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Spring 2015
CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE AT THE
GRASSROOTS LEVEL
By: Noreen Fagan
From September 2014, National Chief Betty Ann Lavallée has been
travelling across Canada. From British Columbia to Labrador,
the Chief has visited cities and towns in twelve provinces and
territories, just to sit down and talk to community members about
issues important to them.
The Grassroots tour is about connecting communities across
Canada with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) in order
to help build a better future for all Aboriginal Peoples. The tour
is an opportunity for Aboriginal Peoples to learn about CAP’s
commitment to advocating for the rights and interests of all its
members – off-reserve status and non-status Indians, Métis, and
the Inuit of Southern Labrador.
…continued on page 11
CREATING DIALOGUE THROUGH
ABORIGINAL BUSINESS
NETWORKS
By: Noreen Fagan
Traditional smudging and a sage blessing set the scene for the
Creative Leaders Symposium on March 10. Participants from
around the country met with economic leaders to discuss
innovative practices aimed at engaging the Aboriginal community
within mainstream industries.
Dr. Marie Delorme, the day’s moderator ensured the day ran
smoothly from the opening, which included dance and drum song
by the O-town Boyz. The lively act was followed by a welcome note
from National Chief Betty Ann Lavallée who spoke of the need for
employment opportunities for Aboriginal youth.
…continued on page 2
PREVENTING VIOLENCE BY
BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES
By: Noreen Fagan
The levels of violence against Aboriginal women and girls in Canada
is a crisis. A report released in 2015 by the RCMP stated 1,017 women
and girls were murdered between 1980 and 2012— a homicide rate
roughly 4.5 times higher than that of all other women in Canada.
It is undeniable that this circle of violence is continuing and that
the future safety of all women and girls is a pressing issue. One step
toward a solution stems from communities taking action. To assist
communities in finding concrete answers, the Congress of Aboriginal
Peoples is has published the Miykiwan Toolkit, a comprehensive
family violence prevention resource compiled by people from across
Canada.
The toolkit aims at improving the lives of Aboriginal families living
off-reserve in Canada. It draws on traditional teachings and cultural
activities to help families and communities address violence in their
…continued on page 4
THE FUTURE OF
ABORIGINAL LABOUR MARKET PROGRAMMING
By: Randy Martin
Aboriginal people seeking skills and employment training in the next
year can breathe a sigh of relief. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples’
(CAP) Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ASETS)
program has been extended to March 31, 2016. The program was
scheduled to sunset March 2015; however, Aboriginal organizations
were notified in early December 2014, by the Honourable Jason
Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development, that the
program would be extended for one year.
…continued on page 6
CONTENTS
Creating Change
from the cover…Creating
Dialogue through Aboriginal
Business Networks
The Chief ’s words were echoed by the
first panellist Aditya Jha, philanthropist,
entrepreneur and founder of the POA
Foundation. Jha reiterated concern over the
widening gap between the aging community
and youth entering the job market. He
said that with over 600,000 Aboriginal
youth looking for jobs it was imperative for
companies to nurture entrepreneurship.
Jha’s calls for nurturing youth were
seconded by participant Ross Holden, who
emphasized the need for changes within the
education system.
“Education is very important as we
grapple with the issues facing us
today,” said Holden. “The education
system is not designed to educate
people in a holistic manner. We
need to take a flexible and holistic
approach to education.”
While youth and education was well covered
by the morning’s presenters the afternoon
conversation gave way to the importance of
Particia Stirbys, Namir Anani and GET NAME
speak on youth and employment
CREATING CHANGE
Connecting with People at the
Grassroots Level.................................................1
Creating Dialogue through Aboriginal
Business Networks.............................................1
Preventing Violence by Building Strong
Communities......................................................1
The Future of Aboriginal Labour
Market Programming........................................1
Working Together to Prevent Violence Against
Indigenous Women and Girls.............................5
Elder Gordon Williams opens the Creative Leader’s
Symposium with a prayer
Daniels versus Canada: Undoing the Damage of
the Indian Act.....................................................7
The Peoples Gathering – A Sharing Circle.........9
technology in the economic development of
Canada.
CAP & COMMUNITY
Namir Anani, president and CEO of
the Information and Communications
Technology Council (ICTC) spoke of the
need to build a talent supply of Aboriginal
youth wanting to work in the digital world.
He said ICTC currently works with schools
to help young graduates cross the bridge
from academia to employment, and that
the council also offers assistance to smaller
businesses employing the youth.
Native Council of Prince Edward Island
Elects New Chief & President...........................16
Connecting to the Land through Tradition......14
Living on the Edge...........................................17
SUCCESS STORIES
Introduction.....................................................18
Krystal Abotossaway........................................18
Jerome Busch...................................................19
Trent Gervais ...................................................20
Patricia Stirbys, communications
consultation specialist with AECOM, echoed
Anani’s concern about employment.
“Employment is a big issue. We have
to keep hope alive in the Aboriginal
communities,” said Stirbys. “I am
trying to build a strong Aboriginal
consultation team as Aboriginal
folk have a deep understanding of
our communities.”
CAP OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Message from the National Chief.....................21
Message from Jim Devoe,
Chief Executive Officer.....................................23
2014 Annual General Assembly.......................25
Stirbys spoke of her engagement work with Aboriginal Peoples in
the mining sector. She emphasized the importance of Aboriginal
communities in negotiating with various levels of government,
media and stakeholders on all issues affecting Aboriginal rights in
health, oil and gas, mineral exploration and renewable energy.
Stirbys was followed by the last presenter of the day Kelly Lendsay,
CEO of Aboriginal Human Resource Council. Lendsay, who has
built up a national reputation through his innovative approach
to Indigenous workplace inclusion, diversity and partnership
building, echoed the sentiments of everyone at the Symposium
– the economic success of Canada lies in harnessing Aboriginal
talent.
ideas until the closing dinner. In the evening, guests were treated
to an inspired speech by Waneek Horn-Miller, Mohawk activist,
former Olympian and assistance Chef de Mission for Team
Canada at the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Horn-Miller spoke of Aboriginal Peoples being the “biggest
untapped resources” in Canada. She called for partnerships
between businesses and Aboriginal people and she urged youth
to make their way in life. Horn-Miller spoke of how Canada is ripe
for change but the journey to achieving change will be long and
hard.
Evening keynote speaker Waneek Horn-Miller
Kelly Lendsay, CEO of Aboriginal Human Resource Council speaks to
participants at the Symposium
“The real future is about all Aboriginal Peoples,” says
Lendsay. “Leadership is about reaching forward. We
need to inspire and build networks between all people.”
While Lendsay’s words marked the end of the Symposium, many
of the participants and panelists remained chatting and sharing
The one-time Olympian ended citing the mantra she used to
overcome the fear of being the only Aboriginal women on the
Canadian women’s water-polo team - “I am a descendant from the
best of the best of my people.”
With those words echoing in people’s minds, the Symposium
ended on strong words and a collective hope for the future.
3
from the cover…Preventing Violence by Building Strong Communities
daily lives. From the Seven
Grandfather Teachings to
the Medicine Wheel, the
Miykiwan Toolkit offers
people a way to build a
strong foundation for
families as well as helping
Aboriginal communities
build strategies to help
prevent violence in their
own homes.
The toolkit takes a holistic
approach to bring about
positive change through
ideas and practices
that help people to live
healthier, more peaceful
lives.
“Each of us recognizes
there is an urgent
and profound need
for change in our
communities. We
understand there is a
need to bring our lives
into greater balance
and to center ourselves
within lives free of
violence, in order to
heal ourselves, our
families and our
communities,” says
National Chief Betty
Ann Lavallée. “I
believe this toolkit is a constructive and practical
step toward a better future for off-reserve Aboriginal families.”
The Miykiwan Toolkit consists of three primary handbooks; the
User Guide, Resource Guide, and the Life Fact Book, which helps
people identify types of violence and ways to prevent violence
from reoccurring. Chapters in the Life Fact Book link with fact
sheets on different types of violence including, family, domestic,
4
sexual, dating, and
emotional,
as well as
violence
against
children,
seniors,
men and
people with
disabilities.
