valcourt has threatened to cut off funds for food, water and health care if First Nations do not get in line and abide by this new legislation -- despite the fact that it was imposed without legal consultation and is now being legally challenged. How many First Nations children will have to die for Harper to sit down and work this out with First Nations?

Bill C-27 (formerly C-575) [ http://goo.gl/o4MW18 ] , the First Nation Financial Transparency Act (FNFTA), is the classic deflection tactic by Harper's Conservatives to distract Canadians from the extreme poverty in many First Nations and Canada's role in maintaining those conditions

[ Dr. Pamela D. Palmater is a Mi'kmaw lawyer and member of the Eel River Bar First Nation in New Brunswick. She teaches Indigenous law, politics and governance at Ryerson University and heads their Centre for Indigenous Governance. ]

Source:
rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/

Less wage discrimination for women, aboriginals, and visible minorities in public sector, not higher salaries overall: study
https://policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/less-wage-discrimination-women-aboriginals-and-visible-minorities-public
October 29, 2014
OTTAWA—Women, aboriginal workers, and visible minority workers experience less wage discrimination in the public sector than in the private sector, says a study released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

Narrowing the Gap:
The Difference That Public Sector Wages Make (PDF - 730K, 30 pages)
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2014/10/Narrowing_the_Gap.pdf
By Kate McInturff and Paul Tulloch
This study compares the wages of full-time public and private sector workers and finds significant gaps in the wages of women, aboriginal workers, and visible minority workers—and that those gaps are bigger in the private sector in every instance.

Table of contents:
* Introduction
* The Gender Gap
* The Education Gap
* The Discrimination Gap
* The Bottom Line
* Appendices
* Notes

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
https://policyalternatives.ca

---

- Go to the Income and Wealth Inequality Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/inequality.htm

- Go to the the Canadian Non-Governmental Sites about Women's Social Issues page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womencanngo.htm

Closing arguments in government discrimination case begin Monday
http://aptn.ca/news/2014/10/17/closing-arguments-government-discrimination-case-begin-monday/
October 17, 2014
By Mark Blackburn
Closing arguments in the discrimination case against Canada begin Monday at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

For the past year and a half, the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nation Child and Family Caring Society have been arguing before a panel of 3 commissioners that Canada spends less on First Nations child welfare than provinces do off reserve.

Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the FNCFCS joined Nation to Nation host Nigel Newlove to discuss the week ahead.
(Video, duration 5:25 --- click the link above)

Source:
APTN National News
http://aptn.ca/news/
[ delivers the news of the day and provides a more in-depth look at the issues facing Aboriginal communities in Canada and around the world

Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
http://aptn.ca/

October 16, 2014
Study: Aboriginal languages and selected vitality indicators, 2011
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/141016/dq141016c-eng.htm

Source:
Statistics Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-eng.html

From Queen's University's
Institute of Intergovernmental Relations:

R v. Daniels: Jurisdiction and Government Obligations to Non-Status Indians and Métis (PDF - 625K, 15 pages)
http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/WorkingPapers/NewWorkingPapersSeries/Bellworkingpapersotf2013FINAL.pdf
Working Paper
By Catherine Bell
October 2, 2014
This paper was presented at the State of the Federation 2013 conference, held in Kingston, Ontario November 28 - 30. The conference focused on the implications, challenges and transformative potential of developments in Aboriginal multilevel governance, with a particular focus on the growing interplay among Aboriginal, federal, provincial and territorial governments.

The paper will be published later in 2014, in Canada: The State of the Federation 2013 --- Aboriginal Multilevel Governance (McGill-Queen’s University Press).

Author Catherine Bell is a Professor of Law at the University of Alberta specializing in Canadian Aboriginal rights law, property law, cultural heritage law and interdisciplinary community based legal research.

Source:
Institute of Intergovernmental Relations
http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/index.html

Queen's University
http://www.queensu.ca/

Romeo Saganash's Speech On Murdered, Missing Aboriginal Women Silences House
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/09/19/romeo-saganash-speech_n_5851666.html
September 19, 2014
OTTAWA - NDP MP Romeo Saganash's remarks to the House of Commons on Friday about the need for an inquiry into murdered and missing aboriginal women:

"Indigenous women experience more violence because they are indigenous and because they are women. Amnesty International found that indigenous women are most likely to die before non-indigenous women in this country, and are more likely to die violently."

- includes a link to a seven-minute video of the complete speech by MP Saganash in the House of Commons

Source:
The Canadian Press
http://www.thecanadianpress.com/

A Second Look at the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act (PDF - 82K, 20 pages)
http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/1049ENG.pdf
By Michael Mendelson
August 2014
Due to the intense reactions to the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, important developments in the Act have been shunted aside without careful analysis. While several aspects of the Act have proven unacceptable to the majority of chiefs, there are other aspects that offered major gains for First Nations and a reasonable response by the federal government. This paper reviews in depth four key contentious issues that deserve a closer look: the relationship of the Act to treaty rights, financing provisions in the Act, the proposed Joint Council and control over First Nations education. The paper does not attempt to resolve these issues – only to analyze them as objectively as possible while suggesting potential avenues for compromise in future.

Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy
http://www.caledoninst.org

August 26, 2014
Study: Inuit health: Selected findings from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/140826/dq140826b-eng.htm
In 2012, Inuit aged 15 years and older were less likely to report excellent or very good health compared with the Canadian population as a whole. Data drawn from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey provide a number of basic health indicators for the Inuit population, as well as information on health behaviours and selected social determinants of health.

Note to readers
The Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) is a national survey on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal Peoples (First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) aged 6 years and older. The 2012 APS represents the fourth cycle of the survey and focuses on issues of education, employment and health.

The article "Inuit health: Selected findings from the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey" [ http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=89-653-X2014003&lang=eng ] reports on the self-reported health status and chronic conditions of Inuit aged 15 years and older. Also covered are health behaviors such as smoking and drinking, and selected determinants of health such as food insecurity, access to health care, housing and culture. The results are for all Inuit in Canada, presented by the total population, inside and outside Inuit Nunangat and the four Inuit regions. Data for the overall population of Canada were drawn from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey.

Source:
Statistics Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/start-debut-eng.html

Stupidity outbreak mars Harper’s visit
http://yukon-news.com/letters-opinions/stupidity-outbreak-mars-harpers-visit/
Editorial by John Thompson
August 22, 2014
What a relief. Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Whitehorse yesterday and shared with the territory a fresh insight: the plight of missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada is not, in fact, a “sociological phenomenon.” Rather, the root of the problem is that we simply haven’t locked enough people away in prison.
“We should view it as crime,” Harper said. “It is crime against innocent people, and it needs to be addressed as such.”
Well, that makes things much tidier, doesn’t it?
No need to fret over the toxic brew that contributes to the many troubles faced by Canada’s aboriginal communities: high unemployment, rife substance abuse, overcrowded housing, low education levels, not to mention the terrible traumas inflicted during residential schools that continue to be passed from one generation to the next, and so forth.

Source:
Yukon News
http://yukon-news.com/

Six reasons to roll your eyes during Stephen Harper's visit to the Arctic this week
http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/post/6-reasons-roll-your-eyes-during-stephen-harpers-visit-arctic-week
August 21, 2014
It's that time again: Stephen Harper's Arcticpalooza 2014!
The kick-off on Thursday means you'll be seeing lots of publicity photos of the Prime Minister in Canada's North this week.

Here are six things to keep in mind during Harper's photo-ops:

1. The environment: a great backdrop until it melts. (...)
2. Using national parks as publicity photo props while simultaneously gutting Parks Canada. (...)
3. Military pageantry! (...)
4. Appearing to "get" First Nations. (...)
5. Fun with motor vehicles the Prime Minister looks ill-prepared to drive. (...)
6. Patriot games. (...)

Source:
PressProgress
http://www.pressprogress.ca/

Faux transparency and the First Nations Financial Transparency Act
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/nora-loreto/2014/08/faux-transparency-and-first-nations-financial-transparency-act
By Nora Loreto
August 8, 2014
In effect since March 2013, the First Nations Financial Transparency Act forces financial statements of band councils to be made public, ostensibly to be more transparent. (...) But, is it more transparent? Or is it yet another example of the Crown imposing ridiculous policies and standards on First Nations communities? The relationship between the Crown and band councils was supposed to be that of nations working together, equally. Over the years, what's evolved is a paternal attitude from Ottawa that treats Indigenous communities as wards of the state.

Source:
rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/

Upcoming world conference dominates 2014 session of UN Forum on Indigenous issues
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47868#.U4CjJ_ldWo0
22 May 2014 – Calls for the full, equal and effective participation by the world’s 370 million indigenous peoples in the upcoming, first-ever World Conference devoted to the realization of their rights gained momentum during a two-week annual forum at United Nations Headquarters.

Source:
UN News Centre
http://www.un.org/News/

Canada's aboriginal well-being efforts 'insufficient,' UN envoy says
UN factfinder urges Ottawa to call national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-s-aboriginal-well-being-efforts-insufficient-un-envoy-says-1.2639509
By Susana Mas
May 12, 2014
Canada has made "notable efforts" to improve the social and economic well-being of indigenous people, but needs to do much more to improve their overall living conditions, says a report by a United Nations human rights envoy.

Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/

The report:

The situation of indigenous peoples in Canada:
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya
HTML version : http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/country-reports/the-situation-of-indigenous-peoples-in-canada
PDF version (26 pages) : http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/docs/countries/2014-report-canada-a-hrc-27-52-add-2-en-auversion.pdf
May 7, 2014

Source:
James Anaya, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples
http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/
These are the final country reports (Panama, Canada, Peru) to be issued by James Anaya before he ends his mandate in June 2014. The Special Rapporteur will be briefly discussing these reports during this statement and interactive dialogue before the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on Tuesday, 20 May 2014, from 1 to 3 pm

----

Government response to the report:

Statement by federal Minister Valcourt in reaction to
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=847009
(May 12, 2014
The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, today issued the following statement in response to the report of UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: “The report published by the Special Rapporteur today acknowledges that, while many challenges remain, many positive steps have been taken by the Government of Canada to improve the overall well-being and prosperity of Aboriginal people in Canada."

Related links:

Backgrounder: Canada's Endorsement Of
The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1292353979814/1292354016174

---

Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples: UN report
UN rapporteur on indigenous rights James Anaya talks about his report on Canada (video, duration 7:09)
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/Power%2B&%2BPolitics/ID/2456194174/

---

UN report on Canada’s treatment of aboriginal people in spotlight Monday
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/un-report-on-canada-s-treatment-of-aboriginal-people-in-spotlight-monday-1.2638988

---

RCMP confirm report of more than 1,000 murdered aboriginal women
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rcmp-confirm-report-of-more-than-1-000-murdered-aboriginal-women-1.2630456

---

First Nations education act 'on hold,' minister's office says
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/un-report-on-canada-s-treatment-of-aboriginal-people-in-spotlight-monday-1.2638988

---

Visit CBC Aboriginal for more top stories
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Related link
from rabble.ca:

Harper's assimilation agenda just collided with First Nations resistance -- and lost
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/pamela-palmater/2014/05/harpers-assimilation-agenda-just-collided-first-nations-resis
By Pamela Palmater
May 16, 2014
This has been a difficult month for Prime Minister Stephen Harper in terms of Crown-First Nations relations. Harper seemed too busy picking fights with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Beverley McLachlin and defending another "dodgy" Senate appointment, to notice that Canada's already brittle relationship with First Nations was crumbling.
(...)
While the United Nations has been consistently critical of Canada's treatment of indigenous peoples [see above], the Bertelsmann Foundation [ http://goo.gl/sr567T ] is the latest to note that Canada's record on governance has declined under Harper, especially when it comes to indigenous peoples.

Source:
rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/

A Short Note To Correct Canadian Misconceptions About Indians Living Off “Taxpayer Monies”
http://westcoastnativenews.com/a-short-note-to-correct-canadian-misconceptions-about-indians-living-off-taxpayer-monies
By Derrick
April 17, 2014
(...)
Since the newcomer Canadians brought no land with them, if there is any question as to who owns the land, it defaults to First Nations. First Nations are told they have to follow biased and unfair land claims processes that offer no return of their lands; offer 10 cents on the dollar of the value of their lands based on 19th century valuations; and that First Nations must”extinguish” all their rights and interests in their lands and resources for a limited and restrictive recognition of their rights and title. Now the federal government is prepared to out-wait First Nations by giving take it or leave it offers.
(...)
First Nations are ready to set the ledger straight. They would be prepared to end the $7 billion dollars that is supposedly provided to them annually, some of which is eaten up by the salaries of close to 5,000 bureaucrats of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and much of which goes to severely under-funded programs and services that do not meet to the needs of First Nations.

Source:
West Coast Native News
http://westcoastnativenews.com/

First Nations Education Act 101: A settler's guide
http://rabble.ca/news/2014/05/first-nations-education-act-101-settlers-guide
May 5, 2014
By Correy Baldwin
There is an important conversation happening among Indigenous communities right now about the First Nations Education Act. If you are confused about the details, here is a great primer to help.

Source:
rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/

Canadian Native Reservations Lead To 'Social Evil', Say Scholars
http://www.science20.com/news_articles/canadian_native_reservations_lead_social_evil_say_scholars-127173
January 5, 2014
Chronic unemployment, dependence on government welfare and internal social division are the result of Canadian social welfare for natives - despite the substantial resources devoted, according to a new study. The work, jointly performed by the University of Alicante, the University of Granada and Laurentian University, was prepared by University of Alicante lecturer in sociology Raúl Ruiz Callado.

Source:
Science 2.0
http://www.science20.com/

Five steps to better schools on First Nations reserves
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/12/23/richards-mendelson-five-steps-to-better-schools-on-first-nations-reserves/
By John Richards and Michael Mendelson
December 23
Among the most contentious pieces of legislation for the present sitting of Parliament is a First Nations Education Act. It defines for reserve schools the equivalent of a provincial schools act.
(...)
Last month, Shawn Atleo, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) wrote an open letter to the Minister. In a delicate balancing act, he restated the almost unanimous view of First Nations chiefs that Ottawa’s current draft Education Act is unacceptable, but his critique also provided a possible roadmap towards negotiation.

What began in 2011 as a joint AFN/Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs panel on the seriously inadequate state of reserve schools is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to realize reform. The window is open; neither side must slam it shut. After Atleo’s letter, it is now up to the federal government to respond.

In his open letter, Atleo set out five conditions for an acceptable Education Act. These conditions are:
1. First Nations control of education;
2. Assurance of stable and adequate funding;
3. Recognition of the importance of First Nations language and culture;
4. “Jointly determined” oversight of First Nations education rather than unilateral federal oversight; and
5. Ongoing meaningful engagement between First Nations and Ottawa on education matters.

There is nothing in these five conditions that Minister Valcourt cannot accept — although there would be hard bargaining to work out the specifics, particularly with respect to funding and oversight.
(...)
The ball is now in Minister Valcourt’s court. He should respond quickly with a statement that these five conditions are an acceptable basis on which to initiate negotiations with the AFN. He should call on the AFN to establish a negotiating team to sit down with the minister’s team and begin the hard work of turning these five conditions into a First Nations Education Act that can work in the 21st century.

Source:
National Post
http://www.nationalpost.com/

Canada faces a 'crisis' on aboriginal reserves: UN investigator
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-faces-a-crisis-on-aboriginal-reserves-un-investigator-1.1497612
October 15
James Anaya, the UN’s special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said Tuesday that one in five aboriginal Canadians lives in a home in need of serious repairs, and the suicide rate among youth on reserves is "alarming" at a rate five times greater than that of all Canadians.

Related Stories from CTV:
(Click the link above, then check the left margin for links to the following)
* UN investigator visits Manitoba reserve where some homes lack running water
* Protesters hold Idle No More rallies across Canada
* UN fact-finder arrives in Canada to survey concerns of Aboriginal Peoples

Source:
CTV News
http://www.ctvnews.ca/

Statement upon conclusion of the visit to Canada
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya
http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/statements/statement-upon-conclusion-of-the-visit-to-canada
15 October 2013
(...) From all I have learned, I can only conclude that Canada faces a crisis when it comes to the situation of indigenous peoples of the country. The well-being gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in Canada has not narrowed over the last several years, treaty and aboriginals claims remain persistently unresolved, and overall there appear to be high levels of distrust among aboriginal peoples toward government at both the federal and provincial levels.
(...)
Aboriginal women are eight times more likely to be murdered than non-indigenous women and indigenous peoples face disproportionately high incarceration rates. For over a decade, the Auditor General has repeatedly highlighted significant funding disparities between on-reserve services and those available to other Canadians. The Canadian Human Rights Commission has consistently said that the conditions of aboriginal peoples make for the most serious human rights problem in Canada.

