The holiday season is upon us and for some the Christmas cheer isn’t so loud. While Indian Affairs Minister John Duncan is quietly glad Parliament is finished until January, the community of Attawapiskat will still be looking at a chilly and sparse Christmas.
The 22 houses (originally 15) won’t arrive until then and while Duncan said Ottawa will pay for them up front, his handler then added the imposed $1300-a-day third-party manager will look for excess money from the community to pay for them.
Aboriginal women across Canada are looking at renewed hope as the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women handed them an unexpected gift. They have decided to conduct an inquiry into the murders and disappearances of Aboriginal women and girls across Canada.
The Committee only holds inquiries when they feel there could be serious violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), and Sharon McIvor of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) asked the Committee to hold this inquiry. And, yes, Canada signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention, which authorizes the Committee to investigate allegations of “grave or systematic” violations of the Convention by means of an inquiry. In that light their response should be interesting and enlightening in many ways.
“Aboriginal women in Canada experience rates of violence 3.5 times higher than non- Aboriginal women, and young Aboriginal women are five times more likely to die of violence. NWAC has documented the disappearances and murders of over 600 Aboriginal women and girls in Canada over about 20 years, and we believe that there may be many more. The response of law enforcement and other government officials has been slow, often dismissive of reports made by family members of missing women, uncoordinated and generally inadequate,” said Corbiere Lavell. “Canada has not lived up to its obligations under international human rights law to prevent, investigate and remedy violence against Aboriginal women and girls.”
Five years ago, the Committee did an inquiry into similar violations in Mexico. Women’s groups from there said the Committee’s action created an environment where the Mexican government responded quickly to address the situation. We can all hope the Harper administration acts in the same manner.
It is embarrassing enough for Canada to have the Red Cross give direct assistance to the beleaguered community of Attawapiskat. Now Canada’s reputation will be even more tarnished by this latest and needed move requested by both Aboriginal and non-Native women of Canada to the United Nations.
All I can say is Santa Claus knows who has been naughty and who’s been nice. I think a certain Minister of Indian… oops… Aboriginal Affairs might find some coal in his stocking on Christmas morning.
Even so I wish him and indeed all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Every year is full of promise and potential and it is up to us to make the most of it. Take care of each other and the best of wishes from all of us here at the Nation.
