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ABORIGINAL TITLE ALLIANCE

Neskonlith Indian Band Wolf Lake First Nation Timiskaming First Nation Eagle Village First Nation Algonquins of Barriere Lake

CANADAS LAND CLAIMS POLICIES UNDER FIRE IN UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE REPORT

(Geneva, Thursday July 23, 2015) Canadas 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 their lands. 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. Canadas 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 UNs Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women for a national enquirywhich 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.

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ABORIGINAL TITLE ALLIANCE

Neskonlith Indian Band Wolf Lake First Nation Timiskaming First Nation Eagle Village First Nation Algonquins of Barriere Lake

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 Canadas Comprehensive land claims policy, its goal of extinguishing Aboriginal title and rights, as well as Canadas failure to seek our prior informed consent for any development or legislation affecting us. The Committee has also condemned the governments 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 countrys borders.

-30- Media Contact: Arthur Manuel Email: amanuel@telus.net Cell: 1-250-319-0688