---

Website of the
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples : James Anaya
http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/

From the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights:

UN launches first global partnership to advance rights of indigenous peoples (PDF - 108K, 2 pages) http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/docs/PR_UNIPP_launch20May2011.pdf
May 20, 2011
NEW YORK – The first global UN interagency initiative to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples was launched today on the occasion ofthe 10th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The initiative, called the United Nations-Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership (UNIPP), is a commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and calls for its full realization through the mobilization of financial cooperation and technical assistance.

United Nations-Indigenous Peoples’ Partnership (UNIPP)
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/Pages/UNIPPartnership.aspx

Indigenous peoples issues
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/indigenous/index.htm
Source:
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
http://www.ohchr.org/EN

James Anaya, special UN rapporteur on Indigenous peoples, arrives and begins inquiry in Canada
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/roger-annis/2013/10/james-anaya-special-un-rapporteur-on-indigenous-peoples-arrives-a
By Roger Annis
October 7, 2013
The extraordinary and much-anticipated arrival and visit to Canada of James Anaya begins today, Monday, October 7, 2013. He is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He will travel and investigate across the country for eight days. The visit comes at an explosive time in Canada as pressure mounts by First Nations peoples against tar sands and other fossil fuel projects in western and central Canada and as demands grow for a national, public inquiry into the cases of more than 600 missing or murdered women across the country, most of whom are Aboriginal. The federal government is also refusing international pressure to convene such an inquiry.

Source:
rabble.ca blogs
http://rabble.ca/blogs

rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/
rabble.ca will draw on the real energy and power of the Internet – passionate, engaged human beings. Blurring the line between readers and contributors, it will provide a needed space for issues, a place to explore political passions and an opportunity to expand ideas.
[ About rabble.ca : http://rabble.ca/about/landing ]

One Woman's Fight for Equal Funding of First Nations Children Lands Feds in Court
http://desmog.ca/2013/07/11/one-woman%27s-fight-equal-funding-first-nations-children-feds-court
By Erika Thorkelson
July 15, 2013
[NOTE : This page contains over a dozen embedded links to contextual resources.]
What would the Harper government do to avoid its responsibility to all the children of this country? If their conduct at the Human Rights Tribunal is any indication, just about anything. Starting today, First Nations children’s rights activist Cindy Blackstock will finally have a chance to take them to task.

In 2007 Blackstock, an associate professor at the University of Alberta and a former social worker, filed a human rights complaint about inequitable funding of child welfare services on reserves on behalf of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS). She charged that the federal government was discriminating against children on reserves by spending 22% less per child than provincial governments spend on those off reserve.
(...)
Starting July 15 Blackstock will argue before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that the federal government has been retaliating against her personally for bringing the complaint. She’ll be backed up by a report from the Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddard, who found in May that Aboriginal Affairs and the Justice Department went too far in their information collection efforts. Then in August hearings will finally begin on the actual complaint. The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network will be live streaming the entire procedings.

Source:
Erika Thorkelson's blog
http://desmog.ca/blog/erika-thorkelson

---

Cindy Blackstock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Blackstock
- from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

---

Cindy Blackstock is the Executive Director of the
First Nations Child and Family Caring Society
http://www.fncaringsociety.com/
The Caring Society stands with First Nations children, youth, and families for equal opportunities to succeed.

---

DeSmog Canada
http://desmog.ca/
DeSmog Canada exists to clear the PR pollution that is preventing us from having sensible public conversations about critical issues around the environment, social justice and the economy. We work to clear the air and to explore solutions for cleaning up Canada's polluted public square.

Indigenous children face deplorable poverty
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/updates/indigenous-children-face-deplorable-poverty
June 19, 2013
A new study, released by the CCPA and Save the Children Canada, finds that 40% of Indigenous children in Canada are living in poverty. The report, authored by CCPA Senior Economist David Macdonald and Indigenous rights advocate Daniel Wilson, finds that Indigenous children in Canada are over two and a half times more likely to live in poverty than non-Indigenous children—and that they trail the rest of Canada’s children on practically every measure of well-being, including: family income, educational attainment, water quality, infant mortality, health, suicide, crowding and homelessness.

The complete study:

Poverty or Prosperity : Indigenous children in Canada (PDF - 1.1MB, 44 pages)
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Office/2013/06/Poverty_or_Prosperity_Indigenous_Children.pdf
By David Macdonald and Daniel Wilson
June 19, 2013

From Bad to Worse : Child Poverty Rates in Canada (infographic)
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Indigenous-Child-Poverty-Infographic.jpg
Map of Canada showing the child poverty rate by province (not including Maritimes or the territories) for Indigenous and Non-indigenous children.

Watch an interview with the study's
co-author David Macdonald on CTV News (video, duration 4:13)
http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=950088&playlistId=1.1332120&binId=1.810401&playlistPageNum=1

Related news release:

40% of Indigenous children in Canada live in poverty: study
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/40-indigenous-children-canada-live-poverty-study
News Release
June 19, 2013

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/

Save the Children Canada
http://www.savethechildren.ca/

The State of Homelessness in Canada : 2013 (PDF - 1.9MB, 49 pages)
http://www.homelesshub.ca/ResourceFiles/SOHC2103.pdf
By Stephen Gaetz et al.
NOTE : includes extensive references to Aboriginal homelessness.
The State of Homelessness in Canada: 2013 is the first extensive Canadian report card on homelessness. This report examines what we know about homelessness, the historical, social and economic context in which it has emerged, demographic features of the problem, and potential solutions.

Some high/lowlights:
* Homelessness costs the Canadian economy $7 billion per year.
* At least 30,000 are homeless on a given night.
* At least 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness in a given year.
* At least 200,000 Canadians access homeless emergency services or sleep outside in a given year.
* As many as 1.3 million Canadians have experienced homelessness or extremely insecure housing at some point during the past five years.

---

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH)
http://www.caeh.ca/
The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness was formed to create a national movement to end homelessness in Canada from the community up.

Homeless Hub
http://www.homelesshub.ca/
The Canadian Homelessness Research Network (Homeless Hub) at York University is dedicated to mobilizing research evidence to have a bigger impact on solutions to homelessness in Canada.

New Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) Report:
Impact of Inequality on Aboriginal People in Canada
http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/eng/content/17062013-impact-inequality-aboriginal-people-canada
OTTAWA, June 17, 2013
The impact of persistent conditions of disadvantage on the daily lives of Aboriginal people is documented in a new report released by the Canadian Human Rights Commission today. Entitled Equality Rights Data Report on Aboriginal People, and based primarily on data collected by Statistics Canada, the report compares Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people across a spectrum of indicators, including education, employment, economic well-being, health and housing. These comparisons confirm the persistence of barriers to equality of opportunity faced by Aboriginal people.

Complete report:

Equality Rights Data Report on Aboriginal People (PDF - 2.2MB, 78 pages)
http://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/sites/default/files/equality_aboriginal_report.pdf
The report shows that, compared to non-Aboriginal people, Aboriginal people living in Canada:
* Have lower median after-tax income;
* Are more likely to experience unemployment;
* Are more likely to collect employment insurance and social assistance;
* Are more likely to live in housing in need of major repairs;
* Are more likely to experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse;
* Are more likely to be victims of violent crimes; and
* Are more likely to be incarcerated and less likely to be granted parole.

Source:
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Parliament created the Canadian Human Rights Act in 1977 to provide equal opportunity to everyone in Canada and to help people confront discrimination in their daily lives. (...) The Canadian Human Rights Commission was created to administer the Canadian Human Rights Act. It also ensures compliance with the Employment Equity Act. The Commission operates independently from government when administering these two acts of Parliament.

An obsessively partisan Stephen Harper slips into his Richard Nixon mode: Walkom
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/29/an_obsessively_partisan_stephen_harper_slips_into_his_richard_nixon_mode_walkom.html
By Thomas Walkom
June 6, 2013
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s affinity for political hardball is well-known. Politics is a tough profession and Harper, like many successful practitioners of the art, has few qualms about getting down and dirty. But increasingly, there is an outrageous element to Conservative partisanship — a craziness that borders on pathology.
Think Richard Nixon.
(...)
Cindy Blackstock, an advocate for aboriginal children, ended up on this enemies list for criticizing Ottawa’s approach to natives. Nixon used the resources of the White House to commit burglary. The Harper government, according to a report by Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart, used its information technology staff to access Blackstock’s private Facebook page and monitor her postings.

Source:
The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/

Government went too far in surveillance of First Nations advocate: report
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/government-went-too-far-in-surveillance-of-first-nations-advocate-report-1.1300140
May 28, 2013 11:43AM EDT
OTTAWA -- The federal privacy commissioner says two government departments went too far in their monitoring of a First Nations children's advocate and her personal Facebook page. Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart was looking into a complaint from activist Cindy Blackstock, executive director of an organization fighting the federal government in court over First Nations child welfare programs.
(...)
In a press release, Blackstock says the report proves the government will go to great lengths to quash dissent, and she wonders who else federal departments are spying on.

Source:
CTV News
http://www.ctvnews.ca/

Harper government withheld documents in indigenous human-rights case
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-government-withheld-documents-in-indigenous-human-rights-case/article11985524/
By Gloria Galloway
May 17, 2013
The Harper government withheld tens of thousands of documents that it was obligated to disclose as part of a human-rights case in which it is accused of discriminating against indigenous children. Now, it is using its failure to hand over the files to try to get the proceedings put on hold. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in 2007 saying it is wrong for the federal government to pay 22 per cent less for child welfare on reserves than the provinces pay for non-aboriginal welfare services.

Source:
The Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Via email, from Mary Kennedy of the
Institute of Intergovernmental Relations (IIGR) at Queen's University:
February 22, 2013
In light of the renewed interest in the relationships between Aboriginal Peoples, their governments and federal and provincial governments, the Institute has decided to highlight its past publications on this subject. We believe that readers will find them relevant, whether or not they have been involved with these matters in the past.

Publications from the IIGR Archive : Aboriginal Peoples and Federalism
(NOTE : most of the content in this archive is from the 80s and 90s)
http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/pub/archive/aboriginalpapers.html
* Background Papers
* Discussion Papers
* Miscellaneous Papers
* Position Papers
* Workshop Reports
* Final Report
* Bibliographies
* Canada: The State of the Federation 2003 - Reconfiguring Aboriginal-State Relations
* First Nations and the Canadian State In Search of Coexistance

Source:
Institute of Intergovernmental Relations (IIGR) at Queen's University
http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/

From the Georgia Straight (Vancouver):
http://www.straight.com/

First Nations leaders: Canada must obey international law
http://www.straight.com/news/349591/first-nations-leaders-canada-must-obey-international-law
By Charlie Smith
February 6, 2013
(...)
Chief Doug White of BC's Snuneymuxw First Nation stated that the UN declaration recognizes that decisions affecting the rights of indigenous people must be done with their “free, prior, and informed consent”. And he claimed that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is “incorrect” when he claims that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is not enforceable in Canada.

From rabble.ca:
http://rabble.ca/

Common Causes: Human rights policies eroding under Harper government
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/maude-barlow/2013/01/common-causes-human-rights-policies-eroding-under-stephen-harper
By Maude Barlow
January 29, 2013
(...)
While no one is laying blame for the chronic conditions of poverty and poor living standards of First Nations communities on the doorstep of one party or government, the Harper government abandoned the 2006 Kelowna Accord and with it, a whole host of programs to address issues of aboriginal health, addictions, youth suicide, fetal alcohol syndrome, maternal health and child care, and others.

---

From
Canadian Lawyer Magazine:
http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/

Idle no more 'has it right': LaForme
http://www.canadianlawyermag.com/legalfeeds/1302/idle-no-more-has-it-right-laforme.html
By Yamri Taddese
8 February 2013
The Idle No More movement “has it right,” said Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Harry LaForme in a speech at the OBA Institute’s Aboriginal law session. Justice Harry LaForme says a reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians should allow for equality. (Photo: Yamri Taddese)
Aboriginal Canadians continue to be treated as “wards of the state,” said LaForme, the first Aboriginal appellate judge in Canada, in an impassioned speech yesterday. “In law, a ward is someone placed under the protection of a legal guardian. The state takes responsibility for the legal protection of an individual, usually a child or an incapacitated person,” he said. “In Canada, the Indian Act is the central tool by which the federal government rendered itself the authority, under s. 91(24), to completely manage the affairs of Indians, thus making hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal people wards of the federal state.”

---

From
Canada Without Poverty:
http://www.cwp-csp.ca/

We Stand Shoulder-to-Shoulder with Idle No More
http://www.cwp-csp.ca/2013/02/we-stand-shoulder-to-shoulder-with-idle-no-more/
February 5, 2013
Aboriginal peoples disproportionately experience poverty, inadequate housing and homelessness, hunger and ill health.
(...)
While Canada ranks 6th in the world on the United Nations Human Development Index (which lists countries in terms of life expectancy, education and a decent standard of living), when the measure is applied to First Nations, our ranking plummets to about 68th, near Kazakhstan and Albania. This is reflected in Canada by alarming statistics. The unemployment rate for aboriginal peoples is twice the national average; close to 40 per cent of aboriginal women are poor; one in four First Nations children live in poverty (whereas the national average is one in seven); compared to other Canadians, First Nations’ homes are 90 times more likely to be without running water, and twice as likely to be overcrowded compared to other households in Canada. We could go on. Across the board, when it comes to socio-economic standards, aboriginal peoples are worse off than most people in Canada.
(...)
Our international human rights obligations are more urgent than ever particularly as the global financial outlook remains turbulent, and as there is a tendency to blame the disadvantaged for their own misfortune. We need to remember that we know better, and then we need to stand shoulder to shoulder with Idle No More and do better.

Source:
Leilani Farha is executive director of Canada Without Poverty. [ http://www.cwp-csp.ca/ ]
Laurel Rothman is national co-ordinator of Campaign 2000: End Child Poverty in Canada. [ http://www.campaign2000.ca/ ]
Rita Morbia is executive director of Inter Pares. [ http://www.interpares.ca/en/ ]
Shelagh Day is director of the Poverty and Human Rights Centre. [ http://povertyandhumanrights.org/ ]
John Fraser is executive director of the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation. [ http://www.equalityrights.org/cera/ ]

---

Related links:

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (168K, 18 pages)
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf
March 2008
Source:
United Nations
http://www.un.org/

Idle No More
http://idlenomore.ca/

The Long Shadow of Assimilation
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/first-nations-long-shadow-assimilation
January 3, 2013
Hennessy's Index is a monthly listing of numbers, written by the CCPA's Trish Hennessy, about Canada and its place in the world. The January edition of the index explores the inequitable shadow cast by Aboriginal assimilation in Canada, and was inspired by the Idle No More movement and Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike.
NOTE : At the end of each section of text, there's a link to sources. Click the link above to access those sources directly.

Selected numbers:

150,000 : Number of Aboriginal children who were taken from their families and forced into residential schools as part of Canada’s assimilation policy from the 1870s onward. In 2008, the government apologized to Aboriginal peoples “for failing them so profoundly.”

70 cents : Amount Aboriginal peoples earned for every dollar non-Aboriginals earned in 2006. At this rate, the income gap between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canadians won’t disappear for another 63 years, unless Canada adopts a new approach.

1 in 4 : Number of children within First Nations families who live in poverty in Canada, much higher than the 1 in 10 children in non-Aboriginal families who live in poverty.

35.1 : Section of Canada’s constitution that commits the Prime Minister and First Ministers to meet with Aboriginal peoples before changing federal responsibilities that affect First Nations.