The toolkit
also includes a
personal safety
plan and a
strategy of how
to exit from a
violent situation.
The toolkit is
designed to be a
resource that is
readily available
to people in need.
It offers families
and communities
different ways
to confront and
overcome violence,
the Miykiwan
Toolkit opens the
door to discussion,
a path to safety and
a way for Aboriginal
Peoples to return to
their own strengths
as a way of escaping
violence.
“As the name Miykiwan suggests, it is hoped these tools can assist
us in returning to home to ourselves,” says Chief Lavallée.
The Miykiwan Toolkit is available online at the Congress of
Aboriginal People’s website, www.abo-peoples.org
WORKING TOGETHER TO PREVENT VIOLENCE
AGAINST INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS
By: Daniel Wilson
At the end of February, family members of missing and
murdered Indigenous women, leaders from National Aboriginal
Organizations, Premiers and other senior representatives from
the provinces and territories, as well as federal government
Ministers, held a Roundtable meeting about violence against
Indigenous women and girls.
This was a unique discussion. National Aboriginal Organizations
and the Council of the Federation – which represents all the
provinces and territories – have been trying to get the federal
government to discuss issues of importance to Aboriginal
Peoples for the past 9 years. This was the first time they have
agreed to meet.
A Families Gathering was held the day before the Roundtable,
providing a safe space for people to tell their stories, share their
ideas and to identify their own representatives for the Roundtable.
There was also a Peoples Gathering held concurrently with the
Roundtable (see The Peoples Gathering – A Sharing Circle in
this newsletter).
The goals of the Roundtable were to:
• Create a dialogue with all levels of government, Indigenous
representatives and families to effectively address the crisis of
violence against Indigenous women and girls; and
• Identify solutions and collaborative means of moving them
forward, including the ongoing engagement of Indigenous
Peoples, families and communities in reducing and
eliminating all forms of violence.
Participants agreed to work on 3 thematic areas: prevention and
awareness, community safety, and policing measures and justice
responses. Specifically, there was agreement to a Canada-wide
prevention and awareness campaign as suggested by Ontario, as
well as a forum on policing and justice, to take place in Manitoba.
Importantly, there was also commitment to a second round table
meeting next year where people will assess what progress has been
made and continue to work on solutions.
This meeting was a first step, an effort at creating a constructive
dialogue and, while it was very successful in that regard, some had
expected more.
There was criticism that the Roundtable resulted in very few
concrete commitments with funding from any jurisdiction. The
positive words shared and collaborative relationships built will
need to be translated into responsibility on the part of all involved,
turning dialogue into more concerted action.
Also, despite considerable efforts to include family members
as much as possible, some of those who came felt disappointed
at being unable to tell their stories directly to the government
officials. This is an issue that the federal government could address
easily, allowing all who wish to participate a chance to speak.
Most troubling, the federal government continued to suggest
that the problem Indigenous women and girls face is entirely
attributable to Indigenous men. While this view is demonstrably
false, without an inquiry to explore the issues in a systematic way,
including sworn testimony, the ability to compel witnesses and the
impartial weighing of evidence, bias and prejudice will continue to
compete with the truth in the minds of many.
That is why the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples continues to insist
on the need for a full, public and national inquiry. It is the only way
to hear from everyone who needs to be heard, to ensure that fact
triumphs over fiction, to know that the full truth behind this crisis
has been heard and that justice has been served.
As CAP’s National Chief said at the close of the
Roundtable: “the spirits of our sisters won’t rest until
justice is done and neither will we.”
5
from the cover…The Future of Aboriginal Labour Market Programming
In the letter, Minister Kenney stated that “Aboriginal People
have a critical role to play in Canada’s economic prosperity,”
and that “investing in programs that support skills
development and training for Aboriginal Peoples and create
linkages with in-demand opportunities will continue to be a
federal priority.”
the Congress and its Provincial Affiliates have been
delivering employment training programs to urban
and off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples since 1999. The
question now is: what will the next generation of
Aboriginal employment programs look like?
The statistics are compelling. In 2011, the Aboriginal
CAP, which represents the
unemployment rate was
interests of urban and offover twice the national
reserve Aboriginal Peoples,
rate (13% vs. 6%.), while
participated in the Employment
the unemployment rate for
and Social Development
Aboriginal youth age 20Canada (ESDC) engagement
24 living off-reserve was
process on the future of
even higher at 22.6%, and
- Hon. Jason Kenney
Aboriginal Labour Market
these figures do not include
– Minister of Employment and Social
Programming (ALMP). Two
individuals who have given up
Development
Canada
engagement meetings were
looking for work.
held between ESDC and CAP,
and included the National
Approximately 300,000 young
Chief, Provincial Chiefs/
Aboriginal people will reach
Presidents and Directors of Employment from CAP’s
the age to enter the labour market over the next ten
Provincial Affiliates. A policy paper was submitted to
years. This is especially significant given Canada’s
ESDC on the future of ALMP, and CAP participated
aging population and relatively low birth rates.
in the Ministerial Round Table sessions “to discuss the
Future Aboriginal labour market programming must
need to fill skills shortages and to ensure that federal
be relevant to both Aboriginal Peoples and labour
investments in Aboriginal training are providing
market demand. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Aboriginal people with the skills they need in today’s
looks forward to participating in ongoing federal
economy.” CAP also provided a brief to the House of
engagement and discussions on the future of ALMP.
Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources
which details CAP’s recommendations for the next
There is little doubt that current unemployment rates
generation of ALMP. CAP recently held an Elders
would be much higher without Aboriginal skills and
meeting to seek input on the ASETS and the future of
employment training programs. Aboriginal people who
ALMP.
do gain skills training and obtain work in their field
pay additional taxes. Those additional taxes cover the
The extension gives Aboriginal organizations
costs of the skills training in just a few short years and
additional time to provide input and prepare for the
pay dividends to Canada for many years to come. This
transition to new programming for 2016 and beyond.
is especially true for Aboriginal Peoples who are at
A little more than fifteen years ago, when discussions
risk of being chronically unemployed. Providing skills
began on a new type of employment program for
and employment training programs for Aboriginal
Aboriginal Peoples, delivered by Aboriginal Peoples,
Peoples is a sound investment for Canada.
the Congress successfully lobbied for programs and
services for urban/off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples.
The 5-year program has been renewed twice and
“Aboriginal People have
a critical role to play
in Canada’s economic
prosperity,”
6
DANIELS VERSUS CANADA:
UNDOING THE DAMAGE OF THE INDIAN ACT
By: National Chief Betty Ann Lavallée, CD (Ret’d)
Canada’s top court is set to hear a case that may shape the future
of this country every bit as much as the Indian Act has shaped
its past. We will confront a new legal landscape following the
Supreme Court’s decision in Daniels v. Canada later this year.
What’s in store for First Nations and for Canada will depend on
how well we respond.
The background to the case is
straightforward. A collection of Métis
people and non-status Indians took
Canada to court in 1999. What Harry
and Gabriel Daniels, Leah Gardiner,
Terry Joudrey and the Congress of
Aboriginal Peoples sought were
three declarations: that Métis and
non-status Indians are “Indians” as
the term is used in section 91(24)
of the Constitution Act, 1867; that
the Queen owes a fiduciary duty to
them as such; and that they have the
right to be consulted by the federal
government on a collective basis
respecting their rights, interests and
needs as Aboriginal people.
In part, the case should have been
unremarkable. The Supreme Court
declared section 91(24) applicable to the Inuit back in 1939,
and the duty of consultation owed to Aboriginal Peoples is
well-established through cases taken under section 35 of the
Constitution Act, 1982, as is the Crown’s fiduciary duty.
Despite the 75 year-old finding about the Inuit and the specific
identification of Métis rights in the constitution, however,
the federal government has stubbornly refused to accept its
jurisdictional responsibility for Métis citizens. It has sought
to leave Métis issues to the provinces which, for the most part,
have passed the political football back to Canada (with the Métis
settlements in Alberta being the most significant exception).
