Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Apartheid in Canada
Canada imposes an apartheid situation on its indigenous people. Most native people live on isolated northern reserves without basic necessities of life; the rest live in urban poverty. Native people did not receive the right to vote until 1961 (40 years after women) and were removed from their families and forced to attend residential schools in an attempt to assimilate them to white culture.
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Apartheid here, UN official says
Winnipeg Sun
By CARY CASTAGNA, STAFF REPORTER
Natives are suffering through a form of apartheid in Canada, says a UN official who toured three Manitoba reserves Sunday and yesterday.
Rodolfo Stavenhagen, a human rights leader and Mexico-based anthropologist, is in the midst of a cross-country fact-finding mission for alleged human rights violations.
"Generally speaking, for all indigenous peoples around the world, there is a sort of apartheid," Stavenhagen told The Sun yesterday. "It's a very subtle kind of discrimination. And sometimes it's not so subtle."
Stavenhagen, who was appointed the special rapporteur for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people by the UN's Commission on Human Rights, got a close-up look at Sagkeeng and Pauingassi First Nations on Sunday.
"I see poverty. I see a people who are disappointed, depressed, pained and confused," said Stavenhagen, who was accompanied in a helicopter by Southern Grand Chief Margaret Swan, Southern Chiefs Organization special adviser Nahanni Fontaine and a Winnipeg Sun photographer.
"What I find is a sense of humiliation, a sense of not being recognized as people with their identity and their history."
Stavenhagen, who was invited by the chiefs on his tour, is gathering information for an official visit next year that he's negotiating with the Canadian government.
'BASIC NEEDS NOT MET'
"Survival is the biggest issue. Bread-and-butter issues take up 75% of my time," said Sagkeeng Chief Garry Swampy. "The basic needs of people are not being met."
Yesterday, Stavenhagen toured Cross Lake First Nation, where he said he also witnessed the negative environmental effects of a Manitoba Hydro project.
The UN official said it's too early to draw any conclusions on possible human-rights violations but he identified several major issues facing natives, including: poverty and unemployment, housing shortages, non-compliance regarding treaty rights and the need for more social services.
"Despite treaties and constitutional rights, they feel they're getting shortchanged," he added.
Prior to arriving in Winnipeg Saturday night, Stavenhagen visited reserves in B.C. and Saskatchewan. He'll wind up his tour this week in Halifax.
Apartheid here, UN official says
Winnipeg Sun
By CARY CASTAGNA, STAFF REPORTER
Natives are suffering through a form of apartheid in Canada, says a UN official who toured three Manitoba reserves Sunday and yesterday.
Rodolfo Stavenhagen, a human rights leader and Mexico-based anthropologist, is in the midst of a cross-country fact-finding mission for alleged human rights violations.
"Generally speaking, for all indigenous peoples around the world, there is a sort of apartheid," Stavenhagen told The Sun yesterday. "It's a very subtle kind of discrimination. And sometimes it's not so subtle."
Stavenhagen, who was appointed the special rapporteur for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people by the UN's Commission on Human Rights, got a close-up look at Sagkeeng and Pauingassi First Nations on Sunday.
"I see poverty. I see a people who are disappointed, depressed, pained and confused," said Stavenhagen, who was accompanied in a helicopter by Southern Grand Chief Margaret Swan, Southern Chiefs Organization special adviser Nahanni Fontaine and a Winnipeg Sun photographer.
"What I find is a sense of humiliation, a sense of not being recognized as people with their identity and their history."
Stavenhagen, who was invited by the chiefs on his tour, is gathering information for an official visit next year that he's negotiating with the Canadian government.
'BASIC NEEDS NOT MET'
"Survival is the biggest issue. Bread-and-butter issues take up 75% of my time," said Sagkeeng Chief Garry Swampy. "The basic needs of people are not being met."
Yesterday, Stavenhagen toured Cross Lake First Nation, where he said he also witnessed the negative environmental effects of a Manitoba Hydro project.
The UN official said it's too early to draw any conclusions on possible human-rights violations but he identified several major issues facing natives, including: poverty and unemployment, housing shortages, non-compliance regarding treaty rights and the need for more social services.
"Despite treaties and constitutional rights, they feel they're getting shortchanged," he added.
Prior to arriving in Winnipeg Saturday night, Stavenhagen visited reserves in B.C. and Saskatchewan. He'll wind up his tour this week in Halifax.
Add Your Comments
§Please help us
Since the world helped to create this situation, the world must help to stop this situation and completely turn it around.Canada must be pressured and shunned and ostracized, criticized, boycotted, sanctioned and cut off from the rest of civilized society until it transforms into a true democracy with equal rights for all.If South Africa overcame apartheid and White Supremacism Canada can overcome apartheid .The whole world must intervene YOU and ME and everyone else to stop allowing Canada to run amok with its violent racism! NOW!
Add a Comment
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$230.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network