---

Earlier issues of Hennessy's Index:
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/index

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/

--------------------

Related links:

Assembly of First Nations
http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en

---

Idle No More.ca - the official Idle No More website
http://idlenomore.ca/

---

What IS the Idle No More Movement, really?
http://www.indigenousnationhood.blogspot.ca/2013/01/what-is-idle-no-more-movement-really.html
By Pamela Palmater
(Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University,
indigenous activist and spokesperson for Idle No More)
This posting on Pamela Palmater's blog [ http://www.indigenousnationhood.blogspot.ca/ ] includes an overview of how the movement started, what Idle No More wants and where it might be headed, along with a dozen links to media coverage (including panel discussions on the Al Jazeera network and on CBC's Power and Politics) and other related resources.
Recommended reading!

Aboriginal Canadians face racism, stereotyping in urban health care: report
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/aboriginal-canadians-face-racism-stereotyping-in-urban-health-care-report-1.1074444
By Diana Mehta
December 11, 2012
TORONTO -- A new report suggests aboriginal Canadians frequently face racism and stereotyping when using health care services in urban centres, a situation which can breed a degree of mistrust deep enough for some to avoid seeking professional help when sick.

The 74-page document, titled "Empathy, dignity, and respect: Creating cultural safety for Aboriginal people in urban health care," was released by the Health Council of Canada on Tuesday.

Source:
CTV News
http://www.ctvnews.ca/

---

From the
Health Council of Canada:

Mainstream health care services – not meeting the needs of Aboriginal People
Mistrust and racism are cited in a new report as barriers to Aboriginal people using health care services in urban
centres
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/dl_check.php?id=440&tp=1
News release
Winnipeg, MB (December 11, 2012) – Today the Health Council of Canada releases Empathy, dignity, and respect: Creating cultural safety for Aboriginal people in urban health care, a report that highlights some of the reasons why many Aboriginal people are not seeking care in mainstream health care settings and describes key practices that are working towards positive change.

Complete report:

Empathy, dignity, and respect: Creating cultural
safety for Aboriginal people in urban health care (PDF - 2.22MB, 78 pages)
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/rpt_det.php?id=437
December 2012
Excerpt from the Intro (p.4):
In this commentary, we provide what we heard (in 2012 Health Council meetings) about the reasons why cultural competency and cultural safety are needed. It is intended to serve as a primer on the issue for health care providers and leaders, governments, and the Canadian public.

Part 2 of this report provides descriptions of new and emerging programs and strategies, while selected in-depth case studies and a video are available online at http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/

Source:
Health Council of Canada
http://www.healthcouncilcanada.ca/
Created by the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal, the Health Council of Canada is an independent national agency that reports on the progress of health care renewal.

Harper Launches Major First Nations Termination Plan:
As Negotiating Tables Legitimize Canada’s Colonialism
http://goo.gl/GJK8z
By Russell Diablo
November 9, 2012
[ For an excerpt from this article, see the Non-Government Sites section further down on the page you're now reading.]

From
TVOntario:

Infographic: Aboriginal Poverty in Canada
http://ww3.tvo.org/whypoverty/info/aboriginal-poverty
In Canada, Aboriginal poverty rates are many times higher than for other Canadians. Explore the dark past, difficult present and hopeful future of the issue through this shareable infographic.

Take the Aboriginal Poverty Quiz
http://ww3.tvo.org/whypoverty/quiz/aboriginal-poverty

TVOntario
http://www.tvo.org/

Stretched Beyond Human Limits: Death By Poverty in First Nations (PDF - 240K, 16 pages)
http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/crsp/article/viewFile/35220/32057
June 2012
By Pamela D. Palmater
“Indian” policy in Canada has been historically based on the objective of assimilating the Indigenous population. There has been recent movement to create policies that support First Nations’ self-governance, yet, the Indian Act and its related policies have not been amended to reflect this change. Thus federal policy now hovers between the two conflicting objectives. The result is chronic poverty in First Nations, a worsening problem that has stymied federal policy-makers.

Source:
Canadian Review of Social Policy
http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/crsp/index
The Canadian Review of Social Policy/Revue canadienne de politique sociale is a scholarly and bilingual journal of progressive social policy.

NOTE: The above link is a free sample of the type of content that you'll find in CRSP. The link is from Issue No. 65-66 (2011) of the
Canadian Review of Social Policy (CRSP)
http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/crsp/issue/view/2005/showToc
To access other articles in this issue and in the archives, click the "Subscription information" link below.

Archives - back to 1993
http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/crsp/issue/archive

Subscription information
http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/crsp/about/subscriptions

Aboriginal people file hundreds of human rights complaints
162 complaints filed against First Nations governments, 150 filed against federal government
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/06/18/aboriginal-human-rights-complaints.html
June 18, 2012
The Canadian Human Rights Commission has received more than 300 complaints from aboriginal people and First Nations groups since 2008, when legislation was changed to allow the commission to look at issues such as reserve housing and federal funding for reserve services
Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/

From the
Canadian Union of Public Employees:

Federal budget 2012: Systemic underfunding for Aboriginal peoples
http://cupe.ca/aboriginal/federal-budget-2012-systemic
May 8, 2012
It’s been six years since the Conservatives scrapped the Kelowna Accord—an important agreement established to begin closing the poverty gap between Aboriginal peoples and Canadians. Since then, the federal government has consistently ignored the disturbing conditions in many First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities, preferring instead to focus on its big oil agenda. The 2012 federal budget continues its record of appalling underfunding for some of the country’s poorest communities, and recent budget cuts have effectively silenced some of the advocacy groups that fight for basic rights for Aboriginal peoples.

Source:
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
http://cupe.ca/

Death by a Thousand Cuts:
On the slow demise of Aboriginal civil society by government design (dead link)
http://www.themarknews.com/articles/8446-death-by-a-thousand-cuts
April 25, 2012
By Martin Papillon and Michael Orsini
[Associate Professors, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa.]
Hardly a week passes without the news of yet another Aboriginal organization losing its federal funding, and being forced to shut down as a result. The hit list thus far includes the First Nations Statistical Institute, the National Aboriginal Health Organization and the National Centre for First Nations Governance. The health promotion programming and research capacity of some key organizations, such as the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, have also been scaled back following federal cuts, the exact details of which have not been made public.
Which group might be next is anyone’s guess.

Related link from the CBC,
notably from the January 2012 First Nations Summit in Ottawa:

First Nations get broad promises on Indian Act, development
Government commits to eliminate barriers to self-government (dead link)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/01/24/pol-crown-first-nations-tuesday.html
January 24, 2012
TIP: In the centre column of the page whose link appears above, you'll find links to 15 more articles and videos about the Crown-First Nations gathering, a.k.a. Stephen Harper's First Nations Photo-Op.

Source:
The Mark
http://www.themarknews.com/

Healing and education needed: Truth and Reconciliation report
http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2012/02/24/19422941.html
By Kristy Kirkup
February 24, 2012
OTTAWA - The ability to heal the wounded relationship between government and aboriginal Canadians will be hindered until First Nations receive appropriate recognition, according to an interim report released by a commission looking at Canada’s history of residential schools. In its report released Friday, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission said governments have historically taken a “social welfare approach” to its relationship with First Nations and without proper recognition, Canada runs the risk of continuing its “assimilationist” policies. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is mandated to learn about Canada’s residential school program and it will inform Canadians about what happened in those schools.
Source:
London Free Press
http://www.lfpress.com

---

From the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission
releases interim report and historical publication (PDF - 72K, 2 pages)
http://goo.gl/IXdzx
February 24, 2012
[Backgrounder]
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released today its Interim Report. Additionally, the TRC also launched a new historical publication entitled They Came for the Children: Canada, Aboriginal Peoples, and Residential Schools.

The interim report:

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada:
Interim Report (PDF - 2.9MB, 39 pages)
http://www.myrobust.com/websites/trcinstitution/File/Interim%20report%20English%20electronic.pdf
February 2012
This interim report covers the activities of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada since the appointment of the current three Commissioners on July 1, 2009. The report summarizes:
* the activities of the Commissioners
* the messages presented to the Commission at hearings and National Events
* the activities of the Commission with relation to its mandate
* the Commission’s interim findings
* the Commission’s recommendations

The new
historical publication:

They Came for the Children:
Canada, Aboriginal Peoples, and Residential Schools (PDF - 3.8MB, 124 pages)
http://www.myrobust.com/websites/trcinstitution/File/2039_T&R_eng_web%5B1%5D.pdf
February 2012
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is publishing this history as a part of its mandate to educate the Canadian public about residential schools and their place in Canadian history. The Commission was established by the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The agreement was reached in response to numerous class-action lawsuits that former students of residential schools had brought against the federal government and the churches that operated those schools in Canada for well over 100 years. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been mandated to inform all Canadians about what happened in the schools and to guide a process of national reconciliation.

Source:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
http://www.trc.ca/
The Commission was established by the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The agreement was reached in response to numerous class-action lawsuits that former students of residential schools had brought against the federal government and the churches that operated those schools in Canada for well over 100 years. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been mandated to inform all Canadians about what happened in the schools and to guide a process of national reconciliation.

Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement:
http://www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca/english_index.html
Version française:
http://www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca/French/index_french.html
Inuktitut version:
http://www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca/Inuktitut/Inuktitut.html (requires Inuktitut font.)

Crown - First Nations Gathering Outcome Statement
http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=4600
24 January 2012
Ottawa, Ontario
Today, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo participated in an historic Crown – First Nations Gathering. The theme of the gathering was Strengthening Our Relationship – Unlocking Our Potential.
Source:
Prime Minister's Office
http://pm.gc.ca/

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A Communiqué from National Chief Shawn Atleo (PDF - 52K, 5 pages)
http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/nc-bulletin-cfng.pdf
January 2012
(...) The Crown-First Nations Gathering is an important first step in renewing the relationship between
First Nations and our historic partner, the Crown, but it is only a first step.
Source:
Assembly of First Nations
http://www.afn.ca/

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Crown - First Nations Gathering
January 23 -24, 2012

From the
Assembly of First Nations:

2012 First Nations Plan:
Honouring our Past, Affirming our Rights, Seizing our Future (PDF - 2.2MB, 71 pages)
http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/2012firstnationsplanen.pdf
Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. (Source:  Article 3 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Also from AFN:

Standing Up For First Nation Governments
It’s Our Time to ACHIEVE change TOGETHER (PDF - 932K, 12 pages)
[Powerpoint presentation by National Chief Shawn Atleo]
http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/national_chief_update.pdf
December 2011

Source:
Assembly of First Nations
http://www.afn.ca/
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. This includes more than 800,000 citizens living in 633 First Nations communities, as well as rural and urban areas.

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Historic First Nations summit may not yield concrete outcomes
First Nations chiefs headed to Ottawa to meet Prime Minister Harper next week
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/19/pol-cp-first-nations-harper.html
January 19, 2012
First Nations chiefs want to negotiate a cabinet-approved timeline with the federal government that would see concrete improvements for native communities, possibly within the year. The chiefs will hold their first summit ever with Prime Minister Stephen Harper next Tuesday, the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes discussions. Harper is downplaying expectations for the gathering, saying an incremental approach works best.
Source:
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/news/

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Chiefs upbeat on First Nations summit prospects
http://goo.gl/cWVOm
January 20, 2012
First Nations leaders remain optimistic about next week's meeting with top government figures despite the absence of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and the limited availability of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper said Friday his role will be largely ceremonial at the First Nations summit, leaving the bulk of the work to the 10 ministers and 50 government staff who will be on hand.
Source:
CTV Winnipeg
http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/

Know Your Rights - ten-part series (Audio only)
Know Your Rights is an on-the-ground and in-the-field exploration of our rights as Canadian citizens. Host Craig Norris navigates the complex world of what we legally can and cannot do in our country. What freedoms do we have? And how far can we push it before someone pushes back?
[About Know Your Rights]
- includes links to : Main - About the Show - Know Your Rights Blog - Past Episodes - The Fine Print - Contact Us

The first of ten episodes aired Monday, June 27, 2011. You can catch all weekly episodes on CBC Radio One or Sirius Satellite Radio, or you can subscribe to the podcast via RSS or iTunes. Click the home page link above to access all of these options.

Episode 9
Aboriginal rights (27-minute radio program)
August 22, 2011

The Fine Print for episode 9:
Click this link to access any of the following
resources related to Aboriginal rights in Canada (and to earlier episodes):
:: King George III Royal Proclamation
:: Pam Palmater
:: Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba
:: Aboriginal Legal Services in Toronto
:: Gladue Courts
:: Ontario Provincial Police
:: Caledonia standoff (CBC "backgrounder")

Archive of all episodes to date
NOTE: These are all links to audio files (no video).
Click the link to any episode below for a summary of the program.
Then, to listen to a particular episode, go to the Past Episodes page and click on the "Listen" button.

Aboriginal Documentary Heritage
The Aboriginal Documentary Heritage: Historical Collections of the Canadian Government recounts first-hand information illustrating the complex and often contentious relationship between the Canadian government and Canada's Aboriginal people from the late 1700s to the mid-20th century.
- incl. links to :
* Introduction * The Resources from an Aboriginal Perspective * The Red and Black Series * Treaties, Surrenders and Agreements * Aboriginal Soldiers in the First World War * Glossary * Further Research * Copyright/Sources * Comments

TIP: Further Research includes links to a further 13 related collections.

Source:
Aboriginal Peoples Collection
[ Library and Archives Canada ]

Discover the rest of the
Library and Archives Canada Collection
* Genealogy and Family History * Portrait Gallery of Canada * Aboriginal Peoples * Educational Resources * Art and Photography * Biography and People * Censuses * Ethno-Cultural Groups * Exploration and Settlement * Literature * Military and Peacekeeping * Music and Performing Arts * National Identity * Newspapers * Other Topics * Philately and Postal History * Politics and Government * Sports * Vital Statistics

First Nations announce Poverty Reduction Approach:
http://www.cnw.ca/en/releases/archive/July2010/20/c5025.html

Time to end the Indian Act:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/839638--it-s-time-to-end-the-indian-act

Income gap for Aboriginal peoples stubbornly high: Report
News Release
April 8, 2010
OTTAWA – Income inequality between Aboriginal peoples and the rest of Canadians is stubbornly high, says a groundbreaking new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). For every dollar non-Aboriginals earned in 2006, Aboriginal peoples earned only 70 cents – a slight narrowing from 1996 when it was 56 cents for every dollar, say co-authors Dan Wilson and David Macdonald, who dug into 2006 Census data to quantify, for the first time ever, the Aboriginal income gap in Canada.

Complete report:

The Income Gap Between
Aboriginal Peoples and the Rest of Canada (PDF - 995K, 34 pages)
By Daniel Wilson and David Macdonald
April 2010

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
The CCPA is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice.

Why We Need a First Nations Education Act (PDF - 120K, 36 pages)
By Michael Mendelson
October 2009
This paper discusses the need for a First Nations Education Act. The first step in achieving ‘Indian Control of Indian Education’ was for the federal government to cede control over First Nations education, and this has largely been done. But the second and more crucial step is for First Nations to step into the vacuum and create the necessary organizational and financial infrastructure for a high-quality First Nations education system, and this has not been done. Despite many First Nations attempts to establish needed educational infrastructure, only bits and pieces of an education system have so far been set up on various reserves across Canada . For the most part, the major elements of an education system for First Nations are missing. The paper describes those missing pieces and sets out a plan for how they may be put into place across Canada . It is a proposal for a new Act of Parliament which would allow First Nations that wished to do so to establish properly funded First Nations school boards with clear legal empowerment and the necessary regional educational agencies to support them.
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy

Recent Releases from the
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS):

* On May 21, the CSLS released a research report,
The Effect of Increasing Aboriginal Educational Attainment on the Labour Force, Output and the Fiscal Balance (PDF - 1.6MB, 108 pages).
This report examines the potential economic gains of increased Aboriginal education, as well as the fiscal implications of increased education and improved Aboriginal social well-being for Canadian governments to 2026. Most notably, it concludes that if the Aboriginal population were to attain complete economic and social parity with the non-Aboriginal population, Canadian governments would improve their balance sheets by nearly $12 billion in 2026 alone.

