Letters: Voice of Women, United Church of Canada, AcademicsInSolidarity

Open Letter to the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and the Right Honourable Governor General David Johnston December 21 2012

We, as academics teaching in universities, witness the courageous and honourable actions of Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence to defend the land and Indigenous peoples of Canada. Chief Spence has said that she is willing to die for her people, and we will not stand silent while she starves to death on the doorstep of our Parliament. We call on our government to meet immediately with Chief Spence and to initiate a comprehensive plan to address the urgent situation in Aboriginal communities across this country.

On December 11, 2012, Chief Theresa Spence began a hunger strike, calling the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and the Right Honourable Governor General David Johnston to “initiate immediate discussions and the development of action plans to address treaty issues with First Nations across Canada.” Chief Spence wishes to raise concerns about the disregard of First Nations peoples by the Government of Canada, such as the continued failure to address poverty experienced in Indigenous communities, especially those living in rural and isolated communities. Chief Spence also wants to discuss recent bills that were passed in the legislature without First Nations consultation, including the omnibus Bill C-45 which included changes that removed all environmental protection from the vast majority of Canadian waterways, along with many other attacks on the environment. In addition to endangering the future of all Canadians, these changes violate Aboriginal and treaty rights by permitting the destruction of hunting and fishing economies. These concerns and others are clearly expressed in the Idle No More movement manifesto, which we encourage all Canadians to read and discuss in their communities.

We have been saddened and ashamed to witness the way that Chief Spence has been ignored by our government. We have been deeply disappointed to observe the refusal of both the Prime Minister and the Governor General—the Queen’s representative—to meet with her or acknowledge the importance of her concerns.

We stand in solidarity with Chief Theresa Spence’s attempts to change the abusive manner in which the Canadian Government has ignored, threatened, and bullied Indigenous peoples. As teachers interested in contributing to a just and sustainable future where the rights of all Canadians are respected, we recognize that Canada’s history is one of exploitation, dispossession and marginalization of Indigenous peoples, denial of their rights and sovereignty, indifference to their suffering, and in many cases the destruction of their land. We also recognize the strength, resilience, and profound respect for Mother Earth that exist in Indigenous communities and welcome this current mobilization against the government-sponsored destruction of the environment.

We urge all people of Canada to enter into respectful dialogues about Aboriginal rights and treaties, and to take meaningful action in your communities to ensure the honouring of our treaties, respect for self-determination, and the protection of our environment for the generations to come.

While we are publishing the following list of academics who have signed the letter, we will continue to republish this letter as we gather additional names. If you would like to sign this letter go to our FB page at https://www.facebook.com/AcademicsInSolidarityWithChiefTheresaSpence?ref=stream and post your name, position, and departmental/university affiliation or email the information to Academics4ChiefSpence@gmail.com. Thank so much for standing in solidarity with Chief Theresa Spence. For more information about the Idle No More Movement go to http://idlenomore1.blogspot.ca/

This letter has been translated into French and Spanish. Should you wish to translate the letter into another language please do so and send it to Academics4ChiefSpence@gmail.com.

We the undersigned, endorse the open letter written on Friday, December 21, 2012 to the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper and the Right Honourable Governor General David Johnston:

1. Roewan Crowe, Associate Professor, Women’s and Gender Studies & Co-Director, Institute for Women’s & Gender Studies, University of Winnipeg and 

 

VOW letter to Prime Minister Harper December 24 2012

The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace urges you to meet with Chief Theresa Spence. This is a matter of urgency as she enters the 12th day of her fast.

Like others all across our nation, VOW members were deeply moved when you, as a representative of all Canadians, apologized for the residential school system in 2008. You promised to build a new relationship based on partnership and respect.

But actions speak louder than words.  First Nations are constitutionally entitled to substantive consultations.  The government must honour longstanding treaties with the First Nations. Earlier in June, your government forced through omnibus Bill C-38 which contained very damaging  measures.  These included the elimination of the National Aboriginal Health Organization, cuts to the Native Women’s Association of Canada and severe cuts to environmental protection.

Now there is Bill C-45, which “is not just about a budget, it is a direct attack on First Nations lands and on the bodies of water we all share from across this country” (the words of Idle No More founder Sylvia McAdam). The proposed Canada-China FIPA deal threatens indigenous rights and there has been no consultation on its implications with those who stand to be most affected.

In July of this year Canada joined other countries in a declaration of support of the UN Charter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  “In doing so, Canada reaffirms its commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples at home and abroad.” the Canadian statement says. And it continues: “our endorsement gives us the opportunity to reiterate our commitment to continue working in partnership with Aboriginal peoples in creating a better Canada.”

All Canadians who want to see a livable future in our country, and a just future, share the concerns being raised by Chief Spence.  We all need fresh water to live, we all need clean air we can breathe, and we all need housing that we can be healthy in.  Right now these needs are not being met in Attawapiskat and in so many other native communities.  This is Theresa Spence’s pain, and this is Canada’s shame.

If your government is sincere in promoting indigenous rights in this country and working in partnership, now is the time to take those very important steps to Chief Spence’s tipi and listen to what she has to say.

As Canadian women speaking for peace, we want it known that we stand with Theresa Spence.    We believe in working in partnership, and we want to see this happen right now.

Hannah Hadikin, Jan Slakov, Lyn Adamson

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace

 

United Church of Canada letter to Prime Minister Harper December 19 2012

We write with urgency to implore you to meet with Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence, as 

soon as possible. We are very concerned for her wellbeing in the second week of her hunger strike. 

We share her extreme frustration about the many recent cuts to social programs, and actions like the 

just-passed omnibus Bill C-45. As Assembly of First Nations national Chief Shawn Atleo said in his 

December 16 open letter, Chief Spence’s hunger strike calls attention to “the dire conditions which 

many First Nations communities and peoples face,” and protests “the disrespect and shameful 

treatment of First Nations by the Government of Canada.”

We urge you to hear, as we do, the pain and determination that underlie Chief Spence’s actions, and her 

statement that “I’m willing to die for my people because the pain is too much and it’s time for the 

government to realize what (it’s) doing to us.” Her pain is shared by many Indigenous communities and 

their leaders, and by many, many non-Aboriginal Canadians who wish to end the legacy of colonization, 

inequality and abuse, and live in justice and right relations between mainstream Canada and the First 

Peoples.

We state clearly and unequivocally that we stand in solidarity with Chief Spence’s statement that 

“Canada is violating the right of Aboriginal peoples to be self-determining and continues to ignore (their) 

constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty rights in their lands, waters, and resources.” 

As one of the Christian bodies that ran Indian Residential Schools in collaboration with the Canadian 

government, The United Church of Canada shares Canada’s colonial legacy. In 1986, our denomination 

apologized to Aboriginal peoples for confusing “Western ways and culture with the depth and breadth 

and length and height of the gospel of Christ.” In 1998, we apologized specifically to former residential 

schools students and their families, for the damage we inflicted in the residential schools process.The challenge to all of us is to walk the road of justice and reconciliation. We encourage you to meet in 

good faith with Chief Spence before her health is further endangered by this hunger strike.

In faith,

Ray Jones, 

Chair, Aboriginal Ministries Council

The United Church of Canada

The Rev. Bruce Gregersen, 

General Council Officer, Programs

The United Church of Canada

CC: Shawn Atleo, Chief Theresa Spence, and leaders of all federal parties