This case will end that game, compelling Canada to address the
hurdles faced by Métis peoples in education, employment and
a number of other areas of social and economic policy directly.
Canada may still choose to do nothing to correct the historical
disadvantages faced by Métis people, but the political heat from
taking that position will be squarely on the shoulders of the
federal government alone, no longer lost in the complexities of
Canadian federalism and political buck-passing.
The Métis have won this argument at
the Federal Court and the appellate level
and there is little reason to anticipate a
change on that score now that the case
is before the Supreme Court of Canada.
It also is likely that the coming decision
will leave open the messy question of
who qualifies as Métis. Whether people
of mixed Aboriginal and European
history trace their roots to the Red
River Valley and Batoche, or to the
Acadian and Mi’kmaq communities
along the east coast, or to any other
Métis community, we can expect the
rights of all will be acknowledged. The
question of who is a member of a Métis
community will remain for the Métis to
sort out for themselves, as is the right of
any nation to do.
Where the Daniels case will break new
and important ground is on the question of those people the
Government of Canada defines as “non-status Indians”. For
one thing, this is the main issue on which the first two levels of
court disagreed, so it is the key issue for the Supreme Court to
settle. But more than that, it is the issue that will have the greatest
influence on the shape of Aboriginal rights in Canada and on the
shape of Canada itself.
At the Federal Court level, Justice Phelan found that the
division of Indians into those with or without status first arose
in the Indian Act. As that legislation came well after the
1867 Constitution, when section 91(24) made “Indians and
lands reserved for Indians” a federal rather than provincial
…continued on page 8
7
…from page 7
responsibility, the Constitution could not have excluded anyone
on the basis of status.
The appeal court agreed to a point, but said that the federal
government later had exercised its jurisdiction through the
Indian Act by excluding certain people from the new definition
of “status”. As it had the power to do so, any challenge to status
provisions now would have to be taken on a case by case basis
measured against the provisions of that act.
If the Supreme Court agrees with the appellate court, it must
be assumed that non-status people will find another way to
challenge the notion of status in section 6 of the Indian Act.
For example, both the Sandra Lovelace and Sharon McIvor
cases reversed elements of gender discrimination, opening up
status to tens of thousands of people. No one has yet challenged
section 6 on racial discrimination grounds, for example, or for
arbitrariness of application.
However if the Supreme Court agrees with Justice Phelan, the
question of identity – of who belongs – is no longer the purview
of the federal government and its Indian Act. It returns to the
community to resolve, as will likely be the case for the Métis
and has been the case for the Inuit. It becomes a question for
the First Nations, the original nations, which include but are
not limited to those bands identified under the Indian Act.
It becomes a question, for example, of the entire Mi’kmaq
Nation, status and non-status alike, as it would be for the Innu,
Algonquin, Anishnabe, Blackfoot and Haida, among others. And
that is when this becomes exciting.
To move beyond the Indian Act and for the first time in 150
years be allowed by law to act as nations, to identify our own
citizens and to work collectively to decide our own future is
the foundation of self-determination. The 1996 report of the
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples rightly identified selfdetermination as the single most important goal for Aboriginal
8
Peoples, the first step in healing the damage that Canada’s
colonial history has wrought, and the defining feature of healthy
communities within a reconciled country.
Such a decision would also mean that the section 35 rights to
consultation and accommodation, to harvesting fish and game,
and to land title, apply equally to non-status communities.
At long last, these communities would have status. Not the
categorical status granted by a federal government bureaucrat
administering fundamentally racist legislation, but the status of
position that has always been their birthright, that of Aboriginal
Peoples of this land.
Considered in light of last year’s Supreme Court decision in
Tsilqot’in, where no land treaties exist, the historical occupation
and use of land by non-status communities could be added
to that of Indian Act band communities to broaden the
boundaries of title claims. There are discussions among the
Algonquin of Ontario and the Mi’kmaq Grand Council that lead
in this direction. A positive decision in the Daniels case will
give those conversations greater purpose and urgency.
What Harry Daniels – my predecessor as National Chief of the
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples – began more than 15 years ago
may stand with the most important legal battles in the history of
this country. A win for Métis and non-status people will put the
onus on the federal government to tackle the disadvantages still
faced by these 700,000 citizens. It will also put the onus on the
Métis and First Nations to develop fair and transparent ways of
identifying their own citizens, so that no one is denied his or her
rights as Aboriginal people any longer, and so that the Aboriginal
rights of all are strengthened. These challenges will not be met
easily by any involved, but the burden of responsibility is the
other face of holding rights. It is a challenge I look to eagerly. In
many ways, the long journey to the Supreme Court marks more
of a beginning than an end.
THE PEOPLES GATHERING –
A SHARING CIRCLE
By: Noreen Fagan
The day begins with Cee-Jai Julian taking to the stage. With her
tambourine in hand she looks at the crowd of 300 people in the
room before she starts singing a song about a woman warrior. The
song is an echo from Julian’s past – it has helped her overcome
sorrow and today she sings it to help others.
“It is a great honour to
sing this song, it has
helped me be strong.
Today I sing it for all the
families of missing and
murdered women and
girls - we share the same
pain.”
Julian is one of the
many women gathered
at the People Gathering,
a parallel event to the
National Roundtable on
Murdered and Missing
Indigenous Women and
Girls (MMIWG) on Friday, Feb 27. Her story is one of personal
triumph over drug addiction and of profound loss.
In 1992, Julian stood at a street corner in Vancouver’s Lower East
Side begging her older sister, Norma Jean, not to go out into the
night. “Go home baby girl,” were the last words her sister ever
spoke to Julian. That night Norma Jean never came home and her
naked body was found dumped in ditch ten days later.
Her killer was never found.
On this Friday morning on a cold winter’s day, Julian’s story is
not unique. It is one that is repeated over and over again. The
circumstances may change and the names differ but each person
who stands before the crowd tells of a loved one who has either
gone missing or who has been murdered.
It is Miriam Sanders first time to share her story. She explains
what it is like to lose a family member and to wake up every
morning not knowing what happened to her sister. Sanders
describes her life as being chaotic and that sharing her loss with
others is a step towards healing.
“I came here to learn, to be able to help and to heal,” she says
looking at everyone in the room. “We are a big family trying to
fight for our loved ones.”
As Sanders sits down,
another woman stands up
and takes the microphone
in her hand. She breathes
deeply and says, “I feel
like I have been running
away from violence all
my life.” Her niece was
murdered and her sister is
one of the 1,017 missing
and murdered Aboriginal
women and girls in
Canada. The violence has
torn her family apart but
somehow she says she
has found the strength to
speak out, “to fight for the
next generation,” so they do not grow up in a climate of fear.
While her words resonate with the crowd another greying lady
steps to the podium. She talks about her daughter, Shelly who was
murdered in 2014. The pain is raw and, as she continues to speak,
other women walk towards her to stand by her side. The man
who killed her daughter was given nine years for manslaughter
but, she says, the effects of losing her daughter to violence has not
only scarred her but has changed her grandson.
“You don’t forget your grandson when he sees a strange car
coming up the driveway running down the hallway shouting
“quick, hide” because he is scared of what is going to happen.”
With those words the woman falls silent as tears start to fall down
her cheeks. The meaning of her words reverberate around the
room, the silence speaks to the emotions felt by everyone. It is
a silence that extends beyond seconds and into minutes before
…continued on page 10
9
…from page 9
all the women leave the stage to
sit down at a long table with other
family members.
violence being prevalent among
Aboriginal families and how it
has touched her own life.
As the silence breaks Susan Martin
walks from the back of the room
to the stage. She shares the story of
how her 20-year-old daughter was
murdered by her partner in 2002.
She lay dead in the house for 14
hours while her two baby daughters
waited for someone to come and
rescue them.
“I am a survivor of domestic
violence from my first
marriage. My daughter is
not a survivor,” she says. “We
have to put an end to all of
this.”
