Liberal Party of Canada - Indigenous Liberals Newsletter · 2016-11-29 · As you can imagine, most...
Transcript of Liberal Party of Canada - Indigenous Liberals Newsletter · 2016-11-29 · As you can imagine, most...
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Co-Chairs Report
2. Dr. Carolyn Bennett
3. Indigenous MP – Don Rusnak
4. IPC Ontario Region News
. I dige ous Wo e ’s Update
6. IPC By-Laws Update
7. INAN Committee
Indigenous Liberals Newsletter Fall 2016 | Issue 3 | Released November 29, 2016
MESSAGE FROM IPC CO-CHAIRS
Since our last update, the IPC continues to work hard and move forward on much of the
mandate we set out to achieve since May 2016. The process for IPC Bylaws, to be known as
the IPC Charter, continues to be outlined. Additionally, bylaws within the LPC constitution
reflecting policy, registered liberals, and PTB structures have been discussed and formulated
with the input of the IPC in order to make sure Indigenous voices are included within the
governing structure of the LPC and the processes required for party policy formulation and
registration as Indigenous Liberals. We truly appreciate the work occurring on all fronts of
bylaw formulation that is being spearheaded by not only our Sub-Committee on Organization
but also from our IPC members.
The IPC was fortunate enough to highlight the current formulation of the general bylaws that
ill efle t ea h of the IPC’s egio al structures while also highlighting the new structure of
IPC-Ontario on October 22, 2016. The IPCO, alongside LPCO, held their executive elections in
Niagara Falls/Traditional Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe Territory. In doing so, IPCO
established its new structure and also brought in a new executive for the 2016-2018 term.
We both would like to take this opportunity to also congratulate those who will be
representing IPCO and assisting with much of the relationship building and groundwork that
is being put together within the lands and ridings which are shared between Indigenous
nations and Ontario.
I additio to the IPCO holdi g thei ele tio s, a fu d aise as held fo the IPC’s I dige ous Electoral Endowment Fund (IEEF). The fund is to assist incumbent Indigenous Liberal MPs
a d e I dige ous Li e al a didates i Ca ada’s fede al ele tio s. The fu d aise , titled U it Th ough Di e sit , as a eakfast pa el, ith speake s i ludi g MPs Celi a Caesa -
Chavennes, Don Rusnak, and Carolyn Bennett. Over 80 individuals attending, making the
IPC’s fi st fu d aise outside of the LPC’s atio al ie ial o e tio s si e the sp i g of 2012, a success. We look forward to taking the experience of this fundraiser and hosting
many other successful ones across the lands of Turtle Island that are shared with Canada.
Lastly, we look forward to meeting and seeing many of you in person as we look to prepare
and have further elections for many of our other regions in 2017. It is only through the
involvement of our dedicated supporters, volunteers and members that we can continue to
not only succeed in the internal changes being put forth through the bylaw process but also
for future successes of fundraisers and the outreach needed on the ground between the
party and Indigenous peoples.
Kinanâskomitin; Chi-Miigwetch; Marsi; Thank You; Merci Beaucoup!
Gifting Reconciliation by Dr. Carolyn Bennett
Fo ea s, I ha e ee gifti g e o iliatio to f ie ds!
The first year, I gave them all
signed copies of John Ralston
“aul’s A Fai Cou t . The e t year, everyone received a DVD
of CBC’s th Fi e. O e ea , I asked Thomas King if he would
sign 10 copies of The Inconvenient Indian. He suggested that I order them
from the local bookstore in Guelph. I then sent him the names so he could sign
and personalize them, and then the store shipped them to me. Easy peasy.
Last year, everyone was gifted opies of Wa Ki e ’s The Reason I Walk, which
he signed for me on a trip to Winnipeg last fall.