* On May 12, the CSLS released a research report,
A Review of the Potential Impacts of the Métis Human Resources Development Agreements in Canada (PDF - 1.1MB, 80 pages).
The report concludes that the Métis Human Resources Development Agreements result in annual fiscal savings of $8.5 million to the federal and five provincial governments covered by the program, with total lifetime benefits of one year of Métis programming reaching $103 million.

Source:
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)The Centre for the Study of Living Standards is a non-profit, national, independent organization that seeks to contribute to a better understanding of trends in and determinants of productivity, living standards and economic and
social well-being through research

UN panel calls for better treatment of Canada's Aboriginals, immigrantsFebruary 6, 2009
GENEVA — A United Nations panel is calling on Canada to improve the treatment of its Aboriginal people and other disadvantaged groups such as new immigrants and minorities. The UN Human Rights Council mentions in particular the need to protect Aboriginal women who face discrimination in various areas including "employment, housing, education and health care." The council also points out the "inequalities" that exist between Aboriginals, recent immigrants and other Canadians. Canada's human rights record came under review in Geneva this week with a Canadian government delegation appearing before the 47-country council for several hours Tuesday. It took just 15 minutes Thursday for the council to adopt a report containing 68 points based on concerns voiced by dozens of UN member countries about the situation in Canada.
Source:
CTV

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Aboriginal People and First Nations - General Information

Moving to the City : Housing and
Aboriginal Migration to Winnipeg (PDF - 2.2MB, 46 pages)
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Manitoba%20Office/2014/12/Aboriginal_Migration.pdf
By Josh Brandon Evelyn Peters
December 9, 2014
Winnipeg is home to Canada’s largest Aboriginal population. Aboriginal people, however, are among the most likely to experience homelessness and are also over-represented in housing that is unaffordable, overcrowded or in poor condition. Finding housing has become a wall preventing many Aboriginal people from successfully making Winnipeg home. Moving to the City: Housing and Aboriginal Migration to Winnipeg documents the housing experiences of Aboriginal people moving to Winnipeg.

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary
Introduction
Methodology
First Nations Urbanization
Eagle Urban Transition Centre (EUTC)
Navigating Systems
Challenges First Nations Migrants Face in Finding Housing in Urban Areas
The Importance of Aboriginal Culture and Service Provision
Aboriginal Youth
EUTC and Housing First Strategies
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography

Executive summary (blog posting)
http://policyfix.ca/2014/12/10/meeting-the-housing-needs-of-aboriginal-people-moving-to-winnipeg/
December 10, 2014

Source:
Policy Fix (CCPA MB Blog):
http://policyfix.ca/

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Fast Facts : Meeting the housing needs
of Aboriginal people moving to Winnipeg
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/fast-facts-meeting-housing-needs-aboriginal-people-moving-winnipeg
By Josh Brandon
December 5, 2014
"...we made 16 recommendations in five key areas: Increasing access to social housing; intergovernmental cooperation; increasing settlement and transitional supports; decentralizing transitional services; and increasing financial resources available to migrants."

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Manitoba Office
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/offices/manitoba

Community, Research and Social Change: 10th annual State of the Inner City Report
http://policyfix.ca/2014/12/16/community-research-and-social-change-10th-annual-state-of-the-inner-city-report/
The State of the Inner City Report is an annual research collaboration between the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba and community organizations based in the inner city of Winnipeg. This year marks its tenth year anniversary. Since the beginning, the State of the Inner City Reports have celebrated community-based development and advanced progressive policy alternatives put forward by those working and living directly in the community.
NOTE : Special focus on children in care and child welfare.

Complete report (PDF - 2.7MB, 52 pages):
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Manitoba%20Office/2014/12/Inner%20City%202014%20low-res.pdf

CBC Aboriginal Website
* Overview History Aboriginal Canadians
* Interactive Canada's Aboriginal Languages
* 2006 Census Release Aboriginal Peoples
* Celebrate National Aboriginal Day
* Politics Women in First Nations

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Related link:

Aboriginal children's health below national averages: UNICEF
By Amy Minsky, Canwest News Service
The infant mortality rate across Canadian First Nations reserves is up to seven times higher than among the general population, according to a report released Wednesday from UNICEF Canada. And between 2002 and 2006, the tuberculosis rate among the Inuit was 90 times higher than in the non-Aboriginal population in Canada, the study said. The report's authors said this disparity is a symptom of a larger problem — not all Canadian children are treated equally when it comes to health care.
Source:
Canada.com

Tories plan First Nations overhaul (dead link)
June 3, 2009
By John Ivison
The Conservative government is set to unveil a new approach to its relations with Canada’s First Nations that will see fresh money flowing to bands when Ottawa believes there is a good prospect of economic success, while bands with a track record of failure will be frozen out. As part of its move toward a more market-oriented approach, the government is also keen to reform the electoral system used to elect aboriginal chiefs.
Source:
The National Post

Exposing the aboriginal industry
Canada spends billions on its native people, yet many aboriginals remain plagued by poverty, addiction and other social ills.
Meanwhile, a handful of lawyers, band leaders and chiefs prosper, argue the authors of a controversial new bookApril 25, 2009
By Frances Widdowson and Albert Howard
CALGARY–One of the most pressing problems in Canada today is the terrible social conditions that exist in many aboriginal communities. It is well known that the rates of poverty, substance abuse and violence are much higher for the native population, and that health and educational levels remain far below the national average. Even more disturbing is the fact that the alarming statistics persist despite billions of dollars being spent on programs and services to alleviate these Third World conditions. Why has so much government funding had so little impact?
Source:
The Toronto Star

Order the Book ($85) from McGill-Queen's University Press

Book review by the National Post:

Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry (dead link)
(by Frances Widdowson and Albert Howard)
A National Post Review:
Leftist couple's stance on aboriginals leaves them in the cold
Kevin Libin, National Post
October 31, 2008
"(...) Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, due out this month, is 260 pages of unspeakable challenges to what they consider the "romantic mythology" of native culture, the "quackery" of promoting traditional healing, the meaninglessness of "traditional knowledge" and treacherous assertions that Indians were "barbarians" before Europeans introduced to them "civilization."Their scholarship has been denigrated. They have been denounced as racists. At this, they shake their heads and chuckle. None of it seems to bother them nearly as much as accusations that they are in collusion with, of all people, Fraser Institute types like Tom Flanagan and Melvin Smith.

Finally! Ontario allocates Aboriginal housing dollars, claims credit for federal funds (dead link)
April 16, 2009
By Michael Shapcott
The Ontario government announced earlier today that it will allocate the remaining $60 million of an $80 million federal off-reserve Aboriginal housing trust fund to the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Support Services Association. The federal dollars were authorized by Parliament in 2005 and assigned to Ontario in 2006. It has taken Ontario almost three years to allocate the federal dollars. (...) Aboriginal affairs Minister Brad Duguid claimed full credit. Minister Duguid said: "This initiative is another example of the Ontario government taking action to improve social conditions for Aboriginal people," without thanking or acknowledging that the funds came entirely from the federal government.
Source:
Wellesley Institute

Federal Government websites

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada
(formerly Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - INAC - May 18, 2011)
[ Explanation of the name change ]
- the home page includes links to:
* About AANDC
* Aboriginal Peoples & Communities
* Acts, Agreements & Land Claims
* Arts, Culture & Heritage
* Benefits & Rights
* Economic Development
* Education
* Employment
* Environment & Natural Resources
* Health & Well Being
* Infrastructure & Housing
* The North
* Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
* Inuit Relations Secretariat
* Office of the Federal Interlocutor
* Regional Offices
* Audit & Evaluations

Federal Programs and Services for Registered Indians

Kids' Stop Kids’ Stop is a fun zone for kids loaded with information about Aboriginal history, culture and languages, games and stories, and classroom resources for teachers.

Social Programs
- incl. links to : * Assisted Living Program * Income Assistance Program * Justice * National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative * First Nation Child and Family Services Program * Early Childhood Development

Income assistance (welfare / social assistance) for Members of First Nations living on reserve: NOTE : First Nations members living off-reserve must apply for welfare to the provincial (or municipal, depending on the jurisdiction) welfare authority where they reside, and they are treated like any other applicant. From Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada: Social Programs Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) funds the delivery of five key social development programs in First Nation communities: * Income Assistance Program * National Child Benefit Reinvestment * Assisted Living Program * First Nations Child and Family Services Program * Family Violence Prevention Program These services help First Nation communities meet basic and special needs; support employability and attachment to the workforce; and ensure that individuals and families are safe. First Nations that are engaged in advancing their own development are better equipped to leverage opportunities made available by their communities and actively contribute to the broader Canadian economy and society. National Social Programs Manual NOTE: this isn't a policy manual for use in program delivery to clients. It spells out the terms and conditions under which Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada provides funding for social programs, including income assistance. It covers such matters as program components, funding arrangements, financial administration, and reporting and compliance, to name but a few. TIP : If you scroll down past the Overview section of the table of contents, you'll find detailed terms and conditions for the Income Assistance program. Income Assistance Program The Income Assistance program provides funding to assist eligible individuals and families who are ordinarily resident on-reserve, with basic and special needs services that are aligned with those provided to other residents of the reference province or territory. Equipping First Nations people to fully participate in the economy is a priority for the Government of Canada and First Nations. That's why, through Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government will work with First Nations to improve the on-reserve Income Assistance Program to help ensure First Nation youth can access the skills and training they need to secure employment. (...) Communities that participate in this new approach will be required to implement mandatory participation in training for young Income Assistance clients. The above Income Assistance Program page includes links to the following: --- Income Assistance Background --- Improving Income Assistance --- Income Assistance: Active Measures --- Income Assistance Key Facts --- Income Assistance Program: Dependency Rate on Reserve, 2011-2012 --- Income Assistance Success Stories --- Active Measures: What Are People Saying? --- First Nations Job Fund --- Publications and Resources --- Recipient Reporting Guide 2012-2013 --- Year-End Financial Reporting Handbook --- More Aboriginal social program information: * Assisted Living Program * Family Violence Prevention Program * Non-Insured Health Benefits * Band Moneys * Indian Status * Wills and Estates * National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative * First Nation Child and Family Services Program Source: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

Redesign of Indian Government Support Programs (January-May 2009) As part of a regular cycle, all Government of Canada programs are subject to reviews and renewal. As part of this process, the department's authority to fund the Band Support Funding, Band Employee Benefits, Tribal Council Funding, Band Advisory Services, and Professional and Institutional Development programs is set to expire on March 31, 2010. This presents an opportunity to modernize and simplify these dated programs in a way which supports the strengthening of modern, effective, and accountable First Nation governments. The department's goal in redesigning the programs, then, is to continue to provide equivalent support in the area of Indian Government Support while improving the mechanisms through which this funding flows. To redesign a program, the federal department responsible for it must seek federal approval for its proposal. Between January and May 2009, INAC will ensure that stakeholders in these programs are informed of the changes that are being proposed.

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Evaluation of the INAC Income Assistance Program HTML version PDF Version (968 Kb, 61 pages) December, 2007 "(...)In 2003, INAC received the authority to implement active measures; however, no additional resources accompanied this authority, and as a result there were limited changes to the program design and delivery. Since then work toward implementation of active measures has been ongoing. (...) The evaluation found that the IA Program design is not relevant to today's needs. (...) On-reserve, there has been an increase in IA caseloads and basic needs expenditures. A large proportion of IA recipient caseloads on-reserve, much more so than elsewhere in Canada, are youth and people with multiple barriers. (...)While provinces and territories decreased welfare caseloads as a result of economic prosperity and active measures to assist income assistance recipients, INAC has not implemented these changes and the IA Program has not shown similar results." Evaluation of the Income Assistance Program: Follow-up Report Status Update as of March 31, 2008June 27, 2008 Evaluation of the Income Assistance Program: Follow-up Report Status Update as of September 25, 2008 September 25, 2008

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Statistics Browse a large number of onlines resources - By Date - By Title - By Subject Basic Departmental Data (1995 to 2004 only) - Large collection of statistics on a wide range of topics of interest in the area of First Nations social programs - includes demographics, health, education, social conditions, housing, self-government and The North. The Social Conditions section offers statistics (including a number of ten-year time series) on children in care, adults in institutional care, social assistance recipients and beneficiaries, and social assistance program administration. Also includes a glossary. More statistics on First Nations/Aboriginal Peoples - this link takes you to selected Statistics Canada reports further down on the page you're now reading

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National Child Benefit Reinvestment Initiative The First Nations' National Child Benefit Reinvestment (NCBR) initiative provides a great opportunity to First Nations to develop projects that will address child poverty which exist in their individual community. The initiative is flexible enough to allow First Nations to choose different ways to improve the well-being of low-income families. National Child Benefit - includes links to all NCB reports --- Evaluation of the National Child - Benefit Reinvestments Initiative Author: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Audit and Evaluation Sector December 2007

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Matrimonial Real Property In Canada, matrimonial property is generally defined as property owned by one or both spouses and used for a family purpose. Matrimonial real property includes the land and anything permanently attached to the land, such as the family home. Currently, women on reserves with a family home and other assets do not have the same matrimonial real property rights as other women have when a relationship ends or a spouse dies. In partnership with Aboriginal people and groups INAC developed legislation to eliminate this inequality. This legislation, called the Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act was reintroduced in February 2, 2009. --- Analysis of Bill C-8: Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act Analysis by Marlisa Tiedemann Social Affairs Division Library of Parliament 11 February 2009 Revised 11 May 2009 PDF (132 Kb, 16 pages) "When married couples divorce, the division of matrimonial property, both real (e.g., land and houses) and personal is determined in accordance with provincial laws, as a result of subsection 92(13) of the Constitution Act, 1867. However, as a result of subsection 91(24) of that Act, which specifies that the Parliament of Canada has exclusive legislative authority with respect to “Indians and Lands reserved for the Indians,” provincial laws do not apply to the division of real property on reserve lands.(...) The historical absence of provisions in the federal Indian Act or elsewhere governing the division of matrimonial real property on reserves has resulted in what is often referred to as a legislative gap. Consequently, people residing on reserves have not been able to use the Canadian legal system to resolve matters concerning the division of real property after the breakdown of conjugal relationships. Bill C-8 addresses issues relating to family real property on reserves by providing that a First Nation has the power to enact laws relating to'the use, occupation and possession of family homes on its reserves and the division of the value of any interests or rights held by spouses or common-law partners in or to structures and lands on its reserves'(clause 7(1)." Excellent analysis - highly recommended! Related link: Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property The first part of the Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act came into force on December 16, 2013. The Act provides basic rights and protections to individuals on reserves during the relationship, in the event of a relationship breakdown, and on the death of a spouse or common-law partner regarding the family home and other matrimonial interests or rights. The legislation sets out provisions for the enactment of First Nation laws respecting on-reserve matrimonial real property, as well as provisional federal rules to fill the legislative gap which will come into force on December 16, 2014.

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Urban Aboriginal Strategy The Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) was first developed in 1997, to help respond to the needs facing Aboriginal people living in key urban centres. Through the UAS, the Government of Canada seeks to partner with other governments, community organizations and Aboriginal people to support projects that respond to local priorities.