Martin is angry. She is angry
with the police for not taking her
daughter seriously when she called
fearing for her life.
“Shame on Canada” says Martin.
“I am asking all Canadians to open
your eyes. They [the government]
say they work for us, but they don’t
hear our voices.”
Martin says she has only seen her grandchildren twice since
her daughter was murdered and that the case against the
perpetrator has never come to the courts. She talks of domestic
Martin’s words echo the
sentiments of everyone in the
room. There is hardly anyone at
the People’s Gathering whose life
has not been touched by violence.
While politicians’ debate on what
direction is to be taken to end
the violence, the gathering has
turned into a place for families to
share their stories and to garner
strength from each other.
It is a time and a place, as Julian says, “to stand up and say, “no,
this has to stop.” Our voices must be heard.”
“The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the National Aboriginal Organization that
represents the interests of off-reserve non-status and status Indians, Southern Inuit of
Labrador and Métis Peoples living in urban, rural and remote areas throughout Canada.
We are also the national voice for the constituency and their affiliate organizations making
up the Congress family of advocates for the off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.”
10
Cap & Community
from the cover…Connecting
with People at the Grassroots
Level
At each event, the Chief explains CAP’s
programs and services, as well as current
issues such as the case of Daniels v. Canada,
which is now before the Supreme Court of
Canada. But, the tour is not only about sharing
what CAP is doing, more importantly it offers
the Chief the time and space to listen to what
people of all ages have to say, a chance to
give feedback and a moment to reflect on the
continuing struggle to guarantee rights for all
Aboriginal people.
Meeting the Chief, and talking directly to her,
offers people the opportunity to speak openly
and freely, knowing their voices will be heard.
The Grassroots tour is a chance to express daily
concerns and interest in issues directly affecting
Aboriginal communities. It is a time to share
experiences, vent grievances and celebrate
successes.
Every person who attended the Grassroots
events had a story to share and questions to
ask. The Chief has heard community members
ask about the meaning of status Indians, how to gain status and
what being non-status means for people’s rights. She has heard
Group of Attendees at Nova Scotia Grassroots Session
people talk about education needs, health care, voting rights and
how treaties affect hunting and fishing privileges.
In the small town of Bridgewater, Nova
Scotia a woman spoke of how her family
lives off the grid and want to be able to
feed themselves.
“All I want to do is be who I am. I am a
Native individual, 120 people in my family
are Status Indians. I would like the right to
be able to hunt and fish. I want to be able
to go out and get a rabbit,” she said. “The
problem is that we are not able to hunt
anywhere except where our reserves are. The treaties for hunting
have been tied to the geographical boundaries.”
The woman’s words echoed around the country.
Whether Yellowknife or Saskatoon, land lost to
development and environmental degradation
negatively affecting fish and wildlife supply was a
common concern.
While the shared complaints from community
members centred mainly around hunting and fishing
rights, other questions pertaining to rights centred on
the difference between being a status and non-status
Indian.
In Yellowknife the Chief answered the question of,
“what is a non-status Indian?” by referring to her own
history.
11
“I believe if we take the time to sit down, talk together and learn more about
the issues and one another, we all win.” Chief Betty Ann Lavallée
Testimony from a residential
school survivor.
At a Grassroots Tour event, one
elderly woman stood up and
spoke to the crowded room about
her experiences growing up in a
residential school.
“I’m a survivor. I went through a very
hard life. My dad harvested hunted,
trapped, and fished for his dogs and
his family. We lived like that in the
bush. I don’t know how they found
me, but they did. They put me in the
school for nine years without letting
me go home. I wasn’t allowed to cry.
We couldn’t blow our nose. There was
no toilet paper or Kleenex, it was just
cloth. We had nothing there.
I was there at in Fort Resolution from
when I was nine years old until I was
18. My sister Alice was four years old she was 13 when we got home.
My sister Alice wrote a book about
residential schools, called My Heart
Beats Like a Drum. It was about how
scared she was when she heard a nun.
We got punished for nothing. If I took
half a cup of water, the nuns saw that
as stealing. We were so afraid. We were
called dirty Indians. I got raped when
I was 14 years old. I knew it was a
priest because I tried to grab him and
he had a long garment. It was in the
summer. I hate the summer. To this
day, I hate the summer.
What kind of life do I have today?
What kind of life did I have yesterday?
They have residential school
counselling down south. I don’t want
to go down South. I don’t want to leave
my family. I am so angry. I haven’t
gotten better from this.”
12
“I believe in the historical nations. I’m Mi’kmaq. Our nation extends across
Mi’kma’ki. We did not decide peoples’ place in the community based on blood
quantum or the colour of their skin. Section Six of the Indian Act slowly erodes
the Indian population based on blood quantum. You could be my child, but
because I’ve married a non-Aboriginal man, you could not register under the
Indian Act. It divides families. That is not how we did things traditionally.”
The Chief explained the argument in the Daniels v. Canada case focuses on the
Indian Act’s interpretation of who has the right to claim status.
“What we’re saying before the Supreme Court is that the government can’t use the
Indian Act. It has no bearing on an Aboriginal person and their identity. It is up
to the community to decide. It is not for someone outside the community to do.”
While questions on status and treaty rights dominated many of the Grassroots
events, other concerns voice by community member included affordable housing,
health care, education and voting in the 2015 elections.
The general consensus across provinces and territories was that affordable
housing was crucial to the well-being of off-reserve families, the healthcare
system fails to look after the interests of Aboriginal People in need of care, the
education system needs to accommodate Aboriginal culture and incorporate
lessons on the First Nation’s history and lastly, that people need to exercise their
right to vote.
“We only got the vote in 1960,” the Chief told people in Bridgewater. “You have to
vote. Our grandparents fought for that right.”
The Chief ’s words reflect the thoughts and feelings of many Aboriginal Peoples
living off reserve. Past history has only served to strip people of their rights, their
cultural heritage and their place in society. The time to make a change that will
benefit future generations is now, it is time to make peoples voices heard and for
people to united together and fight for their rightful place in society.
HEALING WATERS PROJECT
FOCUSES ON HEALTH NEEDS OF MEMBERS AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE-BASED HEALING
By: Alison White
In January 2015, the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First
Nation (QMFN), the Newfoundland affiliate of
the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, launched
a new research, consultation and assessment
based project entitled Healing Waters.
The project is expected to result in a greater
awareness of membership needs, as well as
ways to meet those needs in the area of health
and wellness.
Health is a priority for QMFN. In 2010,
a Health Needs Assessment study of offreserve Mi’Kmaq people in Western and
Central Newfoundland was completed. The
study focused on communities with high
concentrations of Mi’kmaq residents, and
included a detailed survey on the healthrelated practices of Mi’kmaq individuals in
those areas. It also delved into the existing health care services
available, noting areas for service improvement.
As an extension of this study, QMFN will follow up on several
areas identified as needing further research. The identified areas
include: mental health, substance use and addiction, gender
based violence and knowledge of traditional health practices and
activities. The Healing Waters needs assessment will look into
some of these areas, in particular, how traditional healers can be a
part of health solutions.
Brenda Gillingham, one of two Aboriginal Wellness Researchers
hired to administer the Healing Waters initiative, notes, “Health
encompasses all aspects of a person’s life which, of course,
includes the spirit, a belief acknowledged by traditional healers.
By encouraging health and wellbeing through spirituality and
culture awareness, we begin to holistically heal, not simply treat a
disease or illness.”
Heather Mousseau and Brenda Gillingham
The program will include consultation with stakeholders, health
service providers, community groups, government agencies, and
will, hopefully, lead to the identification of individuals who are
known for traditional healing practices.
Heather Mousseau and colleague Brenda Gillingham anticipate
hosting a community gathering in their new role as Aboriginal
Wellness Researchers. Ms. Mousseau notes, “Members will be
encouraged to join in a community conversation that fosters a
cultural awareness of health that supports the holistic wellbeing
of members and communities.”