Last December, I was struggling with what to give my friend Joc Palm, who
owns Glen Bernard Camp for girls. The amazing Eleanor LeFave – owner of
Ma el’s Fa les, a t ul o de ful hild e ’s ook sto e i idi g – dropped
off a copy of Missing Nimama. Written by Melanie Florence and illustrated by
F a ois Thisdale, Missi g Ni a a is a t ul po e ful hild e ’s ook that deals with the pain of a young indigenous girl whose mother had been
u de ed. It as sudde l e i po ta t to e that the li a at Jo ’s a p would have a selection of indigenous authors appropriate for campers and
staff of all ages. I asked Eleanor to put together a 'reconciliation' gift asket… hi h, of ou se, i luded Missing Nimama. It made me happy!
I hope that all IPC members will help me as we try to build on the success in
June of #IndigenousReads. Many book clubs chose to read indigenous authors,
and the Twitterverse and Facebook really got onside.
I am proposing that next month (December) we have a real Twitter campaign
to Gift Re o iliatio as e lead up to Ca ada’s th i thda . As ou a know, Reconciliation is one of the four themes for #Canada150 – as chosen by
the Prime Minister and Minister of Heritage Mélanie Joly – along with Youth,
the Environment, and Diversity and Inclusion.
Christmas shopping has never been easier!
Indigenous authors, artisans and chefs are all creating fantastic solutions to our
seasonal gifting stress.
I would love it if we could Tweet out a gift idea every day. But especially with a
#IndigenousReads hild e ’s ook that a help uild the o e tu to as the Year of Reconciliation.
Dr. Carolyn Bennett on Twitter and Facebook
#GiftingReconciliation
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Indigenous MP Profile – Don Rusnak, MP for Thunder Bay – Rainy River
In 2015, Don Rusnak was elected as the first Indigenous Member of Parliament for his riding of Thunder Bay – Rainy
River. He currently sits on the Standing Committee of Indigenous and northern Affairs and serves as Chair of the
Liberal Indigenous Caucus. Don is also the Director-at-Large of the Canadian-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship
Association.
Born and raised in the city of Thunder Bay, Don has always had a vested
interest in the people he works with and the people he represents. As the
son of Ukrainian and Anishinaabe parents, and a member of Lac Des Mille
Lac First Nation, Don celebrates diversity and inclusiveness as key
fundamental principles he lives by each and every day.
These principles drove him to first study Political Science and Integrated
Forest Resource Management at Lakehead University. Mr. Rusnak
continued his education pursuing a law degree at the University of
Manitoba. In his final year of study he was admitted to an Intensive
Program in Aboriginal Lands, Resources and Governments at Osgoode Hall.
Don has had an impressive career in law. As a Crown Prosecutor in Eastern
Alberta, he prosecuted criminal and regulatory offences. He also worked
for Manitoba Health and was interim Executive Director of Grand Council
Treaty #3. His strong connection to his family and community brought Don
home to Thunder Bay where he started his own law practice.
As a lawyer, Don witnessed first-ha d ho the p e ious go e e t’s tough o i e app oa h as affe ti g o u ities i No th este O ta io a d hi de i g Ca ada’s path to e o iliatio . His desi e to i p o e the
safety, well-being, and economic state of his community lead him to enter a career in politics. Don was
overwhelmed by the support he received with his election in 2015 and has since worked tirelessly to represent the
people of his riding while also promoting Indigenous perspectives in the House of Commons.
He has proven time and time again, that he is a genuine, honest, and hardworking individual who represents
his constituents with vigor and integrity and is committed to working with Indigenous communities to create a
better future for all of Northern Ontario.
Follow Don Rusnak on Twitter, Facebook and learn more about the Indigenous Liberal Caucus
PM Justin Trudeau and Don Rusnak
Don Rusnak and Indigenous MPs attending National Aboriginal Day 2016 sunrise ceremonies
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Suzy Kies, Co-Chair Indigenous Peoples Commission – Ontario Region
As you can imagine, most of this last quarter was consumed with activities related to the Liberal Party of Canada in
Ontario (LPCO) 2016 AGM in Niagara Falls. We were all very much aware that the LPC would be watching since this is the
first Biennial since Winnipeg. We felt it was important to set the a high fo the othe p o i ial LPCs.