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Govt. of Canada Apologizes to former students of Indian Residential Schools - June 11, 2008 From the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada: Prime Minister Harper offers full apology on behalf of Canadians for the Indian Residential Schools system 11 June 2008 On behalf of the Government of Canada and all Canadians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered an historic formal apology today to former students of Indian Residential Schools and sought forgiveness for the students’ suffering and for the damaging impact the schools had on Aboriginal culture, heritage and language. Related links: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine Apology Response (Word file - 418K, 3 pages) House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario June 11, 2008 "(...) For the generations that will follow us, we bear witness today in this House, that our survival as First Nations peoples in this land is affirmed forever." . Source: Assembly of First Nations Indian Residential Schools: Resolution Sector The Resolution Sector is responsible for addressing and resolving issues arising from the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. This sector was formerly the Department of Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada which was created in June 2001 to focus federal efforts toward managing and resolving abuse claims in a fair, less adversarial manner. Source: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Indian Residential Schools Class Action Settlement (Official Court website) - incl. links to: *Summary Notice * Detailed Notice * Claim Forms * CEP Appeals * National Administration Committeee (NAC) * Settlement Agreement * List of Residential Schools * Truth and Reconciliation * Independent Assessment Process * The Lawyers * Updates * Court Documents * Contact the Administrator

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Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) (1996) - includes links to the full final report, highlights and a speech The complete report: Report of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - table of contents + links to all chapters The federal government's response to RCAP: Gathering Strength : Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan - includes links to the 1998 and 2000 progress reports, the Agenda for Action with First Nations, a backgrounder on the residential school system and fact sheets on Aboriginal funding, demographics, social development and more... 2000 Progress Report on Gathering Strength: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) July 26, 2000 Analysis of the RCAP report by the Parliamentary Research Branch - Major findings of the report - Govt. response to the report - Commentary See also: Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - from The Canadian Encyclopedia - incl. highlights, analysis and links for further research

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June 21, 2014 National Aboriginal Day - Honouring Our Past, Building Our Future http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1402078151450/1402078286896 Governor General's Proclamation https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013718/1100100013719 Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on National Aboriginal Day http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2014/06/21/statement-prime-minister-canada-national-aboriginal-day National Aboriginal Day on June 21 kick starts Celebrate Canada!, an 11 day celebration that also includes Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24), Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27) and concludes with Canada Day (July 1)! Source: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/ National Aboriginal Day - June 21, 2013 Statement by the Honourable Bernard Valcourt on National Aboriginal Day http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1371757360564/1371757391767 June 21, 2013 The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, issued the following statement today on the occasion of National Aboriginal Day: Native translation: " Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah." (Click the link at the top for the original text by Minister Valcourt.) --- Minister Valcourt Celebrates National Aboriginal Day in High Prairie, Alberta http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1371856419890/1371856570995 June 21, 2013 The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, celebrated National Aboriginal Day alongside students and staff from Prairie River Junior High School and community members in High Prairie, Alberta. (...) Celebrations like this also provide us the opportunity to consider what is possible when we take steps to understand one another's cultures, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous Canada. Source: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/ --- MEMO From : Stephen Harper To : Aboriginal Groups SUBJECT : Happy Aboriginal Day! And, by the way, we're cutting federal funding to the First Nations Statistical Institute, the National Aboriginal Health Organization and the National Centre for First Nations Governance. Oh, and the health promotion programming and research capacity of key organizations like the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, have also been scaled back following federal cuts. Have a nice day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the Assembly of First Nations: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Celebrates Action by First Nations for Positive Change, Encourages all Canadians to Learn More and Support Efforts http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/news-media/latest-news/national-chief-celebrates-action-by-first-nations-for-positive-change June 21, 2013 Ottawa, ON This National Aboriginal Day, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo draws attention to the contributions and accomplishments of First Nations driving change and encourages governments and all Canadians to support these efforts in the spirit of renewed relationships and reconciliation. --- Assembly of First Nations National Chief Highlights Imperative for Investing in Better Outcomes for Indigenous Children http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en/news-media/latest-news/assembly-of-first-nations-national-chief-highlights-imperative-for-inv June 20, 2013 Following the release of a report by the Canadian Council for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) and Save the Children, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo today draws attention to the important and critical opportunity to achieve transformative change by investing in better outcomes for Indigenous children. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister Fantino Outlines Canada's Approach to Helping Those Most in Need http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130621-906647.html June 21, 2013 Helping the world's most vulnerable people move from poverty to prosperity remains central to Canada's international assistance agenda. The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation, today described the evolution of Canada's continuing commitment to international development and humanitarian assistance, in a keynote address to the Canadian International Council in Toronto. (...) Minister Fantino stated that Canada will continue to focus on such development priorities as increasing food security, securing a future for children and youth, and stimulating sustainable economic growth, as well as advancing democracy and promoting security and stability. Source: Wall Street Journal Online http://online.wsj.com/home-page Comment (by Gilles): It's ironic that the Minister of International Cooperation would be pontificating about helping the world's most vulnerable people move from poverty to prosperity at the same time as several organizations are releasing scathing reports about homelessness and poverty in Canada. [Several of these reports are highlighted in this newsletter, as noted above.] These guys just don't get it.

Statistics Canada
Statistics by Subject : Aboriginal peoplesThe Aboriginal peoples of Canada, as defined by the Constitution Act, 1982, comprise the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. These distinct groups have unique heritages, languages, cultures. Statistical information is available for the total Aboriginal population and each of the three groups. [More... ]
Click the link above to access a wide range of products (daily releases, data tables, publications, and more ...) for the following subtopics:
1. Aboriginal peoples (general) 2. Aboriginal society and community 3. Business and finance 4. Education, literacy and skills 5. Health and well-being 6. Households, housing and environment 7. Justice issues 8. Languages and cultures 9. Population characteristics 10. Work, income and spending
Source:
StatCan Statistics by subject
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Selected recent studies focusing on Aboriginal Peoples in The Daily:
National Housing Survey Aboriginal Population Profile, 2011
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/aprof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Users can search for an area of interest by typing its name in the box or by clicking on a province or territory from the list and selecting the area from a list.The Aboriginal Population Profile presents information on the Aboriginal identity population from the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS).
Source:
National Household Survey:
Aboriginal Population Profile, National Household Survey, 2011
National Household Survey year 2011
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=99-011-X2011007&lang=eng
The Aboriginal Population Profile presents information on the Aboriginal identity population from the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS). Data are provided for selected standard geographic areas including Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions, census subdivisions
Chronological index of related studies:
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/bsolc/olc-cel/olc-cel?catno=99-011-X&chropg=1&lang=eng

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2011 National Household Survey:
Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: First Nations People, Métis and Inuit
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130508/dq130508a-eng.htm
May 8, 2013
(from StatCan's The Daily)
New data from the National Household Survey (NHS) show that 1,400,685 people reported an Aboriginal identity in 2011, representing 4.3% of the total Canadian population. Aboriginal people accounted for 3.8% of the population in the 2006 Census. A detailed analysis is available in the report Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: First Nations People, Métis and Inuit.
(...)
Of the roughly 30,000 children aged 14 and under in Canada who were in foster care, nearly half (48.1%) were Aboriginal children. In 2011, 14,225 or 3.6% of Aboriginal children were foster children, compared with 0.3% of non-Aboriginal children.

Complete report:

Aboriginal Peoples in Canada:
First Nations People, Métis and Inuit
HTML version : http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-011-x/99-011-x2011001-eng.cfm
PDF version (304K, 23 pages) : http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-011-x/99-011-x2011001-eng.pdf

Contents:
* Highlights
* Part 1: Aboriginal people – Diverse groups living across the country
* First Nations people
* Métis
* Inuit
* Part 2: The Aboriginal population is young
* Part 3: Living arrangements of Aboriginal children
* Additional information

Related Products and Studies
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/130508/pn130508-eng.htm

Source:
National Household Survey
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/index-eng.cfm

Related subjects at StatCan:

Aboriginal peoples
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/subject-sujet/result-resultat.action?pid=10000&id=10000&lang=eng&type=DAILYART

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December 7, 2011
Population projections by Aboriginal identity in Canada, 2006 to 2031
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/111207/dq111207a-eng.htm
All growth scenarios considered, the Aboriginal identity population in Canada could be between 1.7 million and 2.2 million by 2031, representing between 4.0% and 5.3% of the total population.

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November 23, 2011
Study: Aboriginal people and the labour market, 2008 to 2010
In the economic downturn that began in 2008, employment fell further and over a longer period among Aboriginal people than in the non-Aboriginal workforce. This was true for all age groups. (...) Declines for core-aged Aboriginal workers were all in full time in both years. For their non-Aboriginal counterparts, the losses in 2009 were all in full-time work, while the gains in 2010 were a combination of full- and part-time jobs.

The study :

Aboriginal People and the Labour Market: Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2008-2010
by Jeannine Usalcas
Table of contents:
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Highlights
Source, data history and definitions
Main article
Tables
Charts
User information
PDF version (155K, 29 pages)

Source:
Aboriginal People and the Labour Market:
Estimates from the Labour Force Survey, 2008-2010 - product main page*
This report provides an overview of the labour market outcomes of Aboriginal people during and after the labour market downturn. It covers the period of 2008 to 2010, using annual averages by several demographic and labour market activity indicators available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
---
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue of this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues.

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February 16, 2011
Health Reports - February 2011 (Physical activity among First Nations people off reserve, Métis and Inuit)
A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research

The February 2011 online edition of Health Reports contains two articles:

Evaluation of the factor structure of the child-reported parenting
questionnaire in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth
By Rübab G. Arim et al.
February 2011
- compares rates of active and moderately active leisure time (versus inactive) among First Nations people off reserve, Métis and Inuit with rates among non-Aboriginal people.

Physical activity among First Nations people off reserve, Métis and Inuit
By Leanne C. Findlay
February 2011
- evaluates three child-reported parenting behaviour scales (nurturance, rejection and monitoring) in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth.

Source:
Health Reports - product main page
Health Reports, published by the Health Analysis Division (HAD) of Statistics Canada, is a peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research. It is designed for a broad audience that includes health professionals, researchers, policymakers, and through media coverage, the general public. The journal publishes articles of wide interest that contain original and timely analyses of national or provincial/territorial surveys or administrative databases.
- Click the product main page link, then "View" to read the latest issue or "Chronological index" for earlier issues

2006 Aboriginal Population Profiles for
Selected Cities and Communities: Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces
The series aims to present a demographic and socio-economic profile of the total Aboriginal population living in these areas. Demographic data as well as information on living arrangements of children, education, labour, income, mobility, housing, and health are highlighted.
Source:
2006 Aboriginal Population Profiles for Selected Cities and Communities - Product main page*
This product is a series of profiles for a number of census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and communities across Canada with a large Aboriginal population, either in numbers or share of the area's total population. The series aims to present a demographic and socio-economic profile of the total Aboriginal population living in these areas.
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue of this report online;
click "Chronological index" for Aboriginal Population Profiles for other Canadian cities.

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Risk factors and chronic conditions among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations
In Canada, the prevalence of behavioural risk factors and chronic conditions varies between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations, with Aboriginal people generally having less favourable outcomes. For example, obesity and overweight are more common among Aboriginal people than among other groups. Also, the likelihood of having at least one chronic condition and specifi c conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes is higher among Aboriginal people, even when differences in sociodemographic characteristics are taken into account
Source:
Health Reports, November 2009
(November 18, 2009)

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July 21, 2009
Incarceration of Aboriginal people in adult correctional services
In 2007/2008, Aboriginal adults accounted for 22% of admissions to sentenced custody, while representing 3% of the Canadian population. Age, level of education, and employment status can only partially explain the representation of Aboriginal adults incarcerated in Canadian prisons, according to a new study that used data from the Integrated Correctional Service Survey and the 2006 Census to analyze factors that could be contributing to the representation of Aboriginal adults in custody.
- includes two tables:
* Aboriginal people as a proportion of admissions to adult provincial/territorial sentenced custody, and as a proportion of the general population, 2007/2008
* Incarceration rates for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal persons aged 20 to 34, by employment and education status, selected jurisdictions, on May 16, 2006
[ Highlights ]
[ Full article in HTML ]
[ Full article in PDF- 496K, 27 pages) ]

Source:
Juristat
[ Statistics Canada ]

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Study: The health of First Nations living off-reserve, Inuit and Métis adults, 2007
First Nations living off-reserve, Inuit and Métis adults aged 20 or older were less likely to report being in excellent or very good health and were more likely to report at least one activity limitation than were non-Aboriginal adults. First Nations (off-reserve) and Métis adults were also more likely than non-Aboriginal adults to be diagnosed with one of several chronic conditions including arthritis, diabetes, heart problems and cancer. On the other hand, Inuit adults were equally or less likely to be diagnosed with such conditions.

Report:

The Health of First Nations Living Off-Reserve, Inuit, and Métis
Adults in Canada: The Impact of Socio-economic Status on Inequalities in Health

Also posted June 23:

Acute-care hospitalizations and Aboriginal identity in Canada, 2001/2002
Health disparities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in Canada, including differences in life expectancies, have clearly been established. A variety of sources is currently used to measure and document these disparities, yet information gaps persist...

Related subjects:
* Aboriginal peoples
* Health and well-being
* Health
* Diseases and health conditions

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June 19, 2009First Nations people:
Selected findings of the 2006 Census
HTML
PDF (125K, 8 pages)
by Linda Gionet
May 12, 2009
The article provides selected findings of the 2006 Census on the First Nations population. Overall, it highlights where First Nations people live, their demographic characteristics, their ability to speak an Aboriginal language, their postsecondary education, their employment situation, their income, and their housing conditions.
Source:
Canadian Social Trends
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February 19, 2009
Aboriginal Peoples Survey: Health of the Métis population, 2006
In 2006, just over half (54%) of all Métis aged 15 and over reported that they had been diagnosed with a chronic condition, about the same as in 2001. In most cases, Métis had higher rates of chronic conditions than people in the total population.
Related link:
Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2006: An overview of the health of the Métis population
February 2009
HTML version
PDF version (673K, 29 pages)
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January 16, 2009
Aboriginal Peoples Survey: School experiences of
First Nations children aged 6 to 14 living off reserve, 2006
First Nations children aged 6 to 14 who lived off reserve were as likely as all children in Canada to be doing well in school (based on parents' knowledge of their child's school work, including report cards).
[ Complete report ]
[ Related fact sheet ]
[ Key indicators from the 2006
Aboriginal Children's Survey and the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey ]
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2006 Aboriginal Population ProfileThese profiles present community-level information from the 2006 Census of Population. Users can search for an area of interest by typing its 'place name' in the box below or by clicking on a province or territory from the list below and selecting the area from a list. Information to complete the profile will be available in June 2008.Source:
2006 Census

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January 15, 2008
Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census
Statistics Canada today releases the first analysis of data on Aboriginal peoples from the 2006 Census.
[ Aboriginal Peoples in Canada in 2006: Inuit, Métis and First Nations, 2006 Census: Findings ]

Health Canada
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) at Health Canada works with First Nations and Inuit, a unique clientele with a special historic relationship with the federal government. The mandate of the Branch is to improve health outcomes for First Nations and Inuit; to ensure the availability of, or access to, quality health services; and to support greater control of the health system by First Nations and Inuit.
Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve
The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve initiative is designed to prepare young First Nations children for their school years, by meeting their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs.
Public Health Agency of Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada
Programs for Aboriginal Peoples
- focus on * Diabetes * Healthy Living * Substance Use & Treatment * Suicide Prevention
Division of Childhood and Adolescence
The Division Childhood and Adolescence is a focal point for policy development, research, and strategic analysis of trends regarding broad determinants of health regarding children and youth in Canada.
Canadian Heritage
"The Canadian Heritage Portfolio, which includes the Department of Canadian Heritage and our major national cultural institutions, plays a vital role in the cultural and civic life of Canadians. We work together to promote culture, the arts, heritage, official languages, citizenship and participation, and Aboriginal, youth, and sport initiatives."
- incl. links to : A to Z Index - Arts and Culture - Citizenship and Identity - Diversity and Multiculturalism - International - Sport - Youth - The Department - About us - What's new - Application Forms - Funding Programs - Legislation - Organizational View - Publications - Regional Offices - Agencies and Corporations
Aboriginal Peoples' ProgramThe Aboriginal Peoples' Program (APP) supports the full participation and cultural revitalization of Aboriginal People in Canadian society. It enables Aboriginal Peoples to address the social, cultural, economic and political issues affecting their lives.
[ Aboriginal Programs, Policy, and Research ]

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC)

Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund
Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government is investing $75 million of new funding over two years to establish the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund. The fund will support short-term, focused initiatives designed to help Aboriginal people get the specific skills they require to benefit from economic opportunities, including those generated by the federal stimulus package.