For more information about the Qalipu Mi’Kmaq First Nation
Band, and to stay up-to-date with news and information,
download their latest newsletters at http://qalipu.ca/news/
newsletters/.
13
CONNECTING TO THE LAND
THROUGH TRADITION
By: Noreen Fagan
Frank Holly smiles broadly as he talks about his
connection with the communities living along Southern
Labrador coast.
“My community was one of the most dominant
Inuit communities on the coast, in fact it was
called Eskimo Village by the American fishers,”
says Holly.
He dismisses the word choice used by the fisherman and
instead talks proudly about his roots and his identity as
a Southern Inuit. Holly, 25, was born and brought up in what
was once called Fox Harbour, a small community situated on
the headlands off the Labrador Sea. Three generations of Holly’s
family live in this tight knit community of 300 people, a town
where cultural traditions are part of daily life.
“In the spring we always used to look forward to the ice fishing
and seal harvesting. In the fall there would be berry picking and
duck hunting. In the winter there would be wood cutting and
hunting,” says Holly. “In my family, and many other families on
the coast, these are activities we have participated in through the
generations. They are part of our lives.”
They are traditional ways that Holly did not find when he
attended Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland.
14
Frank Holly stands at the top of the hill and entrance way to Port Hope Simpson in Labrador.
“I don’t think the people on the Island have that continuity with
the years and the seasons. Their life is urbanised,” Holly says
adding, “but, where I grew up, the communities have upheld the
traditions and cultural ways [of our ancestors] and it has made
us unique to who we are.”
Holly says although cultural traditions have been maintained
in communities like his, life is changing. In the past, the main
source of employment during the summer months was the crab
processing plant in St. Lewis where both Holly’s parents worked
until they left to settle in Goose Bay, a five-hour drive away. When
the crab processing plant closed, employment opportunities
dried up.
“I will always be rooted in this place, it is absolutely beautiful
but in terms of long term sustainability there are no job
opportunities, and there is very little access to commodities or
health care. These are very big obstacles and not attractive ones
to a young person like myself,” he says. “It kills me on the inside
to say this but, if you want to progress you have to obtain an
education because if you stay in this community you are going
to work in the fishing industry, you are going to make minimum
wage and be unemployed for six months of the year.”
Although Holly cannot see a future in St. Lewis, he says
many of his friends have chosen to return home. He believes
these tightknit communities depend on each other to keep
old traditions alive but, he says, without the presence of
NunatuKavut – the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples affiliate that
advocates for the rights of more than 6,000 Southern Inuit – his
people would not be in a strong position to negotiate a better
future.
For Holly, NunatuKavut has always been part of his life. As
a young boy the organization, which was then known as the
Labrador Métis Nation, started an educational initiative that
trained students in traditional Métis skills such as tilt making.
NunatuKavut has continued over the decades to develop
programmes and advocacy policies for all of its members.
“I believe very strongly in the work NunatuKavut is trying to do.
It has voiced concerns of the community as a whole in regards to
the fishery, the forestry and all the industries just to ensure this
place does have economic growth,” says Holly. “It also advocates
for the health concerns of people and has tried to intervene
between government and communities. NunatuKavut is in it for
its people.”
For Holly, NunatuKavut has also helped him recognise rights
issues.
“The picture is bigger than individual rights, we are
tied to this land regardless. You cannot sit here and
tell me who owns the land, it is the people who were
brought up on this land who own it – it’s not members
of Parliament sitting in Ottawa. It is absolutely fair to
designate this area to our people, we are the ones who
have lived here all of our lives and we are the ones
who still live here and make it what it is. We don’t
have any land claims so we know we have to fight for
this collectively.”
As Holly talks about rights he points out the cavernous white
scar among the trees, which stretches into the horizon. The
track, which runs for 400 km, has been cleared to make way for
the power lines for Muskrat Falls. The land is destroyed – felled
trees rotting on the side - and the whiteness bleeds into the
tranquility of the forest. Although the Southern Inuit living in the
communities along the coast of Labrador will not benefit from
the Muskrat falls project it is a sign that communities need to
work side-by-side to protect their land.
While Holly worries about projects such as the Muskrat hydro
plan and the fact some communities do not have access to
running water, he feels rooted in the land where he – and past
generations of his family – have been born and raised.
As Holly says, “It has everything you need to survive, it has
peacefulness and it has family – that’s a very big part.”
15
NATIVE COUNCIL OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
ELECTS NEW CHIEF & PRESIDENT
By: Noreen Fagan
When Lisa Cooper took to the mic on Saturday, March 21st at
the Annual General Assembly for the Native Council of Prince
Edward Island (NCPEI, Council), she spoke of why leading the
organization would be an honour.
She told a personal story of dropping out of high school, being
in an abusive relationship with an older man while in her
teens, and of being pregnant with her first child at 17 years
old.
Chief and President Cooper wanted the 70 plus Council
members attending the meeting to “see through my eyes
why the Native Council is important.” She said it was through
support from her family and members of the Council that she
was able pull her life together.
Lisa Cooper, Chief and President of NCPEI
She found affordable housing for herself and her eldest son,
went back to high school to complete her GED before going on
to earn a Bachelors degree and, finally, a Masters in Education.
Chief and President Cooper said she wanted the Council to help
youth access the same opportunities she was offered.
She said it is also necessary to introduce the youth to traditional
Aboriginal ways, help them learn from the elders and for
everyone to acknowledge that the youth are the future.
“We need to encourage the youth (who) are going to represent
the up and coming Council,” said Chief and President Cooper.
“We also have the Elders who are connected closely to the
Council and we need to hear their voices.”
As newly elected Chief and President of NCPEI, Cooper vowed
to work with the Provincial and Federal Governments to ensure,
“the voices of Aboriginal Peoples living off-reserve are not silent.”
Cooper said her first priority is community healing.
16
“To make sure the Council is a sustainable organization, to
ensure the programs are accountable and that the members, and
the community out there, see that we are moving forward.”
Cooper and the newly elected Vice-President, Raymond
Guimond, began their duties the last week in March. Although
Guimond won the election in the first round of voting, Cooper
was elected in the third round, where she won by a narrow
margin of 31 votes to 29 votes in favour of her opponent, Andrew
Sark.
“I don’t think in my 40 years of history with the
Council, I have ever seen a tie vote,” said Chief and
President Cooper. “So there was one person who
obviously thought highly of me, and I am so glad.”
LIVING ON THE EDGE
By: Noreen Fagan
It is a cold winter’s day in rural Nova Scotia. The temperature is well
below freezing, the wind is blowing hard and the weather alerts
warn of an impending blizzard. However, even the dire weather
does not deter over 50 people from coming to meet Chief Betty Ann
Lavallée from the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) on her
2015 Grassroots Tour.
“I got a new house but I also lost my first husband on the reserve,
he was shot five times on my doorstep. I was five months pregnant
with a 15 month old daughter.”
Paul eventually remarried and had two children with her second
husband. But, when his alcoholism became too much to handle,
Paul moved off the reserve and into a small rural community.
Although she found refuge from domestic problems, moving
off-reserve added a new layer of difficulties to Paul’s life she did
not anticipate.
“I am here to find out what rights I have as a native living off
the reserve. I have been going through a hard time because I
went to my band to get help, but I can’t get help because they
helped me before. I went to the non-native - the welfare system
- and they can’t help me because they helped me once before.”
Sandra Lee Paul braves the winter weather to speak at the Grassroots Tour
event in Nova Scotia
Sandra Lee Paul from Sipekne’katik (Indian Brook) First Nation is
one of the first people to arrive. She is a slight woman with a wide
smile and a contagious laugh. Paul, 54, is upbeat despite the fact
that she has come to the event as a last resort to get help.
“I have been without power all by myself for three months, from
November until now. I have one kidney, two hip replacements and
I am lugging water. I am at the end of my rope buying wood, paying
my electricity bill and my rent on $750 a month. I just can’t do it
anymore,” says Paul. “I have cried for three months, I cannot cry any
more - that is why I am here.”