Chad Cowie – IPC National Co-Chair, Ronda Evans – IPC National VP
Organization and Membership, Louis LPC Commissions Coordinator and
IPC O ta io Regio ’s e Co-Chair Nathan Sukhdeo were instrumental
in our success, their hard work and efforts made all the difference.
Miigwech to all, you have no idea how grateful I am that you not only
stepped in and took over but also understood what I was trying to do
and made it happen. I got so many positive comments about the
Indigenous Electoral Endowment Fund (IEEF) breakfast and it didn't stop
until I left the reception after the closing.
In addition to the very successful IEEF breakfast fundraiser, the IPCO
urged the LPCO to include an Elder from the territory in the opening
ceremony for the LPCO AGM. Tyler Banham and the LPCO executive have been very supportive of the activities I
proposed and, as a result, this was the most Indigenized Provincial and Territorial Association Biennial I ever attended.
We also hosted our second Indigenous Studies workshop; this one was on the Treaties. As my goal was to foster
understanding of why the T eaties e e sig ed a d h the a e still ele a t , I took a more holistic approach to the
topic than we usually see. I put the Treaties in their historical context by linking them to historical events in Europe at
the same time. For example, while Hiawatha's people were making peace, the Normans were invading everything they
encountered on their way to the Crusades.
I focused on the fear of the Europeans and how this motivated them to make Treaties. I also spoke about how the
Industrial Revolution was a significant factor in the Treaties with the English and how profits were their over-riding
motivation for the terms of their Treaties.
The workshop was very well received and almost everyone attending asked to have the slides sent to them or for IPCO
to put on a workshop in their region. Dr. Bennett attended and was quite pleased with how everything went.
Indigenous Peoples' Commission - Ontario Region, New Executive
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The Fall 2016 season is upon us and it's brimming with good news for Women. By Lynn Geary
Du i g O to e e ele ated Wo e ’s Histo Mo th. The Ho ou a le Mi iste of “tatus of Wo e , Patt Hajdu, announced that Equal Voice will receive $1 million in funding over 3 years to address systemic barriers that contribute to
the under-representation of women in politics. Equal Voice statistics show that at the Fede al le el, o l % of MP’s are women. At the Municipal level only 26% of Councilors and 16% of Mayors are women. Canadians are invited to use
social media to relay stories about women and girls who have inspired them using hashtag #BecauseofHer.
A big shout out and kudos to MP for Labrador and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Yvonne
Jones, for her hard work and commitment to reaching an acceptable agreement to end the hunger strike over Muskrat
Dam. Well done to the brave hunger strikers who stood up for their rights, beliefs, the lands and found peaceful
resolution.
The Hon. Minister of Justice, Jody Wilson-Raybould presented Bill C-16, an Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act
to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. That would make it
illegal to deny services, employment, accommodations and similar benefits to individuals based on their gender identity
or expression.
The enactment also amends the Criminal Code to extend the protection against hate propaganda set out in the Act to
any section of the public that is distinguished by gender identity or expression and to clearly set out that evidence that
an offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on gender identity or expression constitutes an aggravating
circumstance that a court must take into consideration when it imposes a sentence. Very good news for LGBTQ2+
community!
Our Prime Minister appointed 9 new Senators, 5 of whom are women. This is great progress. Congratulations to All!
Appointed Independent Senators who are women:
● Patricia Bovey, MB, Art Historian
● Marilou McPhedran, SK/MB, Lawyer and Human Rights activist
● Nanc Ha tli g, NB, Wo e ’s Issues expert
● Wanda Thoma, NS, Social Worker and educator
● Diane Griffin, PEI, Conservationist
October 27th saw the Hon. Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett and the Hon. Minister of
Health, Ja e Philpott, a ou e go e e t’s o it e t to othi g less tha a s ste i o e haul of Child a d Fa il se i es oast to oast to oast. Also a ou ed as the appoi t e t of D . Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux as
Ministerial Special Representative responsible for leading a National engagement process and providing advice on the
reform of on-reserve First Nations Child and Family services program.