See also:

* Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership

* Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy

* Apprenticeship Completion Grant

* Apprenticeship Incentive Grant

Source:
Economic Action Plan – Support for Workers and the Unemployed
[ Human Resources and Skills Development Canada ]

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Exposing the aboriginal industry
Canada spends billions on its native people, yet many aboriginals remain plagued by poverty, addiction and other social ills.
Meanwhile, a handful of lawyers, band leaders and chiefs prosper, argue the authors of a controversial new bookApril 25, 2009
By Frances Widdowson and Albert Howard
CALGARY–One of the most pressing problems in Canada today is the terrible social conditions that exist in many aboriginal communities. It is well known that the rates of poverty, substance abuse and violence are much higher for the native population, and that health and educational levels remain far below the national average. Even more disturbing is the fact that the alarming statistics persist despite billions of dollars being spent on programs and services to alleviate these Third World conditions. Why has so much government funding had so little impact?
Source:
The Toronto Star

Order the Book ($85) from McGill-Queen's University Press

Justice Canada
Aboriginal Rights in Canada since 1900
- links to info about key court cases and laws that have shaped human rights in Canada since 1900
Source:
Human rights in 20th Century Canada - A Historical Perspective
[ Justice Canada ]
Also from Justice Canada:
Second National Study Shows Fewer Aboriginal Youth In Custody
November 22, 2004
"OTTAWA – The Department of Justice, with the support of the provinces and territories, today released the second One Day Snapshot of Aboriginal Youth in Custodyacross Canada . The report documents the number of Aboriginal youth in custody on a single day - June 4, 2003 - and is a follow up to the first Snapshot done in 2000. The 2003 Snapshot shows a 36% reduction in the number of Aboriginal youth in custody from three years earlier: down from 1,128 in 2000 to 720 in 2003."Backgrounder
Complete report:
A One-Day Snapshot of Aboriginal Youth in Custody Across Canada : Phase IIFebruary 2004
HTML version - table of contents, links to each section (all in HTML)
PDF version (421K, 45 pages)
Library of Parliament
Parliamentary Research Branch Publications
Large collection - links to almost 200 studies and reports!
Source:
Library of Parliament (Click on Virtual Library on the home page)
Here are some sample studies (click on the Publications link above to access these reports):
The Aboriginal Fisheries and The Sparrow Decision
Aboriginal Fishing Rights: Supreme Court Decisions
Aboriginal Peoples and the 1995 Quebec Referendum: A Survey of the Issues
Aboriginal Self-Government[In Brief]
Aboriginal Self-Government
Aboriginal Title: The Supreme Court of Canada Decision in Delgamuukw v. British Columbia
Bill S-24: The Kanesatake Interim Land Base Governance Act
Indian Status and Band Membership Issues
The Nisga'a Final Agreement
The Report on the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples[In Brief]
Settling Land Claims [In Brief]
Suicide among Aboriginal People: Royal Commission Report

Auditor General of Canada

2008 May Report of the Auditor General of CanadaMay 6, 2008
The latest Report of the Auditor General of Canada was tabled in the House of Commons today.
[NOTE: click the link above to access all of the chapters below; only the intro and chapter 4 (+ news release) are hyperlinked below.]
* A Message from the Auditor General of Canada
* Chapter 1—Management of Fees in Selected Departments and Agencies
* Chapter 2—Support for Overseas Deployments—National Defence
* Chapter 3—Oversight of Air Transportation Safety—Transport Canada
* Chapter 4—First Nations Child and Family Services Program—Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
* Chapter 5—Surveillance of Infectious Diseases—Public Health Agency of Canada
* Chapter 6—Conservation of Federal Official Residences
* Chapter 7—Detention and Removal of Individuals—Canada Border Services Agency
* Chapter 8—Special Examinations of Crown Corporations—An Overview

Related news releases (one news release per chapter)

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2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada - May 2006
- go to the link above to download small PDF files for each of the following chapters
NOTE: because of the social program focus of Canadian Social Research Links, the only chapter that's hyperlinked below is Chapter 5, because it deals with First Nations, which is one of the thematic pages of this site
A Message from the Auditor General of Canada
Chapter 1 — Managing Government: Financial Information
Chapter 2 — National Defence—Military Recruiting and Retention
Chapter 3 — National Defence—NATO Flying Training in Canada
Chapter 4 — Canadian Firearms Program
Chapter 5 — Management of Programs for First NationsChapter 6 — Management of Voted Grants and Contributions
Chapter 7 — Acquisition of Leased Office Space
Chapter 8 — Canada Revenue Agency—Collection of Tax Debts
Government Decisions Limited Parliament's Control of Public Spending

From the 1994 Report of the Auditor General of Canada:
Chapter 23—Indian and Northern Affairs Canada—Social Assistance

Reports to Parliament by Topic:
Aboriginal Affairs
- links to 30 reports from 2008 back to 1986

Library and Archives Canada
Aboriginal Peoples
(Click the link above to access any of the features below)
* Aboriginal Documentary Heritage
* Aboriginal Peoples - Guide to the Records of the Government of Canada
* Aboriginal Resources and Services
* The Canadian West
* Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
* Government of Canada Files (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
* Indian Affairs Annual Reports 1864-1990
* Indian Reserves - Western Canada (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
* Louis Riel, the Red River Rebellion (Unpublished Thematic Guides)
* Métis Land Claims
* Métis Scrip Records (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
* Naskapi Lexicon
* Native Residential Schools in Canada: A Selective Bibliography
* Pride and Dignity: Aboriginal Portraits
* Project Naming (available in Inuktitut)
* Red and Black Series (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
* Treaties, Surrenders and Agreements (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
* Treaty 8: 1899-1999
* Western Land Grants, 1870-1930 (ArchiviaNet Research Tool)
Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation
Aboriginal Housing
Browse by Topic:
* On-Reserve Housing
* Off-Reserve Housing
* Northern Housing
Source:

Aboriginal Justice Inquiry - Child Welfare Initiative (AJI-CWI) - Manitoba
The AJI-CWI is focused on restructuring the child and family services system in Manitoba to make it a system of concurrent jurisdiction in which the responsibility for CFS services will be based on a person's culture not where they live. Through this First Nations and Metis CFS agencies will serve members no matter where they live in the province. The AJI-CWI recently (August 9th) released a vision paper describing the proposed plan and has launched a public feedback process that will be underway until the end of September. The AJI-CWI represents a joint initiative among four parties: The Province of Manitoba - The Manitoba Metis Federation - The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs - The Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. The purpose of the joint initiative is to work together through a common process to develop and subsequently oversee the implementation of a plan to restructure the child welfare system in Manitoba.
Also about Manitoba:
Aboriginal People in Manitoba (872K, 101 pages)
April 2006
The information contained in this publication is intended to:
* Serve as a resource for policy makers
* Provide general information for those who want to learn about Aboriginal Manitobans
* Provide factual information to aid in eliminating misinformation and stereotypes
* Provide baseline information for measuring program results.
Aboriginal People in Manitoba was produced by Service Canada in co-operation with the Province of Manitoba.
Source:
Service Canada

Aboriginal Early Childhood Development Links Issue File: Aboriginal Early Childhood Development - this Issue File is intended to promote discussion about how Aboriginal child care features within Canada’s early learning and childcare system. - incl. links to over a dozen reports and a dozen related websites Source: Childcare Resource and Research Unit (Toronto) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aboriginal Children's Circle of Early Learning "The Aboriginal Children’s Circle of Early Learning (ACCEL) is a bilingual, web portal clearinghouse on Aboriginal early childhood development (ECD). Visitors can consult the site to review, research and discuss best and promising practices; to exchange with a highly engaged network of Aboriginal ECD practitioners and researchers; and to keep in touch with the emerging needs of communities across Canada." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dedicated Services for First Nations and Other Aboriginal Children and Families Source: Federal/Provincial/Territorial Early Childhood Development Agreement: Report on Government of Canada Activities and Expenditures 2000-2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Division of Childhood and Adolescence - part of the Public Health Agency of Canada The Division Childhood and Adolescence is a focal point for policy development, research, and strategic analysis of trends regarding broad determinants of health regarding children and youth in Canada. Aboriginal Head Start Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities is a Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada-funded early childhood development program for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and their families. Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) CAPC provides long term funding to community coalitions to deliver programs that address the health and development of children (0-6 years) who are living in conditions of risk. It recognizes that communities have the ability to identify and respond to the needs of children and places a strong emphasis on partnerships and community capacity building. Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program.Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) CPNP is a comprehensive community-based program designed to meet the needs of pregnant women facing difficult life circumstances that threaten their health and the development of their babies. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome The goal of the national Fetal Alcohol Syndrome / Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Initiative is to develop a broad-based collaborative effort to prevent FAS/FAE and improve the quality of life of all people affected by FAS/FAE.

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Together to make a difference. Québec, 2003.
34 pages in 5 separate PDF files --- (1092K - 1088K - 1071 - 1209 K - 1058 K)
Other title:
Aboriginal people in Quebec: together to make a differencehttp://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/R2-251-2003E-1.pdf
http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/R2-251-2003E-2.pdf
http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/R2-251-2003E-3.pdf
http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/R2-251-2003E-4.pdf
http://dsp-psd.communication.gc.ca/Collection/R2-251-2003E-5.pdf
Source:
Weekly Checklist - Govt. of Canada Publications

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Hope or Heartbreak: Aboriginal Youth and Canada’s Future (PDF - 2MB, 104 pages)
Horizons, Volume 10 Number 1
March 2008This special issue of Horizons was a joint collaboration between the Government of Canada’s Policy Research Initiative and the Research and Analysis Directorate at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. This volume is part of one of the PRI's current interdepartmental projects, Investing in Youth: Evidence from Research, Policy and Practice. This special issue presents the latest research and analysis to highlight emerging trends, challenges and opportunities related to the rapidly growing population of Aboriginal youth within an aging and changing Canada.

[ PRI Publications - click on "All Research Projects" to open a drop-down box to select a particular project, or scroll down the page to see all reports, including earlier issues of Horizons. ]

Source:
Policy Research Initiative (Government of Canada)
The Policy Research Initiative conducts research in support of the Government of Canada’s medium term agenda. Its core mandate is to advance research on emerging horizontal issues, and to ensure the effective transfer of acquired knowledge to policy-makers.

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Bill C-21: An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act 29 May 2008 Bill C-21 repeals section 67 of the federal human rights statute, which has restricted access to the legislation’s redress mechanisms with respect to “any provision of the Indian Act or any provision made under or pursuant to that Act.”(2) In December 2007 and January 2008, the Aboriginal Affairs Committeee considered Bill C-21 clause by clause in four meetings, adopting five significant opposition amendments having to do with interpretive and process matters, and leaving the repeal provision itself intact. On 28 May, by unanimous consent of the House of Commons, the bill was deemed concurred in at report stage, with government amendments modifying two of the Committeee’s proposals, and deemed read a third time and passed. Source: Parliamentary Research Branch Publications [ Library of Parliament (Click on Virtual Library on the home page) ] September 13, 2007 Canada votes 'no' as UN native rights declaration passes http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-votes-no-as-un-native-rights-declaration-passes-1.632160 ( United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) The international community has adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, despite high-profile opposition from Canada and three other countries. The non-binding declaration, which sets out global human rights standards for indigenous populations, was easily approved Thursday by the UN General Assembly in New York — with only Canada, New Zealand, the United States and Australia dissenting. Eleven countries abstained. Source: CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/news/

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Canada's poor face `emergency': UN group says social programs lacking Sharply critical on rights of aboriginalsMay 23, 2006 "Welfare benefits in most provinces have dropped in value in the past 10 years and often amount to less than half of basic living costs, a UN watchdog group charged yesterday. The employment insurance program needs to be more accessible, minimum wages don't meet basic needs, and homelessness and inadequate housing amount to a "national emergency," says the UN body's report from Geneva." Source: The Toronto Star NOTE: for links to the Geneva report and reports by non-governmental organizations, go to the United Nations Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/un.htm

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Aboriginal Treaties and Relations
"Since the time of European First Contact, the course of Aboriginal history in Canada has been deeply altered by relations with Europeans and the laws they imposed on aboriginals - laws like the Indian Act. Furthermore, major and minor treaties played a significant and important role in charting the course of European - Aboriginal relations within the country.This section of the Canada in the Making site will look at these treaties and laws, and the events that preceded and followed these changes."
Source:
Canada in the Making (Govt. of Canada site)
"Built around the Government Documents collection of the Early Canadiana Online collection, [this site] integrates narrative text with links to primary source texts. This site is has been designed for students and teachers of Canadian studies, history and law, but will also be useful to researchers and anyone else interested in Canada's past."

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Prime Minister Harper announces major reforms to address the backlog of Aboriginal treaty claimsNews Release
June 12, 2007
Ottawa -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced plans for a decisive new approach that will fundamentally change the way specific claims are handled in Canada. The Specific Claims Action Plan addresses the huge backlog of unresolved treaty claims that has been the source of division and conflict in communities across the country. “Instead of letting disputes over land and compensation drag on forever, fuelling frustration and uncertainty, they will be solved once and for all by impartial judges on a new Specific Claims Tribunal,” Prime Minister Harper said.
Source:
Government of Canada News Centre

Related links:

Backgrounder - Specific Claims in Canada

Related articles in the news media (Google.ca search results)

British Columbia: Pathways to Health and Healing (PDF - 8.9MB) Second Report on the Health and Well-being of Aboriginal People in British Columbia Provincial Health Officer's Annual Report 2007 Release date June 25, 2009 This report contains eight chapters encompassing discussions on determinants of health, pregnancy, infants and children, diseases and injuries, physical environment, and health services, with a chapter devoted to recommendations on improving the health of the Aboriginal population in BC. In addition, with the availability of the 2006 Métis Nation BC Survey, a chapter is also provided on the health and wellbeing of the Métis population in the province. The report also includes examples of best practices, programs, and success stories in various Aboriginal communities in the province. Appendix (PDF 1MB, 211 pages) - extensive collection of vital statistics and demographic tables, including some comparisons of mortality and morbidity between status Indians and non-Aboriginal people. Source: Office of the Provincial Health Officer [ Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport ] [ Government of British Columbia ]

Non-Government Sites

Justice for First Nations children: A talk by Cindy Blackstock
http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/redeye/2015/02/justice-first-nations-children-talk-cindy-blackstock
By Redeye Collective
February 18, 2015
- includes a podcast with Cindy Blackstock (duration 52:45 minutes)
Every child has the right grow up safely at home, go to a good school and be healthy. But the federal government chronically underfunds services for First Nations children on reserve. Cindy Blackstock took the government to court. After five years, the case is finally being heard. The ruling on this landmark case to end federal government discrimination against First Nations children is expected this spring. Cindy Blackstock spoke at the Vancouver Public Library on January 15, 2015.

Source:
rabble.ca
http://rabble.ca/

From
Canada Without Poverty:

Canada Stands Idle in light of Human Rights Abuses
http://www.cwp-csp.ca/2015/01/canada-stands-idle-in-light-of-human-rights-abuses/
January 12, 2015
Canada’s Indigenous woman are four times more likely to be murdered or go missing than the average Canadian woman, and yet governments at all levels continue to wait for this issue to solve itself. These human rights abuses can no longer be ignored.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights [ http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/ ] today released Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia, another startling report highlighting the grave human rights violations experienced by Indigenous women in Canada.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in British Columbia, Canada (PDF - 3.1MB, 127 pages)
http://www.fafia-afai.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Missing-and-Murdered-Indigenous-Women-in-British-Columbia_Report_EN.pdf
December 2014
Excerpt from the Executive Summary:
This report addresses the situation of missing and murdered indigenous women in British Columbia, Canada. It analyzes the context in which indigenous women have gone missing and been murdered over the past several years and the response to this human rights issue by the Canadian State. The report offers recommendations geared towards assisting the State in strengthening its efforts to protect and guarantee indigenous women’s rights.

Source:
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)
http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/
The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (“OAS”) whose mission is to promote and protect human rights in the American hemisphere

Organization of American States (OAS)
http://www.oas.org/
The OAS uses a four-pronged approach to effectively implement its essential purposes. The Organization’s four main pillars––democracy, human rights, security, and development––support each other and are intertwined through political dialogue, inclusiveness, cooperation, and legal and follow-up instruments that provide the OAS with the tools to maximize its work in the Hemisphere.

Related link:

New Report on Canada's Compliance with Beijing Platform
http://www.fafia-afai.org/en/new-report-on-canadas-compliance-with-beijing-platform/
November 5, 2014
A new report from a network of over 30 NGOs, Trade Unions and Experts, Progress on Women’s Rights: Missing in Action, prepared for Canada’s 20-year review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, clearly shows that progress has stalled in critical areas, including violence against women and girls, the economy, and women’s leadership and decision making.