Paul speaks openly to the Chief and to Grace Conrad, chief and
president of the Native Council of Nova Scotia (NCNS). Paul’s story
is personal and it drives home the need for services to be available
for all Aboriginal peoples living off-reserve.
Before Paul moved off-reserve, she lived in a newly built house
given to her by her band. Although she had housing and financial
support, her life was marked by tragedy.
Paul’s case illustrates the challenges off-reserve aboriginal
people face navigating the complex web of administrative
barriers between themselves and resources they need. Although not always the case, often these hurdles
disproportionately affect women as they try to improve their
own lives or those of their children.
Paul’s story may be unique but the issues faced by off-reserve
status and non-status Aboriginal people are not. This is why CAP
advocates for the rights of all Aboriginal peoples.
CAP continues to work towards building a future where all
Indigenous people have equal access to programs and services
across Canada. But, until the federal government guarantees equal
protection for all Aboriginal peoples regardless of their residence
or status, there will always be people living on the edge without any
support.
Until the federal government recognises the rights and needs of
all its citizens, people like Paul will have to rely on help from the
people around her.
“It has been so cold and snowy, but I got a wood stove and what
little wood the community helps me with is comforting,” says Paul.
“My community, where I live, have helped me more than my family
and everybody.”
17
Success Stories
INTRODUCTION
program to honour and show appreciation to both achievements
and efforts.
In this issue of The Forgotten People, we are featuring the three
outstanding winners of the CAP National Youth Council’s Annual
Aboriginal Youth Achievement (AAYA) awards.
These three young role models were selected out many potentials
to receive the 2014 AAYA award. Each of the three winners
works toward sharing their experiences and skills with their
communities with the intention of building a brighter future for
the next generations.
Recognizing youth for their achievements is a great way to
build self-esteem, and more importantly, it establishes role
models who empower others to see that their goals are tangible.
Understanding how important this is for our youth, the CAP
National Youth Council (NYC) established this unique awards
KRYSTAL ABOTOSSAWAY
Krystal Abotossaway is from the Chiipewas of Rama and Aundeck
Omni Kaning First Nation. Her early years were spent in downtown
Toronto (Regent Park Housing). She now works as a Diversity
Sourcing Specialist for the Royal Bank of Canada.
Please enjoy the stories of Krystal Abotossaway, Trent Gervais and
Jerome Busch.
Krystal has not only expressed but has proven her commitment
to equity and diversity for her community in both social and
professional contexts. Krystal’s work is essential to Toronto’s
community because she sets an undeniable, positive example for
others and does so effortlessly.
When not working or volunteering, Krystal spends her free
time between assisting her father who lives and struggles with
addictions and assisting her mother who has cerebral palsy, all
while assisting in raising her 8 year old brother.
Krystal attended York University, where she obtained her Honours
Bachelor Degree in Human Resource Management, and served as
the President and Treasurer of the Aboriginal Students’ Association
at York (ASAY). Krystal has a history of community service work
through student leadership roles. She dedicated her time to the
Aboriginal Leadership and Mentorship Program at York University,
was a constant presence at the Centre for Aboriginal Student
Services and was a dedicated volunteer on the annual Pow Wow
committee.
At the age of 22, and despite her struggles as an urban youth,
coming from a place of poverty, Krystal has managed to set
and obtain goals that make her a role model to her family and
community.
18
“Our youth need to have examples to look up to
who are not only accomplished but who have met
accomplishments because of their life’s journey, not only
in spite of them. Our youth need to know that struggles
can shape a person’s character, and that struggles do not
necessarily have to break them,” – Krystal Abotossaway.
JEROME BUSCH
Jerome Busch is 20 years old and was born in Thompson,
Manitoba. His home community is O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation.
He attends Winnipeg Technical College, where he is studying to
join the electrical trade with the dream to build quality homes for
his community. His vision is for every home to be a sustainable
structure, with running water, no broken windows and sound
foundations. He wants to renovate and improve the north end of
Winnipeg and his home community.
He grew up as the eldest of four kids with an alcoholic single
parent. A great deal of responsibility was handed to him from
a young age as he was responsible for the household cooking
and cleaning, and for walking his sisters to their daycares and
schools. He spent his early years trying to impart wisdom to them,
attempting to set a good example for them to follow.
In his teenage years, he struggled with anger and depression. To
combat his negative emotions, he became very engaged in sports
and athleticism, enjoying hockey and football. He was most
successful with boxing. He trained hard for years to accomplish
his boxing success. He went to the Ringside World Tournament
where he won his first belt, becoming the 2010 Ringside World
Champion. After that, he became the captain of the Manitoba
team and participated in the 2011 Canada Winter Games, winning
the Bronze medal. He is proud to have been able to bring positive
energy back to his home community through his achievements.
Another way in which Jerome addressed his anger and depression
was a strong reliance on his spiritual beliefs. He participated in
many sweat ceremonies; smudged his home, self and family; and
learned to Sun Dance. He completed his 4-year commitment when
he was 19. He attributes the final stage of the commitment to his
change of attitude and perspective.
“I don’t blame anyone for my circumstances. I live by
the seven teachings. I believe in balancing the spiritual,
emotional, physical and mental elements of life. I hope
to one day be able to teach these important life lessons,”
Jerome said of his spiritual aspirations.
He believes that, “You have to work for the things you want, and if
they don’t work out, you just have to work a little bit harder.”
19
TRENT GERVAIS
Trent Gervais is a 21 year
old resident of Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, with roots in
the Flying Dust First Nation,
located near Meadow Lake,
Saskatchewan.
Upon graduation from high
school, Trent was accepted to the
Indigenous Teachers’ Education
Program in Saskatoon. He is
currently in his fourth year of
this program and will graduate
with a Bachelor of Education
degree in June 2015. As a senior
student in this program, Trent
provides mentorship, leadership
and guidance to newer students.
He plans to become a teacher
following the completion of his
degree.
As an air cadet during his teenage years, he attended a number of
training courses during the summer months, including the 6-week
Senior Leaders Course in Cold Lake, Alberta. Trent maintained his
involvement with the cadets by volunteering at an inner-city cadet
unit for several years in Saskatoon. He assisted with the start-up of
this unit which provides employment development and a low-cost
extra-curricular activity for many urban Aboriginal people.
Trent’s kindness, sense of humour, approachability and
understanding of the issues faced by these youth allow him to be
20
a mentor for the young people
involved in the program,
particularly those of Aboriginal
descent. Trent is currently
volunteering with 3071 Army
Cadets in Saskatoon on a weekly
basis in addition to his many
other responsibilities.
Trent has been employed for
the past year by the Central
Urban Métis Federation, Inc.
as a mentor for people living
with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
(FASD). In this role, he provides
integration assistance to
Aboriginal people in Saskatoon
who are living with this
disability.
He is a Second Lieutenant in
the Canadian Armed Forces,
working part-time to train and instruct other reservists. Trent
was presented with a Métis sash for his role in assisting with
the organization of the 2014 Honour Run in Saskatchewan – a
100 km run from Saskatoon to Batoche, Saskatchewan – in
commemoration and honour of Aboriginal Veterans.
Trent is committed to his family, community and country. Aside
from his many roles in the community – student, Canadian Forces
officer, youth leader, and organizer and FASD mentor – he manages
to lead an active social life with a wide circle of friends across
Canada. He is an exemplary individual who provides a role model
for others to emulate.
Cap Official Business
MESSAGE FROM THE
NATIONAL CHIEF
By: National Chief Betty Ann Lavallée, CD (Ret’d)
On behalf of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples,
I am very pleased to bring you this update of our
activities for 2014-15.
Topping the list of achievements for CAP this
year is our reclassification by Aboriginal Affairs
and Northern Development Canada to its lowest
risk management category in recognition of
our improvements in financial management
across the organization. This marks the culmination of several
years of effort by the management team and staff at CAP and I
offer my thanks to everyone for their contribution to attaining
this important objective. In a time where funding for advocacy
on behalf of Aboriginal Peoples is increasingly scarce, this
designation signifies the trust the Government of Canada has in
how we handle our resources and provides our organization with
the most solid foundation possible moving forward.
serve as a reminder of the wonderful
opportunities I have had to help our
people and as encouragement to keep
fighting the good fight.
