Building bridges between all communities
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JUNE 2012 • PAGE 11 MKO First Nations Call on U.N. special rapporteur to support food sovereignty MKO Grand Chief David Harper WINNIPEG, MB – MKO Grand Chief David Harper welcomed the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food to the MKO traditional territories and thanked the Special Rapporteur for visiting several remote MKO First Nation communities during the Special Rapporteur's recent visit to Manitoba during an official Mission to Canada. The MKO Grand Chief said, "MKO expressed its appreciation that the Special Rapporteur came to our remote communities to hear first-hand how the leader- ship and citizens of the MKO First Nations are struggling to address the many challenges af- fecting our right to food." The U.N. Special Rap- porteur visited the Manto Sipi Cree Nation, the Wasagamack Cree Nation and the St. Theresa Point First Nation in northeast Manitoba. Grand Chief David Harper advised the U.N. "The MKO First Nations Special Rapporteur, express the right to food as 'food sovereignty', which the MKO First Nations and the United Nations each recognize is distinctly different from the concept of 'food security'. Food sov- ereignty speaks to the right of the MKO First Nations to sustainably meet our food needs in accordance with our customary food prefer- ences and harvesting practices from within our ancestral lands and traditional territories." The mandate of the Special Rapporteur stems from international recognition to the right to food and food sovereignty though Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and through Article 11 of the international Cov- enant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. "Each of the MKO First Nations exercised food sovereignty when we entered into our Trea- ties. Food sovereignty is an inherent and basic human right and is a Treaty right of the MKO First Nations," added the MKO Grand Chief. Grand Chief Harper continued, "The di- ets and health of the MKO First Nations have suffered the erosion of our through pollution of our traditional food sovereignty foods and through the loss of our productive waters and lands caused by hydroelectric and flood control projects, mining, forestry, urbanization, agricul- ture, parks and protected areas and by roads and transmission lines." "The progressive, cumulative and unjustifi- able infringement by the Crown of our inherent and Treaty right to food sovereignty was high- lighted in the well-received presentation made by Elder and Councillor D'Arcy Linklater of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to the U.N. Spe- cial Rapporteur and the delegation of the Unit- ed Nations High Commission on Human Rights on May 11, 2012," concluded the MKO Grand Chief Harper. ~ Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. is a non-profit, political advocacy organization that has represented 30 First Nation communities in Manitoba's North since 1981 ~ Running water for all Bob Rae's view – after his visit to St. Theresa Point There are hundreds of communities where our fellow Canadians live in substandard housing, with- out running water or indoor plumbing. We have the technology and the money to deal with this disgrace, but we don't yet have the deep political will to make change happen. Twenty years ago as Premier of Ontario I signed a "Statement of Political Relationship" with First Na- tions leadership, and followed it up with unprecedent- ed investment in infrastructure in isolated northern communities. We even shamed the federal govern- ment in to joining us in a partnership to provide run- ning water and indoor plumbing in communities that had before been without modern sanitation and an assured supply of clean water. It can be done, and the reserves in northern Mani- toba have started a "running water for all" campaign that led to my motion in the House of Commons that was passed last year. The Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan said investments would be made. They're only happening slowly, and at this pace it won't happen for another decade or more. Together with Manitoba Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard and Grand Chief David Harper we visited the St. Theresa Point First Nation and saw, as was the case in Attawapis- kat this winter, conditions that just shouldn't exist in Canada. A 30-year-old young man with cerebral palsy has to walk 30 yards on crutches to go to an outhouse. A woman recovering from hip surgery has to do the same. It's shameful and it shouldn't be hap- pening but it is. Canada can and must do better. We also need to find better and faster ways to fund the infrastructure on reserves, including hous- ing. The interminable bureaucratic waiting lists con- demn another generation to conditions that can only be described as degrading. It is not the time for despair. It is a time for con- structive, well focused, anger and a determination to change the way we deal with this challenge. We can turn our heads away no more. When Stephen Harper walked away from Kelowna he cost Aboriginal people a great deal, but with the right on the ground cam- paigns we can keep trying to force change. Bureau du chef libéral / Office of the Liberal Leader - Kate Monfette, Press Secretary Registration: 9:00a.m. Shotgun: 11:00 a.m. $ 35000 Per Person "Two person, Best ball format" Eyaa-Keen Healing Centre Inc. 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