Complete report:

Progress on Women’s Rights: Missing in Action:
A Shadow Report on Canada’s Implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action (PDF - 751KB, 88 pages)
http://www.fafia-afai.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Beijing-20-Canada.pdf
Prepared by a Network of NGOs,
Trade Unions and Independent Experts
October 2014
Excerpt from the Executive Summary:
This report addresses the situation of missing and murdered indigenous women in British Columbia, Canada. It analyzes the context in which indigenous women have gone missing and been murdered over the past several years and the response to this human rights issue by the Canadian State. The report offers recommendations geared towards assisting the State in strengthening its efforts to protect and guarantee indigenous women’s rights.

Feminist Alliance for International Action
http://www.fafia-afai.org/

Moving to the City : Housing and
Aboriginal Migration to Winnipeg (PDF - 2.2MB, 46 pages)
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Manitoba%20Office/2014/12/Aboriginal_Migration.pdf
By Josh Brandon Evelyn Peters
December 9, 2014
Winnipeg is home to Canada’s largest Aboriginal population. Aboriginal people, however, are among the most likely to experience homelessness and are also over-represented in housing that is unaffordable, overcrowded or in poor condition. Finding housing has become a wall preventing many Aboriginal people from successfully making Winnipeg home. Moving to the City: Housing and Aboriginal Migration to Winnipeg documents the housing experiences of Aboriginal people moving to Winnipeg.

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary
Introduction
Methodology
First Nations Urbanization
Eagle Urban Transition Centre (EUTC)
Navigating Systems
Challenges First Nations Migrants Face in Finding Housing in Urban Areas
The Importance of Aboriginal Culture and Service Provision
Aboriginal Youth
EUTC and Housing First Strategies
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography

Executive summary (blog posting)
http://policyfix.ca/2014/12/10/meeting-the-housing-needs-of-aboriginal-people-moving-to-winnipeg/
December 10, 2014

Source:
Policy Fix (CCPA MB Blog):
http://policyfix.ca/

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Fast Facts : Meeting the housing needs
of Aboriginal people moving to Winnipeg
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/fast-facts-meeting-housing-needs-aboriginal-people-moving-winnipeg
By Josh Brandon
December 5, 2014
"...we made 16 recommendations in five key areas: Increasing access to social housing; intergovernmental cooperation; increasing settlement and transitional supports; decentralizing transitional services; and increasing financial resources available to migrants."

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Manitoba Office
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/offices/manitoba

Community, Research and Social Change: 10th annual State of the Inner City Report
http://policyfix.ca/2014/12/16/community-research-and-social-change-10th-annual-state-of-the-inner-city-report/
The State of the Inner City Report is an annual research collaboration between the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba and community organizations based in the inner city of Winnipeg. This year marks its tenth year anniversary. Since the beginning, the State of the Inner City Reports have celebrated community-based development and advanced progressive policy alternatives put forward by those working and living directly in the community.
NOTE : Special focus on children in care and child welfare.

Complete report (PDF - 2.7MB, 52 pages):
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Manitoba%20Office/2014/12/Inner%20City%202014%20low-res.pdf

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Harper Launches Major First Nations Termination Plan:
As Negotiating Tables Legitimize Canada’s Colonialism
http://goo.gl/GJK8z
By Russell Diablo
November 9, 2012
On September 4 (2012), the Harper government clearly signaled its intention to:
1) Focus all its efforts to assimilate First Nations into the existing federal and provincial orders of government of Canada;
2) Terminate the constitutionally protected and internationally recognized Inherent, Aboriginal and Treaty rights of First Nations.
Termination in this context means the ending of First Nations pre-existing sovereign status through federal coercion of First Nations into Land Claims and Self-Government Final Agreements that convert First Nations into municipalities, their reserves into fee simple lands and extinguishment of their Inherent, Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. To do this the Harper government announced three new policy measures.
(...)
Given their silence over the Harper government’s “results based” “take it or leave it” negotiations approach, it seems many of the negotiating First Nations at the Comprehensive Claims and/or Self-Government tables are still contemplating concluding Agreements under Canada’s termination policies. This can only lead to further division among First Nations across Canada as more First Nations compromise their constitutional and international rights by consenting to final settlement agreements under the terms and conditions of Canada’s termination policies, while undermining the political positions of the non-negotiating First Nations.
(...)
If there is no organized protest and resistance to the Harper government’s termination plan, First Nations should accept their place at the bottom of all social, cultural and economic indicators in Canada, just buy into Harper’s jobs and economic action plan—and be quiet about their rights.  

38 comments about this article:
http://intercontinentalcry.org/harper-launches-major-first-nations-termination-plan-as-negotiating-tables-legitimize-canadas-colonialism/#comments

Source:
Intercontinental Cry --- Essential news and film on the world's Indigenous Peoples
http://intercontinentalcry.org/

The above editorial was originally featured in:
First Nations Strategic Bulletin, June-October 2012 (PDF - 1MB, 20 pages)
http://intercontinentalcry.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/FNSB-July-Oct-12.pdf
The First Nations Strategic Bulletin is a publication of the First Nations Strategic Policy Counsel [no website found for this group] --- an informal group of individuals who are practitioners in either First Nations policy or law. The publication is a volunteer non-profit effort and is part of a series. For Back Issues Go To: Canada Library & Archives - Electronic Collections.
[NOTE by Gilles : I couldn't find any back issues of this bulletin in the Canada Library & Archives Electronic Collections.]
Russell Diabo is the Publisher and Editor of First Nations Strategic Bulletin.

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Assembly of First Nations
"The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the national representative organization of the First Nations in Canada. There are over 630 First Nation's communities in Canada. The AFN Secretariat, is designed to present the views of the various First Nations through their leaders in areas such as: Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, Economic Development, Education, Languages and Literacy, Health, Housing, Social Development, Justice, Taxation, Land Claims, Environment, and a whole array of issues that are of common concern which arise from time to time."
- incl. links to: Calendar - National Achief Phil Fontaine - About AFN - Resolutions - Contact Us - Executive Committee - Links
Links to programs incl. Communicartions - Econpmic Development - Education - Environment - Finance - Fiscal Relations - Health - International - Justice and Firearms - Lanhuages - Residential School Issues - Social Development* - Treaties and Lands - Veterans - Youth
*Social Development
[Click on "Social Development" in the sidebar on the left side of the AFN home page]
- includes an overview of AFN activities in the area of social development programs - DIAND Renewal of Authorities - Income Assistance - Assisted Living - First Nations Child and Family Services - Family Violence Prevention - National Child Benefit Reinvestment - Social Development Program Management Infrastructure Initiative - DIAND Anomalies in Current Practices - Income Security Reform - First Nations Child and Family Services - Early Childhood Development - National Child Benefit - Adult Care - Key Planned Acivities - Issues, Challenges and Opportunities - more...

Related links: Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Updated 14 September 2007: UN General Assembly adopts the Declaration in September 2007 With an overwhelming majority of 143 votes in favour, only 4 negative votes cast (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United States) and 11 abstentions, the United Nations General Assembly (GA) adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on September 13, 2007. The Declaration has been negotiated through more than 20 years between nation-states and Indigenous Peoples. Source: International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs Canadian vote left stain on country's reputation September 26, 2007 Thursday Sept. 13 was a sad day for Canada and its partnership with First Nations peoples – a partnership that has had too many sad chapters. It was also a sad day for Canada's international reputation. The Government of Canada accomplished a stunning about-face in voting against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples before the world that day. Source: The Toronto Star Related Web/News/Blog links: Google Search Results Links - always current results! Using the following search terms (without the quote marks): "UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" - Web search results page - News search results page - Blog Search Results page Source: Google.ca

Canadian Human Rights complaint on First Nations child welfare filed today by
Assembly of First Nations and First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
February 23, 2007
Today, the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada formally filed a complaint today with the Canadian Human Rights Commission regarding lack of funding for First Nations child welfare. “There are more than 27,000 First Nations children in state care. This is a national disgrace that requires the immediate and serious attention of all governments to resolve,” said National Chief Phil Fontaine. “Rational appeals to successive federal governments have been ignored. After years of research that confirm the growing numbers of our children in care, as well as the potential solutions to this crisis, we have no choice but to appeal to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.”

First Nations Child and Family Services - Questions and Answers
February 2007

Leadership Action Plan On First Nations Child Welfare (PDF File - 1.5MB, 16 pages)
November 2006

Related link:

Cindy Blackstock Speaking Notes
Human Rights Complaint News Conference (PDF file - 107K, 6 pages)
February 23, 2007
Ottawa
Source:First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada

From Make Poverty History (Canada):

Make Poverty History: The First Nations Plan for Creating Opportunity
November 20, 2006
In Canada, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) recently launched Make Poverty History: The First Nations Plan for Creating Opportunity. We are asking all members of the public to sign our on-line petition to ensure that the Government of Canada sees that First Nations poverty is a truly shared issue for all Canadians.

Royal Commission on Aboriginal People at 10 Years:
A Report Card (351K, 20 pages)
November 2006
"(...) summary analysis points to a clear lack of action on the key foundational recommendations of RCAP and a resultant lack of progress on key socio-economic indicators. Based on our assessment, Canada has failed in terms of its action to date. (...) The reality for First Nations communities today is ongoing poverty, and an increasing gap in living conditions with other Canadians, which were reported during the RCAP hearings."
Source:
Assembly of First Nations (AFN)

Related Link:

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996)
- includes links to the full final report, highlights and a speech
Source:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

First Nations early learning and child care action plan
April 2005
Report from the Assembly of First Nations sets out their vision for a “First Nations controlled and sustainable child care system that adopts a holistic, culturally appropriate approach.”

First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
The purpose of the Caring Society is to promote the well being of all First Nations children, youth, families and communities with a particular focus on the prevention of, and response to, child maltreatment.
- incl. links to : About the FNCFCS (mission, mandate, org chart, strategic plan, board of directors) - Membership - Projects (First Nations Research Site, Voluntary Sector Initiative, Disabilities Research) - Publications (Databases, On-Line Journal, Fact Sheets, FNCFCS publications, recommended readings) - Resources (Agency List, Child Welfare Law, Links) - Event

Five Ways to Make a Difference:
1. Register your individual or organizational support for Jordan's Principle which is a child first principle to resolving inter governmental jurisdictional disputes.
2. Help reshape the child welfare system so that it better supports Aboriginal children, youth and families by endorsing the Reconciliation in Child Welfare:
Touchstones of hope for Indigenous children and youth.
3. Join Amnesty International Canada in putting an end to inequitable child welfare funding for First Nations children
4.Join us in supporting the Many Hands One Dream principles to guide improvements to Aboriginal health care resulting in healthier Aboriginal children and young people.
5. Learn how to respectfully engage young people in your organization's work by registering your support for the Declaration of Accountability on the Ethical Engagement of Young People and Adults in Canadian Organizations.

Related links: Jordan's Principle, governments' paralysis Noni MacDonald, M.D., M.Sc, and Amir Attaran, L.L.B., Ph.D. August 14, 2007 Children are vulnerable members of our society. They are voiceless in decision-making, subject to the judgments and actions of others. First Nations people are also vulnerable — victims of ill-will and broken promises and suffering from the worst social, economic and health conditions in Canada. So imagine the unenviable situation to be a First Nations child, very sick and living on a reserve where there are minimal children's services. Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal[ Canadian Medical Association ] Related links: Governments failing native children, report saysBy André Picard August 14, 2007 Hundreds of aboriginal children with severe medical problems are being reluctantly surrendered to welfare authorities and moved to institutions in big cities because federal and provincial health authorities cannot agree on who should pay to care for them in their home communities. Source: The Globe and Mail

First Peoples Child & Family Review - Volume 4, Number 1, 2009
A Journal on Innovation and Best Practices in
Aboriginal Child Welfare Administration, Research, Policy and Practice

Table of Contents for this issue:* Foreword
* Editorial
* YOUTH PERSPECTIVE: Reflections on Racism
* POEM: Can You Hear me Through the White Noise?
* Going Back to the Roots: Using the Medicine Wheel in the Healing Process
* Mental Health Promotion as a Prevention and Healing Tool for Issues of Youth Suicide in Canadian Aboriginal Communities
* Occasional Evil of Angels: Learning from the Experiences of Aboriginal Peoples and Social Work
* Utilization of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect in First Nations Child Welfare Agencies in Ontario
* Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Standards: Supporting Children in the Care of Children’s Services
* One Indigenous Academic’s Evolution: A Personal Narrative of Native Health Research and Competing Ways of Knowing
* Metaphorical Reflections: The Colonial Circus of the Drunken Indian and the Kidney Machine
* COMMENTARY: Knowledge Mobilization for the Real World - Seeking Wisdom
* THE LAST WORD: After the Residential School Apology: Why all Canadians Should Care about a Racial Equality Case Before the Canadian Human Rights Commission

Source:
First Peoples Child & Family Review
- incl. links to five earlier issues of the Review back to 2004
[ First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS)" Making a Difference for First Nations Children and Families" ]

FNCFCS Newsletter - summer 2007 issue (PDF file - 931K, 4 pages)
[ links to earlier issues of the newsletter - back to 2002]

First Peoples Child & Family Review - 2007 issue
[ links to earlier issues of the review + call for papers for December 2007 issue ]

First Nations Links

First Peoples Child & Family Review
Volume 3, Number 2, 2007
Table of contents:
* Guest Editorial - Adolescent Development, Mental Health, and Promising Research Directions for Aboriginal Youth
* Adolescence: A Window of Opportunity for Positive Change in Mental Health
* An Alcohol Abuse Early Intervention Approach with Mi’kmaq Adolescents
* Building a Collaborative Understanding of Pathways to Adolescent Alcohol Misuse in a Mi’kmaq Community: A Process Paper
* The Effects of Self Harming Behaviours of Youth in Child Welfare Care
* The Maltreatment and Adolescent Pathways (MAP) Project: Using Adolescent Child Protective Services Population-Based Research to Identify Research Questions
* A Commentary on Alternative Approaches to the Research Process with Canadian First Nation Communities
* A Smoking Prevention Program for Aboriginal Youth
* Housing for Aboriginal Youth in the Inner City of Winnipeg
* Is Attachment Theory Consistent with Aboriginal Parenting Realities?
* A Change of Residence: Government Schools and Foster Homes as Sites of Forced Aboriginal Assimilation – A paper Designed to Provoke Thought and Systemic Change

First Peoples Child & Family Review
Volume 3 Number 1
January 2007
"The latest issue of First Peoples Child & Family Review is now available online. We encourage you to check out our latest articles, as well as our offerings from past issues. If you are interested in contributing to the First Peoples journal, as an author or as a reviewer, information can be found on our website or by contacting the coordinating editor at mbennett@fncfcs.com. The deadline for the next call for papers is March 31st, 2007."

Excerpts from the
Table of Contents of the January 2007 issue:
- Ensuring Knowledge Transmission in the Aboriginal Child Welfare Field
- Keeping First Nations children at home: A few Federal policy changes could make a big difference
- The politics of kith and kin: Observations on the British Columbia government's reaction to the death of Sherry Charlie
- Reflections of a Mi’kmaq social worker on a quarter of a century work in First Nations child welfare
- Promising practice for maintaining identities in First Nation adoption
- Identity lost and found: Lessons from the sixties scoop
More...

Source:
First Peoples Child & Family Review [<=== incl. links to two earlier issues of the review]
A Journal on Innovation and Best Practices in
Aboriginal Child Welfare Administration, Research, Policy and Practice
[ First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada ]

A Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography
on Aspects of Aboriginal Child Welfare in Canada (PDF file - 2.8MB, 254 pages)
Second Edition - 2005 (File dated June 2005)
By Marlyn Bennett, Cindy Blackstock and Richard De La Ronde"This comprehensive and user friendly literature review and annotated bibliography has been prepared at the request of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada as part of the research activities undertaken by the First Nations Research Site as noted in its 2002 Work Plan to the Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare. It was designed to incorporate research and articles from all disciplines relevant to Aboriginal children, youth and the well being of the Aboriginal family. This literature review includes many unpublished papers, program descriptions and reports produced by, or for, Aboriginal Child Welfare agencies, as well as resources from many provincial, state, and federal governments in Canada and the United States. In addition, this review includes a consideration of some of the research conducted and produced by Masters and Doctoral students within Canada in relation to matters that touch on child welfare and/or social related issues benefiting or impacting on all aspects and well-being of Aboriginal children, families and communities."
Source:
The First Nations Research Site of the Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare and
The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS)

Also from FNCFCS:

Jordan’s Principle Joint Declaration to Resolving
Jurisdictional Disputes Affecting Services to First Nations Children"Jordan's Principle presents a child first policy to resolving inter and intra governmental jurisdictional disputes that arise around services for a Status Indian child which are otherwise available to other Canadian children. All provincial/territorial and federal governments are encouraged to endorse this cost neutral policy without delay. Jordan's Principle was unanimously endorsed by the Chiefs in Assembly of the Assembly of First Nations in December. For more information on Jordan’s Principle, please visit the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada’s website."