One of my favourite activities as
National Chief is the Grassroots
Engagement Tour, where I get
the opportunity to speak with
Aboriginal people in cities and
small towns across the country. For
the second year in a row, we had
great sessions with interesting and
meaningful discussions in twelve
different provinces and territories. These conversations assist
us in identifying and championing what is most important to
grassroots people.
Building on what we hear from the grassroots, CAP turns that into
advocacy for the rights and interests of Aboriginal Peoples. You
may have seen some of our advocacy in the media – there were
certainly plenty of television, radio and newspaper interviews this
year – while other efforts involve more quiet diplomacy.
On the policy front, the most important issue in which we are
engaged is our ongoing court battle to bring justice and equality
to all Métis and non-status people through the case of Daniels
v. Canada. We were dissatisfied with the decision at the Federal
Court of Appeal in April of 2014 as it did not adequately reflect
the position of non-status Indians within Canada’s Constitution.
But in November, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed to hear
our appeal on that issue and now we can anticipate the resolution
of our long struggle within the coming year. For more details
about the case and its significance for Aboriginal Peoples across
the country, please see my full article on the Daniels case
elsewhere in this newsletter.
One form of our advocacy is engagement on legislation. For
example, this year I made a presentation to the Senate Standing
Committee on Aboriginal Peoples regarding Bill C-428, the
Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act, in which we
requested an amendment to include a report by the Minister on
treaty implementation. Many people seem to think that the link
between the Crown and Aboriginal Peoples is through the Indian
Act, but treaties are really the basis of that relationship. We felt
it was important to direct the minds of Parliamentarians to that
foundation and to the responsibility of everyone to give it proper
respect.
On a personal level, I was honoured to attend an award luncheon
for the Famous Five where I was one of three Aboriginal women
recognized as a nation builder for my contributions to Canada
and to Aboriginal Peoples. While such recognition is certainly
flattering, what makes such events important to me is how they
More recently, I filed a submission on Bill C-51, the Antiterrorism Act, where I pointed out how the broad definitions
used could bring peaceful and legitimate protest under the
scrutiny of Canada’s Security Intelligence Service and how the
powers given to protect our society from threats must not be
expanded so far as to threaten our fundamental rights and
21
freedoms. As Aboriginal people know, much of the progress
we have made has come only after a difficult struggle;
attention to our concerns has most often come after people
have taken steps to raise awareness through protest; and the
direct exercise of rights on the land often has been the only
means to ensure their recognition. Through our filing, we
made sure that Parliamentarians understood this too.
I also wrote a letter of support for Bill C-641, the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Act, a Private Member’s Bill. Although non-government
bills usually have little chance of becoming law in a majority
Parliament, I felt it was important to signal the support of
CAP for the UN Declaration and the need for its important
principles to be implemented here in Canada.
Speaking of letters, among the many that we sent this year
– on topics as diverse as Aboriginal veterans’ benefits or the
Canadian European Trade Agreement – one that stands out
is the open letter to Prime Minister Harper about how to
implement the duties of consultation and accommodation
under Section 35 of the Constitution. There seems to be
some confusion about who the Aboriginal and treaty rightsholders are in this country, with the government claiming
that consultation has happened where it has not, and I
thought a simple reminder of the law and of how we can help
governments to follow it could be helpful. You can read that
letter and other notable communications on CAP’s redesigned
website.
22
Of course, a lot of our advocacy is done through meeting
with leaders in various fields, whether in the government, the
opposition, other Aboriginal organizations, or institutions
like the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the United
Nations Association in Canada. But by far the most important
meeting I attended this year was the Roundtable on Missing
and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls at the end of
February.
The Roundtable came about as the result of CAP and other
Aboriginal organizations working closely with the provinces
and territories. With CAP chairing the planning for the
Roundtable and several of our Board members in attendance
at the meeting itself, we were intimately involved in this
historical gathering. While we will continue to press for a
full inquiry, the meeting was a success in finally bringing the
federal government to the table and in identifying immediate
steps we can take to begin to address this national crisis.
These are but a few highlights from a busy and productive
year. I want to offer my thanks to our Board for their guidance
and to our team in Ottawa for their support. Together, we
are making a difference in the lives of Aboriginal people
and we will continue to work for the full recognition and
implementation of the rights of all.
Most of all, I offer my thanks to each of you, for your support
to the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and the goals for which
we strive.
MESSAGE FROM THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
By: Jim Devoe, MBA
It’s been a remarkable year for us at the
Congress. We have achieved a great deal of
success despite reductions in our funding from
government. We have continued work on our
Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training
Strategy (ASETS) program, the Grassroots
Engagement Tour, Aboriginal Community
Capital Development, Strategic Partnership and
Business Development and Family Violence
Prevention projects. I would like to thank the
CAP Board of Directors for their continued
support in all of our work on behalf of the offreserve Aboriginal Peoples of Canada.
The ASETS centralized service delivery funding
for fiscal year 2014-2015 is fully committed and all projects
are on track for the fiscal year. CAP’s ASETS program has been
extended through March 2016 and our ASETS Annual Operating
Plan for the 2015-2016 fiscal year has now been approved.
We have been working hard to improve our appeal as a partner
for private sector companies on business ventures. In March
2015, we held our first Annual Creative Leaders Aboriginal
Economic Prosperity Symposium. The forum brought together
Aboriginal entrepreneurs from across Canada to share ideas on
Aboriginal economic prosperity, labour market barriers and
participation in the business sector.
We have been making tremendous strides in our mandate
to develop the CAP’s business and partnership portfolio.
Our partnership development team has reached out to many
organizations, successfully securing agreements with several and
building relationships with many more. The focus has been on
short-term, measureable success that would lead to longer-term
and more substantial relationships. We are currently working with
a number of associations and businesses to help establish CAP’s
brand in the market and to develop credibility in the business
environment.
This year saw the second installment of our popular Grassroots
Engagement project. The Grassroots Engagement Tour was
designed to assist the Congress in raising
awareness about the organization, our
mandate and our affiliates. Further, the
project was designed to identify positive
changes to policies and programs affecting
off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples. This is
done through engagement sessions with
off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples in twelve
cities across the country where we learn
about issues and socio-economic conditions
directly from grassroots peoples themselves.
The final report for this year’s Grassroots
Engagement project will be made available
on the CAP website in early May 2015. The
report will summarize all of the issues
discussed, organized by province/territory, and present potential
program and policy solutions that could be implemented to
address identified needs.
With respect to the Species at Risk Act (SARA) funding, we
received notice that there is no new funding being committed for
this program. This is a disappointing turn of events as Species at
Risk is an important issue for our organization and for Aboriginal
Peoples. We are seeking other means to continue to our work on
environmental programs.
The Congress is the lead on several important files with the
Aboriginal Affairs Working Group. These lead roles are working
toward some great results for the constituency and strengthening
bonds with the provincial and territorial governments, as well
as other National Aboriginal Organizations (NAOs). As the CEO,
I am the lead senior official for the Housing Working Group
and the co-lead for the Economic Development Working Group.
Further to these continuing roles, I took the lead as the Chair
of the planning committee for the Roundtable on Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls held in Ottawa at the end
of February.
This very important issue has brought together all those involved.
Aside from the constructive results from the Roundtable itself,
that process also has furthered relationships between CAP
and the other NAOs, the governments of the provinces and
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territories, and with the federal government. We hope that the
momentum from this Roundtable will continue as we move
forward toward a second Roundtable meeting in 2016, as is
the current plan.
CAP also has recently launched a brand new website. I
encourage everyone to check it out at www.abo-peoples.org
and to keep an eye out for more news and updates of our
activities and plans for the future.
The Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Awareness
Project developed a Family Violence Toolkit for Aboriginal
Families Living Off-Reserve as well as an awareness
campaign which were both successfully launched in late
March 2015.
All-in-all, we have been working very hard here at the
Congress to ensure that there are positive, fruitful results
for the off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples we represent, and will
continue to do so.
2014 ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
By: Sean Kerr
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) held
its 43rd Annual General Assembly (AGA) on
September 26 – 27, 2014, in Ottawa, Ontario.
The meeting began with a drum song and a
traditional dance which accompanied the Grand
Entry procession of PTOs, Veterans, Youth,
and the representative flags into the assembly
hall. The precession was led by Elders Elize
Hartley, from Ontario, and Rene Chartrand,
from Saskatchewan, who carried the Eagle Staff.
Elder Hartley gave the opening prayer and Lionel
Harquail of the New Brunswick Aboriginal
Peoples Council gave a prayer on behalf of
Aboriginal veterans.
In her opening remarks, the National Chief
acknowledged the resiliency of the organization,
noting that despite challenges due to ongoing
funding cuts by the federal government, CAP was becoming
stronger and more influential. Efforts to stabilize and
strengthen financial and administrative practices within
the organization were bearing fruit in terms of enhancing
CAP’s credibility with partners, and the continued struggle
to defend and promote the rights and interests of Aboriginal
Peoples living off-reserve, such as the Daniels case and other
important policies and programs, were positioning CAP well
as a leading voice for its constituency.
AGA Business:
Reductions to available funding allowed for the inclusion of
only eight delegates per Provincial Territorial Organization
(PTO) affiliate. Nonetheless, delegates were active in
addressing the business of the AGA.
National Chief Lavallée led the meeting in a review of the
2013 Resolutions and Action Summary from the 2013 Annual
General Assembly, providing updates on each of the items
addressed over the previous year.
Todd Russell and NunatuKavut Members at AGA Banquet
Following Receipt of AOC Award
Among the many items covered, the establishment of a Legal
Defense Fund was confirmed, although it was noted that the
creation of charitable status for donations was still being
pursued. CAP’s Chief Executive Officer, Jim Devoe, confirmed
that the Legal Defense Fund would be launched via the CAP
website, along with a press release.
Mr. Devoe also acknowledged efforts made to pursue
partnerships with the private sector as one way to address
funding shortfalls. He confirmed that CAP had recently
retained an expert to focus specifically on business
development, including corporate partnerships outside of
government.
Michael Chambers, CAP’s Legal Counsel, explained that the
federal government had enacted the Canada Not-ForProfit Organization Act to govern federally incorporated
registered not-for-profit organizations. The Act required that
organizations like CAP bring their structures into compliance
with the provisions of the Act. This was followed by a detailed
review of the extensive text changes proposed to CAP by-laws
which were adopted by delegates to the Assembly.
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The delegates at the 2014 Annual General Assembly also
considered new resolutions, addressing a variety of topics,
including but not limited to:
• Building self-esteem through motivational testimonials
by youth who have successfully overcome barriers and
obstacles to success;
• Securing a structured and respectful consultation
process with both Canada and the European Union;
• Writing each Premier across the country to request
that no hydraulic fracturing take place in any province
prior to a complete environmental assessment being
completed, with certainty of its harmless effects on the
environment and drinking water in the region;
• Consulting with the Elders Council to find funding
opportunities for Elders’ programs;
• Working with the Aboriginal Veterans Organizations
to advocate on behalf of Aboriginal Veterans and their
families to ensure that they are adequately compensated
for their service and that they are afforded the necessary
health care and benefits needed in order to have a
reasonable quality of life after serving in conflict
situations; and
• Working with the Elders Council to develop a work plan
and produce a structuring document that would outline
the roles and responsibilities of the Elders Council and
how it relates to the work of the Congress.
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Delegates also discussed the CAP Three-Year Strategic Plan.
National Chief Lavallée confirmed that the Board had updated
the Strategic Plan, and would continue its development at the
Board meeting scheduled for December of 2014. The plan
would incorporate any resolutions and process changes that
came forward from this Assembly.
Honours and Acknowledgements
Todd Russell, President of NunatuKavut, commended
National Chief Lavallée on being recognized as a “Nation
Builder”, noting that CAP had effectively shepherded the
Daniels case through the court system. Brad Maggrah,
President of the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People,
recognized the Daniels’ case as a CAP victory.
At this year’s AGA banquet, Nunatukavut President Todd
Russell was presented with the Aboriginal Order of Canada
Award for his lifetime of service and dedication to the
off-reserve Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, specifically the
Southern Inuit of Labrador.
Next Meeting
The Congress will be holding its next AGA in September 2015
in Ottawa.
WHO WE ARE
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) is one of five National Aboriginal Representative Organizations
recognized by the Government of Canada. Founded in 1971 as the Native Council of Canada (NCC), the
organization was originally established to represent the interests of Métis and non-status Indians. Reorganized
and renamed in 1993, CAP has extended its constituency to include all off-reserve status and non-status Indians,
Métis and Southern Inuit Aboriginal Peoples, and serves as the national voice for its provincial and territorial
affiliate organizations. CAP also holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC), which facilitates its participation on international issues of importance to Indigenous Peoples.
OUR AFFILIATES AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Each of CAP’s affiliated provincial or territorial organizations establish its own constitution and rules for
membership, elected officers, and administration. Affiliates also may act as umbrella organizations for multiple
regional and local groups. A President or Chief is elected for each affiliate by delegates at an annual assembly of
those organizations.
CAP also has a National Youth Council, with membership from the provincial and territorial affiliates, who select
a representative to CAP’s Board of Directors.
CAP’s Board of Directors is composed of the National Chief, the National Vice-Chief, the National Youth
Representative, and the President or Chief from each of the affiliated provincial and territorial organizations. The
Board meets several times a year to monitor and direct the activity of CAP. The Board is the decision making
body of CAP between Annual General Assemblies.
ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The Annual General Assembly (AGA) sets policy for CAP through resolutions passed by attending delegates.
Delegates to the AGA include the national executive and 16 delegates from each affiliate organization. During
each assembly, CAP presents its audited financial statements and reports on programs and operations. During
elections, delegates vote by secret ballot for a National Chief and a Vice-Chief for a four-year term, a National
Youth Representative for a two-year term, and members of the Board of Directors for a one-year term.
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The Forgotten People is a free communiqué, profiling the work of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and its
Provincial Territorial affiliates.
The views expressed and the information shared within this publication reflects those solely of the writers and does not necessarily
represent the views of CAP or any of its partnered affiliates nor confirm their accuracy.
Aboriginal Affairs Coalition of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK
(306) 975-0012
Qalipu Mi’Kmaq First Nation Band
Cornerbrook, NL
(709) 634-7763 www.qalipu.ca
NunatuKavut
Happy Valley – Goose Bay, NL
(709) 896-0592 www.labradormetis.ca
Native Council of Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown, PEI
(902) 892-5314 www.ncpei.com
New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples Council
Fredericton, NB
(506) 458-8422 www.nbapc.org
Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People
Wabigoon, ON
(807) 938-1321 www.o-cap.ca
Native Alliance of Quebec /
Alliance Autochtone du Québec
Gatineau, QC
(819) 770-7763 www.aaqnaq.com
CAP National Youth Council
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
(705) 253-0534
Native Council of Nova Scotia
Truro, NS
(902) 895-1523 www.ncns.ca
CAP Elders Council
Ottawa, ON
(613) 747-6022
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
The National Representative Organization and National Voice for Off-reserve Non-Status & Status Indians,
Southern Inuit of Labrador and Métis Peoples living in urban, rural, remote and isolated areas throughout Canada.
THE CONGRESS OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
867 boul. St. Laurent Blvd.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1K 3B1
Tel: (613) 747-6022 Fax: (613) 747-8834 Email: sean@abo-peoples.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe to The Forgotten People, please email info@abo-peoples.org
The Forgotten People is also available online http://www.abo-peoples.org
© Spring 2015, CAP, Ottawa, Ontario.
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