HALIFAX (CP) - People have a right to strike, protest, demonstrate and even engage in civil disobedience, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said as he prepares for the assembly’s annual general meeting in Halifax.
Roughly 500 native chiefs and delegates will meet in Halifax on Tuesday to talk about the national day of action, land claims, language retention and fishing rights at the 28th Annual General Assembly.
At key item on the agenda will be the day of action when natives and non-natives held vigils, protests, (edit: don’t forget blockades) and educational sessions to draw attention to issues plaguing aboriginal communities.
Fontaine said he viewed the day as a success. “I’m an optimist, I always believe we can be pretty convincing and persuasive and the national day of action, in our view, has been a huge success,” he said in an interview.
Read the full story here
Showing posts with label Phil Fontaine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Fontaine. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Spending of native dollars is hush-hush
The natives’ national day of protest apparently was devised to make Canadians sit up and take notice of their plight — poverty, health care, education, etc.
However, it might be far more beneficial if natives opened their books to show skeptical Canadians just where all their tax dollars are going and why natives insist they are in such a pitiful state. No one seems to know, or if they do, they’re not telling.
Even national native leader Phil Fontaine, in a CBC interview, sniffed around the numbers. He stated that of $10 billion Ottawa spends on natives, only $5.2 billion “reaches our communities” and that 10,000 people work on aboriginal affairs, at a cost of $2 billion. He didn’t mention where the other $2.8 billion went.
Accountability of native dollars apparently is hush-hush. Try getting answers from native affairs in Ottawa or even your own MP and you come out with zilch.
Read the full story here
However, it might be far more beneficial if natives opened their books to show skeptical Canadians just where all their tax dollars are going and why natives insist they are in such a pitiful state. No one seems to know, or if they do, they’re not telling.
Even national native leader Phil Fontaine, in a CBC interview, sniffed around the numbers. He stated that of $10 billion Ottawa spends on natives, only $5.2 billion “reaches our communities” and that 10,000 people work on aboriginal affairs, at a cost of $2 billion. He didn’t mention where the other $2.8 billion went.
Accountability of native dollars apparently is hush-hush. Try getting answers from native affairs in Ottawa or even your own MP and you come out with zilch.
Read the full story here
Thursday, June 28, 2007
National chief statement on potential illegal protests on June 29
OTTAWA, June 27 - I am aware of public statements in recent days about intentions to disrupt traffic during the National Day of Action in support of First Nations on June 29.
While these comments have been widely reported they are isolated comments and do not reflect the position of the Assembly of First Nations, or the many First Nations across the country, who have organized peaceful and positive events that are inclusive of all Canadians.
We respectfully urge Canadians not to criminalize First Nations people with respect to the actions they plan to take on June 29 and beyond.
(edit: Phil asks that you don’t fight back against Terrorism.. The same Phil Fontaine who Shawn Brant says told him to do this)
Read the full story here
While these comments have been widely reported they are isolated comments and do not reflect the position of the Assembly of First Nations, or the many First Nations across the country, who have organized peaceful and positive events that are inclusive of all Canadians.
We respectfully urge Canadians not to criminalize First Nations people with respect to the actions they plan to take on June 29 and beyond.
(edit: Phil asks that you don’t fight back against Terrorism.. The same Phil Fontaine who Shawn Brant says told him to do this)
Read the full story here
Monday, June 25, 2007
DAY OF PROTEST OR CONFLICT?
Canada’s native leaders are walking a fine line as they plan for a national day of protest on June 29. They hope to be dramatic enough to draw attention to poverty on reserves, stalled land claims and other issues, yet most insist they aren’t thinking blockades or confrontation.
“We don’t want to cause a major disruption in the lives of Canadians, but at the same time, we also want to make sure they understand that this is a crisis,” Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said in an interview this week from Ottawa. Fontaine himself recently pointed out that public sympathy for aboriginal concerns was highest during the Oka crisis in 1990. (EDIT: Phil feels killing a cop made us more sympathetic toward them?.. sure Phil)
Read the full story here
“We don’t want to cause a major disruption in the lives of Canadians, but at the same time, we also want to make sure they understand that this is a crisis,” Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said in an interview this week from Ottawa. Fontaine himself recently pointed out that public sympathy for aboriginal concerns was highest during the Oka crisis in 1990. (EDIT: Phil feels killing a cop made us more sympathetic toward them?.. sure Phil)
Read the full story here
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Fontaine wants changes to human rights legislation
CTV.ca News Staff
Native leader Phil Fontaine and the Liberals are opposing a Conservative bill that would extend equal human rights protections to First Nations groups, because they say it does not follows the recommendations of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
“First Nations leaders are pressing for an appropriate response, and Bill C-44 isn’t that … because we’re looking for an appropriate transition period. And we want to make sure First Nations governments can address these matters that would be brought forward as a result of the change.”
Read the full story here
Native leader Phil Fontaine and the Liberals are opposing a Conservative bill that would extend equal human rights protections to First Nations groups, because they say it does not follows the recommendations of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
“First Nations leaders are pressing for an appropriate response, and Bill C-44 isn’t that … because we’re looking for an appropriate transition period. And we want to make sure First Nations governments can address these matters that would be brought forward as a result of the change.”
Read the full story here
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