Fall 2005 Newsletter (PDF file - 1.9MB, 4 pages)
Second Edition of the First Peoples Child and Family Review - National Policy Review Phase Two Research Project Update - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples: Promoting Indigenous Child Rights

Aboriginal Children’s Circle of Early Learning (ACCEL) "is a fully-functioning bilingual, web portal clearinghouse on Aboriginal early childhood development (ECD). You can consult the site to review, research and discuss best and promising practices; to exchange with a highly engaged network of Aboriginal ECD practitioners and researchers; and to keep in touch with the emerging needs of communities across Canada. (...) The ACCEL is being developed by and for Aboriginal communities in partnership by two national non-profit organizations –the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (FNCFCS) and the Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF).

Indigenous child welfare conference features Canadian, U.S., international perspectives Child advocates, political leaders share common goal to build better foundation for child welfare systemOctober 24, 2005 "An unprecedented gathering of Canadian, U.S., and international child advocates and political leaders convenes in Niagara Falls on Oct. 26, to begin meaningful reform of Indigenous child welfare systems. Reconciliation: Looking Back, Reaching Forward—Indigenous Peoples and Child Welfare is a three-day event, Oct. 26 to 28, at the White Oaks Conference Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. “Our intention is to start a sustainable movement to reshape child welfare systems, which have disproportional numbers of Aboriginal children in both Canada and the U.S. We need to recognize the rights and abilities of Indigenous peoples to make the best decisions for Indigenous children,” said event organizer Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. Conference Link: Reconciliation: Looking Back, Reaching Forward—Indigenous Peoples and Child Welfare conference Niagara Falls, October 26 - 28, 2005 You'll find detailed information about the Niagara Falls conference under Initiatives on that page (see "Participants' Information") --- and don't miss the excellent Resources section! Source: NEWS@UofT (University of Toronto) Related Links (Sponsoring Organizations): First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada National Indian Child Welfare Association Child Welfare League of America Child Welfare League of Canada Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Six Nations Council First Nations Orphans Association

Miscellaneous non-governmental links concerning Aboriginal Peoples and First Nations
Native Social Issues in Canada- incl. links to : Introduction » Aboriginals in Canada » Two-tier Health Care » Alienation » Native Cultural Survival » Assembly of 1st Nations » Indigenous Self-gov't » The Future for Natives » Links to More Info
Nunavut: The story of Canada's Inuit People
- incl. links to : Intro » The History » Land Claims Agreement » The Government » Future Challenges » Quick Facts + More Information (Nunavut Election Profile, Territory Newspapers)
Source:
Mapleleafweb
NOTE : As of Jan. 17, 2011, after 11 years of publishing Canadian political educational materials on the Internet, Mapleleafweb.com will no longer be actively maintained.
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Aboriginal Peoples and Postsecondary Education in Canada (PDF file - 1.1MB, 52 pages)
Michael Mendelson
July 2006
The success of Aboriginal people in our postsecondary education (PSE) system is of vital interest to all Canadians. Aboriginal Peoples and Postsecondary Education in Canada reviews the empirical data about how Aboriginal peoples are doing in the PSE system and what the data suggests about strategies to improve these results. The report finds some positive signs. In community colleges, Aboriginal PSE graduation is almost at a level with that of the general population. However, on the negative side, there are many fewer Aboriginal graduates from university, and the situation did not improve over the last several years. Most troubling, Aboriginal people are still failing to complete high school in hugely disproportionate numbers; for example, on Manitoba reserves as many as 70 percent of Aboriginals between the ages of 20 and 24 failed to complete high school (compared to about 16 percent among everyone aged 20 to 24). A surprising and important finding in this paper is that Aboriginal high school graduates have about the same probability as anyone else (75 percent) of graduating with a PSE degree or diploma; the problem therefore is the rate of failure to complete high school. The author argues that, while it is unusual for a quantitative analysis to have direct policy implications, the data in this report clearly shows that high school graduation is the key to improving PSE outcomes for Aboriginal peoples.
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy
Where to from here?: Building a First Nations early childhood strategy
by Greenwood, Margo
Discussion paper for the Assembly of First Nations is part of a national dialogue on a First Nations early childhood strategy to inform the federal government policy positions
Source:
Childcare Resource and Research Unit
April 2005
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First Nations Seeker:
Directory of Canada's First Nations Portals
"Visit First Nations communities through websites they have created!"
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jordan’s Principle
CCSD supports Jordan’s Principle, which urges a child-first approach to the resolution of jurisdictional disputes involving the care of First Nations children.
Source:
Canadian Council on Social Development
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II Indigenous Peoples Summit of the Americas
The First Indigenous Peoples Summit of the Americas took place in Ottawa, Canada, in 2001. This Summit represented the first step in the creation of an indigenous peoples’ movement that parallels the Summit of the Americas process. The 2005 Indigenous Summit provided a forum whereby more than 500 participants developed the Declaration of the Second Summit of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.

Related Links:

Assembly of First Nations
"The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada. The AFN represents all citizens regardless of age, gender or place of residence."
- The Second Indigenous Peoples Summit Of The Americas

Google Web Search Results : "Second Indigenous Peoples Summit Of The Americas"
Google News search Results : "Second Indigenous Peoples Summit Of The Americas"
Source:
Google.ca

Ontario Aboriginal Services Directory- guide to social, recreational, educational, counselling and other resources and support services for Aboriginals in Ontario.Source: 211Ontario.ca

Dedicated Services for First Nations and Other Aboriginal Children and Families
Source:
Federal/Provincial/Territorial Early Childhood Development Agreement:
Report on Government of Canada Activities and Expenditures 2000-2001
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Online database will give Aboriginal post-secondary school students access to scholarships, bursaries, and award money
"The Information Centre on Aboriginal Health (ICAH) is helping Aboriginal students go back to school by offering a database of funding sources. This free online service provides information on more than 850 scholarships, bursaries, and awards available to Aboriginal students pursuing health careers."
Source:
PovNet
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National Aboriginal Women's Association"[T]he National Aboriginal Women's Association (NAWA) aspires to empower women as the means to provide for the betterment of the political, economic, and social conditions for Aboriginal peoples, families, communities, and Nations."
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National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO)"The National Aboriginal Health Organization, an Aboriginal designed and controlled body, will influence and advance the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples through carrying out knowledge-based strategies"
- incl. links to : First Nations Centre - Ajunnginiq Centre - Métis Centre - Information Centre on Aboriginal Health - Research Circle - Communications Circle - Gatherings - Careers in
Aboriginal Health - Links - Board of Director's Portal - Legal
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Aboriginal People in Canada's Labour Market: Work and Unemployment, Today and TomorrowApril 2004
Abstract in English and French + link to the complete report in both official languages (46 pages in English)
[ version française : Les Autochtones sur le marché du travail canadien : travail et chômage, aujourd'hui et demain ]
"Has the labour market situation of Aboriginal people in Canada been improving over the last several years? This paper uses data from the 1996 and 2001 censuses to present comprehensive, factual answers to this question. The paper looks at two main indicators of labour market activity – unemployment and participation rates – past, present and future. It reviews the labour market position of Aboriginal people in comparison to the general population in the provinces and territories, in cities with large Aboriginal populations, and on and off reserve. The report shows that there were 122,390 more working age people of Aboriginal identity in 2001 than 1996. Despite this large increase in Aboriginal persons seeking employment, the Aboriginal unemployment rate dropped by one-fifth from 24.0 percent in 1996 to 19.1 percent in 2001."
Michael Mendelson
April 2004
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy
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A New Social Model for Canada: Revamping Policies for Aboriginal Peoples
News Release
April 23, 2004
"Aboriginal peoples face a predicament. Dated assumptions and ingrained relationships hinder appropriate responses to changing social realities."
[Note: click "Download" to open files on these pages]
Associated Documents:
Lessons from Abroad: Towards a New Social Model for Canada's Aboriginal Peoples
Research Report - 41 pages
Lessons from Abroad: Towards a New Social Model for Canada's Aboriginal Peoples
Summary - 3 pages
Urgent Need, Serious Opportunity: Towards a New Social Model for Canada's Aboriginal Peoples
Research Report - 57 pages
Urgent Need, Serious Opportunity: Towards a New Social Model for Canada's Aboriginal Peoples
Summary - 3 pages
Source:
Family Network
[ Canadian Policy Research Networks ]
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Income On- and Off-Reserve: How Aboriginals are Faring (PDF file - 240K, 27 pages)
C.D. Howe Commentary
March 2003
"Over the last two decades, aboriginal concerns moved to the centre of Canadian policy debates. However, most public attention is devoted to on-reserve communities, which is inadequate because growing numbers of the aboriginal population live off-reserve and in cities. The social, educational and employment problems facing both groups are daunting."
Source : C.D. Howe Institute
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National Children’s Alliance Policy Paper on Aboriginal Children (PDF file - 224K, 15 pages)
April 2003
Cindy Blackstock with assistance from Marlyn Bennett
- incl. Contextual History - Overview of Key Issues for Aboriginal Children and Families - United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child - Recommendations - About the Authors - Glossary - References
Source : National Children’s Alliance
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A Circle of All Nations: A Culture of Peace
"The Circle of All Nations is not an organization or a network but rather a global eco-community linked by the Elder's unshakeable conviction that in a very fundamental way, we all belong together, as children of Mother Earth, irrespective of colour, creed or culture."
- incl. links to : Grandfather William Commanda - Sacred Wampum Belts - "Circle of All Nations"logo - Grandfather's Gatherings - Guest Book - Contact Grandfather
Circle of Healing
"Our mission is to provide a comprehensive treatment program for individuals with issues arising from drug and/or alcohol addiction and for those who have suffered
psycho-social trauma in their lives. Services will be open to people of all backgrounds regardless of race, sex, disability, age or economic reality.
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Metis National Council
The Métis National Council is the national representative of the Métis Nation in Canada. The Métis National Council was established in 1983, following recognition of the Métis as a distinct people with Aboriginal rights in the Constitution Act, 1982. The MNC has been recognized as the voice of the Métis Nation in constitutional negotiations at the national level, and acts as an advocate and negotiator for the Métis people with the Government of Canada and at national conferences and fora. It also represents the interests of the Métis people on the international stage.
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Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN)
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Louis Riel Metis Council
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Innu Nation
Approximately 16,000 Innu (formerly known as Montagnais or Naskapi) inhabit Nitassinan (eastern Quebec and Labrador). The political realities of two provincial boundaries and the land rights negotiation process have led to the creation of regional political organizations which collectively represent the Innu people of Nitassinan.
Visit this site - it contains an incredible wealth of information. Hundreds of links...
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Enhanced Urban Aboriginal Programming in Western Canada
January 2002
Executive Summary
- includes a link to the full report (in PDF format)
Source : Canada West Foundation
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Aboriginal Youth Network (Canada)
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NAPE Aboriginal Links - Canada's Source for Native Sites  - from the Native Access Program for Engineering, Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
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Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO)
CANDO is a national Aboriginal organization based in Alberta that provides economic development officers who work in Aboriginal communities and organizations with professional development, education, and networking opportunities.
- incl. : The CANDO Story - Memberships - CANDO Bookstore - Membership Newsletter - National Conference / Economic Developer of the Year - Highlights from CANDO 2000 National Conference - Special Projects - Certification Program - Related Sites - Employment Opportunites - Speeches of Interest - Highlights of a National Survey of Canadian Attitudes Towards First Nations
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Aboriginal Governance Publications - links to almost two dozen PDF reports covering a wide range of topics, including Self-Government - Aboriginal Governance - Accountability - Dispute Resolution Systems - Final Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - and more.
Source : Institute On Governance
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First Nation Information Project (FNIP)
Incl. links to :
NATIVE BUSINESSES - Information and listings for Native Businesses
CULTURE - Information and listings on Aboriginal Art and Culture; Listings for Cultural Centres, Friendship Centres, etc.
FIRST NATION ORGANIZATIONS - Listings and information on First Nation and other Aboriginal organizations
NEWSPAGE - Current news stories, archives, event listings
FIRST NATIONS - Listings and information on Canadian First Nations Forms for free listing and Web Page
NATIVE LINKS - Links to Information Sites (see below)
RESEARCH FOCUS
FNIP Native Links
Large list of links in the following areas :  First Nations - First Nation Organizations - Government Treaties, Law and Land Claims - Royal Commission[RCAP] - Education and Culture - Training - Publications - Newspapers - Economic Development and Tourism  Native Links - General  Housing / Construction - Other Useful Links - History - Selected Bibliographies/Statistics - EARTH Links - Health/Healing
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Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission
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Aboriginal Links: Canada and U.S. (LARGE list)
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Bill's Aboriginal Links
Aboriginal Law and Legislation Online
Innu Nation-Mamit Innuat WWW Site
NativeWeb - Resources for Indigenous Cultures around the World
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First Nations, First Thoughts Conference
Centre of Canadian Studies
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
May 5-6, 2005
"This interdisciplinary conference will explore the significance of Aboriginal peoples in the development of cultural and intellectual thought in Canada. The conference is designed to bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal scholars together to consider the development and transmission of Indigenous thought and the impact of Aboriginal perspectives on cultural, political, environmental, historical, legal, philosophical and anthropological thought in Canada."

Abstracts and papers - links to the full text of 47 papers prepared for this conference, all in PDF format, and the possibility of more to come ("abstracts and papers will be posted online as they are received")
Highly recommended reading --- there's a wealth of information here, mostly by Canadian experts and almost all of it about First Nations in Canada!
The complete collection of studies (plus abstracts of other papers presented at the conference) is on two pages - "Authors A-M" and "Authors N-Z" (don't miss that second page!)

Source:
Centre of Canadian Studies
[ The University of Edinburgh ]

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From Australian Policy Online:

Indigenous Health:
Saving children's lives is a matter of long-term will (Australia)
Posted:07-08-2007
You can't protect children without supporting and involving their community, argues Fiona Stanley, director of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research

[U.S.] Poverty’s Poster Child
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/opinion/kristof-povertys-poster-child.html
By Nicholas D. Kristof
May 9, 2012
This sprawling Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota is a Connecticut-sized zone of prairie and poverty, where the have-nots are defined less by the money they lack than by suffocating hopelessness. In the national number line of inequality, people here represent the “other 1 percent,” the bottom of the national heap. Pine Ridge is a poster child of American poverty and of the failures of the reservation system for American Indians in the West.

Poverty in the United States, including in the reservations, is so entrenched because it is often part of a toxic brew of alcohol or drug dependencies, dysfunctional families and educational failures. It self-replicates generation after generation. (...) Half the population over 40 on Pine Ridge has diabetes, and tuberculosis runs at eight times the national rate. As many as two-thirds of adults may be alcoholics, one-quarter of children are born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and the life expectancy is somewhere around the high 40s — shorter than the average for sub-Saharan Africa. Less than 10 percent of children graduate from high school.

(...) How might present and future leaders lift up Indian reservations such as Pine Ridge out of poverty?
One factor is the alcohol and drug abuse and broken families. (...)
A second is that reservations are often structured in ways that discourage private investment. (...)
Third, the arid lands here just can’t support many people. (...)

Even though the reservation system is largely failing in the West, there are bright spots. One is the growing number of American Indians getting a good education. Another is that initiatives to emphasize traditional Sioux culture and spirituality seem to have boosted community pride and helped wean some families from alcohol and drugs.

Source:
New York Times (Opinion pages)
http://www.nytimes.com/

On the Ground - Nicholas D. Kristof's blog
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/

 

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