8/20/2019 Aborginal Title Alliance Press Release UN Report
1/2
AB
ABORIGINAL TITLE ALLIANCE
CANADA’S LAND CLAIMS POLICIES UNDER FIRE IN UN HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMITTEE REPORT
(Geneva, Thursday July 23) Canada’s Comprehensive Land Claims
policy, its refusal to consult,
ongoing violence against Indigenous protesters and its refusal
to hold an inquiry into missing and
murdered Indigenous women were among the issues raised in the UN
Human Rights Committee
report on Canada released today.
The report specifically takes Canada to task for its policies
leading to “the extinguishment of
Indigenous lands and titles.” The Committee urged Canada “to
resolve land and resources
disputes with indigenous peoples and find ways and means to
establish their titles over theirlands.”
On the related issue, the Committee pointed out that indigenous
peoples “were not consulted, to
ensure that they may exercise their right to free, prior and
informed consent to projects and
initiatives concerning them, including legislation, despite
favourable rulings of the Supreme
Court.”
The U.N. report also criticized “the excessive use of force by
law enforcement officers during
mass arrests in the context of protests at federal and
provincial levels, with particular reference to
Indigenous land-related protests.”
These issues had been raised with the Committee by Aboriginal
Title Alliance spokesperson,
Arthur Manuel, in a private session on July 6. Canada was
questioned in public sessions on July
7 and 8 and again in a private session on July 20. Canada’s
public and private responses clearly
did not satisfy the Committee.
On the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls,
the Human Rights
Committee echoed the recent call of the UN’s Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women for a national enquiry—which is also the position
of virtually all of the
Indigenous and non-Indigenous political organizations in Canada
with the exception of the
Conservative government in power in Ottawa.
“This whole report shows just how starkly isolated and out of
touch the Canadian government is
to the rest of the world,’ Arthur Manuel said. “A government
that relentlessly pursues policies
outside of international human rights standards and practices is
called an outlaw state. This is
exactly where Canada is heading with this report.
Neskonlith Indian Band – Wolf Lake First Nation – Timiskaming
First Nation – Eagle Village First Nation – Algonquins of
Barriere Lake
8/20/2019 Aborginal Title Alliance Press Release UN Report
2/2
AB
ABORIGINAL TITLE ALLIANCE
Manuel noted that one thing missing from the report was a
reference to the right to self-determination of Indigenous peoples
that the Committee had made in their last review of Canada
in 2005. “But it is very encouraging that the UN Human Rights
Committee is directly
challenging Canada’s Comprehensive land claims policy, its goal
of extinguishing Aboriginal
title and rights, as well as Canada’s failure to seek our prior
informed consent for any
development or legislation affecting us. The Committee has also
condemned the government’s
excessive force against us when we protest their abuses. It is
important for the world to recognize
this and for all Canadians to demand the government that serves
in their name respects the basic
human rights of Indigenous peoples within the country’s
borders.”
Media Contact
Arthur Manuel
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 1-250-319-0688
Neskonlith Indian Band – Wolf Lake First Nation – Timiskaming
First Nation – Eagle Village First Nation – Algonquins of
Barriere Lake
mailto:[email protected]