Quoted from the news release:
Budget 016 made historic investments in First Nations Child welfare, with nearly $635 million over 5 years in new
funding. This included $71 million this year for immediate relief for additional prevention services to address the most
pressing concerns. Truth and Reconciliation wrote the calls to action they wisely began with child welfare. In the same
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manner our Government is committed to reforming Child and Family services and ensuring we are putting the needs of
Indigenous children first. Read the full release at: www.aandc.gc.ca and www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
This wraps up just some of the Women's issues in recent news but there is a great deal going on. It's a great time to get
involved in your country and your community. Please check out the Indigenous Peoples Commission and the Women's,
Youth and Elders commissions, or your EDA or PTA boards, for excellent volunteer opportunities.
Blessings to everyone!
Lynn Geary
National VP Indigenous Women
IPC Rep ese tati e to the Natio al Wo e ’s Li e al Co issio
IPC By-Law Development By Ronda Evans, National VP Organization and Membership
The process for IPC by-law development continues in earnest. Appreciation goes out to IPC members
fo the su e feed a k as it has helped shaped the Co issio ’s path fo a d.
A few survey highlights include; a) an enthusiasm for simplifying options for individual donations to the Indigenous
Election Endowment Fund, b) bylaws reflecting structural changes that reflect Indigenous representation and breaks
down regions into forms that reflect Indigenous nations, communities, organizations, treaties, political accords, etc., c)
IPC involvement and vetting Indigenous policy development and participating in LPC Candidate selection processes, d)
the importance to have IPC involvement in LPC biennial convention planning, and e) supporting IPC as an effective
Indigenous voice within the party.
In the IPC by-laws/charter, every region/territory will have the same General IPC Regional Associations Duties, but the
structures and duties section will be refle ti e of the su e feed a k ith ea h o e taki g i to a ou t its’ u i ue region/territorial nature. Despite being rather detailed, tedious, and sometimes perplexing work, IPC members should
take pride in creating a solid IPC foundation for the future.
Your participation in further by-law development outreach efforts is appreciated in advance.
LPC By-Law Development
Recently, an opportunity for Registered Liberals to review the draft by-laws and participate in a by-law tele-townhall was
e-blasted and I encourage members to share their thoughts by November 6th on moving forward with by-laws for
registered Liberals, Policy, Electoral District Associations, Provincial/Territorial Boards, and Commissions.
Not a registered Liberal? Consider joining LPC and becoming part of the most open movement in Canada -
https://www.liberal.ca/register/
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The House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) By Joshua Fraser, National VP Communications
As with past parliamentary sessions, the 42nd Parliament has a House of Commons Standing Committee on
Indigenous and Northern Affairs, also known as INAN. The committee is comprised of MPs based on their
party standing in the House of Commons, with representation of official parties only. Here is a brief overview
of what parliamentary function INAN serves when dealing with Indigenous peoples and legislation. Currently
the committee is undertaking important work on the suicide epidemic facing Indigenous communities.
The a date of the “ta di g Co ittee o I dige ous a d Norther Affairs the Co ittee includes all areas covered by the federal department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Canada, whose legal name remains the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern
Develop e t DIAND . The Co ittee a study a y aspe t of the Depart e t’s a age e t and operation, as well as legislation, programs or policy areas administered by the
Department. Traditionally, the Department has taken responsibility primarily for on-reserve
registered First Nations people, Inuit and northern or territorial affairs. In turn, the Committee
has pri arily o sidered legislatio a d issues related to these populatio s a d su je ts.
Committee Members
Chair
Andy Fillmore
Vice-Chairs
David Yurdiga
Charlie Angus
Members
Gary Anandasangaree
Mike Bossio
Remi Masse
Cathy McLeod
Michael McLeod
Don Rusnak
Arnold Viersen
Further to the excellent representation by Liberal
Members of Parliament, we are also pleased to have
two Indigenous Liberal MPs sit on the committee;
they are Michael McLeod and Don Rusnak.
To find out more about the committee please visit:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Committees/en/INAN
Photos from INAN Website