indigenous rights

The Great Lakes contain 18 percent of the world’s fresh surface water. In Ontario, they are a large, greatly-depended upon resource for residents who are connected to this particular water source.  However, the Great Lakes Basin is full of toxins and pollutants that contaminate the water & make it unhealthy and dangerous to consume.  It is estimated that more than 90 billion litres of the waste that is dumped into the Great Lakes each year is untreated sewage. That is the equivalent of dumping more than 100 Olympic swimming pools of raw sewage into the Great Lakes each day! This basin drains into the Great Lakes water supply, which is designated for the Indigenous peoples’ reserves located on the coast. Although Canada prides itself as a highly developed, first-world nation, the lack of Federal government action towards this water crisis clearly exhibits the environmental discrimination and injustice towards Indigenous peoples in Canada. Recently affecting the Chippewas of Georgina Island is the Upper York Sewage Solutions Project, which has been in limbo for over a year now; UYSSP would contribute to the disposal of "more than 40 million litres of treated wastewater per day into the Lake Simcoe Watershed". From the most recent updates, the government and decision makers have failed to include the community in any aspects of the project proposal, as well as ignoring critical concerns for health and the environment  - threatening the Lake Simcoe watershed, drinking water quality, along with the rights and livelihood of the Chippewas of Georgina Island residing in the area.  News article link: https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/9208677-chippewas-chief-presses-georgina-for-stance-on-upper-york-sewage-solution/ The government regulates water quality for non-Indigenous communities, but has no binding regulations for water on Indigenous land. Collectively, we can raise awareness and push for a well overdue change in our society, including the protection of water bodies on Indigenous territories and the rights of the people who live there! It is a fundamental human right to have clean, safe drinking water, and it is unacceptable that the Canadian government [namely Trudeau’s party in power, most recently] has failed to provide this to Indigenous communities for decades, whilst failing to live up to treaty agreements and personal promises made by the state and PM Trudeau.  Please sign this petition to push the Canadian federal government on taking legally binding action on ensuring and providing accessible, clean, safe water and adequate living conditions that Indigenous peoples live in, every signature is one step closer to clean water and a better future.  More information:  https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/the-great-lakes https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/06/07/make-it-safe/canadas-obligation-end-first-%20nations-water-crisis

La version française suit #autumnpeltierproject For too long Indigenous lives, culture and land have been left as status quo. The quality of life is below par while The Gov of Canada consistently promise support however lack in action. Currently there is an overwhelming majority of First Nations, Inuit and METIS without clean drinking water. Some are STILL on boil advisory. This petition is going to be hand delivered in September 2022 on Parliament Hill and we would love all support. In an address to the United Nations in New York; Canadian Water Activist Ms Autumn Peltier ended with: “When we stand together as one, we are one voice and one Nation” In Canada, while our water quality is ranked among the best in the world having 20% of the worlds fresh water, too many Indigenous communities across the country STILL struggle to access a safe supply.Many water systems are at high or medium risk of contamination. Global Water Activist Autumn Peltier, The Dreamcatcher Foundation & Healthy First Nations are working together now and taking action by gifting water filtration systems to First Nations across Canada providing a needed short term solution while aiming for a long term action plan with the Government.   While there have been significant long term plans to end Indigenous water struggles, there has been a lack of Government action.  The Dreamcatcher Foundation is currently working with Healthy First Nations taking owned action and addressing the crisis through immediate and meaningful action today while searching for collaboration and Government accountability.  The ‘right to water’ is recognized by the United Nations. It entitles every person, without discrimination, access to safe, sufficient, physically accessible and affordable water. In an address to the United Nations in New York; Ms Autumn Peltier ended with: We repeat: “When we stand together as one, we are one voice and one Nation” @JustinTrudeau lets unite and become one Nation Join us as we raise the volume with hopes to have clean water across ALL land.  Additional info: https://www.dreamcatchercharity.org/land-water The Water Walker: https://seeingred6nations.com/the-water-walker/ Across Instagram @autumnpeltier Hit us up: autumn@autumnpeltier.com --- La vie, la culture et les terres des autochtones font depuis trop longtemps l’objet d’un statu quo. Le gouvernement canadien promet constamment de les soutenir, mais ne fait rien pour les aider, alors que leur qualité de vie est inférieure à la moyenne. Une majorité écrasante de Premières Nations n’a toujours pas accès à une eau potable propre. À ce jour, certaines communautés sont toujours visées par un avis d’ébullition de l’eau ! La présente pétition sera remise en mains propres, en septembre 2022, sur la Colline du Parlement et nous aimerions avoir votre soutien.Dans un discours prononcé devant les Nations unies à New York, Mme Autumn Peltier, militante canadienne pour la protection de l’eau, a terminé en disant :« Ce n’est que lorsque nous sommes unis que nous pouvons parler d’une seule voix et d’une seule nation. »Au Canada, alors que la qualité de l’eau est considérée comme l’une des meilleures au monde et que nous possédons 20 % des réserves d’eau douce de la planète, les Premières Nations, d’un océan à l’autre, doivent encore lutter pour avoir accès à un approvisionnement sûr.De nombreux réseaux hydrauliques des #PremièresNations présentent un risque élevé ou moyen de contamination. Pour remédier à cette situation, Autumn Peltier, militante mondiale pour l’eau, et les organismes Dreamcatcher Foundation et Healthy First Nations collaborent et agissent actuellement en offrant des systèmes de filtration de l’eau aux communautés autochtones du Canada, apportant ainsi une solution à court terme indispensable tout en élaborant un plan d’action à long terme avec le gouvernement. Bien que d’importants projets à long terme aient été élaborés pour mettre fin aux luttes autochtones en matière d’eau, le gouvernement manque cruellement de volonté d’agir. Actuellement, la Dreamcatcher Foundation travaille de concert avec des communautés autochtones prospères qui prennent en charge la crise au moyen d’actions immédiates et significatives, tout en continuant à réclamer la collaboration et la responsabilité du gouvernement. Le « droit à l’eau » est reconnu par les Nations unies. Il permet à toute personne, sans discrimination, d’avoir accès à une eau saine, suffisante, physiquement accessible et abordable.Nous réitérons :Dans son discours aux Nations unies à New York, Mme Autumn Peltier a conclu en disant : « Ce n’est que lorsque nous sommes unis que nous pouvons parler d’une seule voix et d’une seule nation. »@JustinTrudeau, unissons-nous pour former une seule nation.Joignez-vous à nous alors que nous élevons la voix dans l’espoir d’avoir enfin de l’eau propre à la consommation sur TOUT le territoire.Informations complémentaires : https://www.dreamcatchercharity.org/land-waterThe Water Walker : https://seeingred6nations.com/the-water-walker/Sur Instagram : @autumnpeltierÉcrivez-nous : autumn@autumnpeltier.com

FrançaisCall for a National Day of Mourning Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc confirmed on Thursday May 27, 2021 the remains of 215 lost loved ones, children, had been found on the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The tragedy is unimaginable. Survivors of residential schools and their families carry the burden of this tragedy and it is due time that Canada as a whole also share this burden . These deaths impact every person in this land and so it’s important that we all come together to mourn.  That’s why we are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister Marc Miller, and Minister Carolyn Bennett to call for a National Day of Mourning. The legacy and history of residential schools is lived each day by mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers of the loved ones lost. All Canadians should take time to reflect on this dark chapter in history and extend a hand of support, understanding and love to all those that need it at this time. To mourn together is to heal together. Let us all come together to remember all those impacted by the horrors of the genocide committed on these young souls, and let’s do so in the spirit of true reconciliation. Reconciliation is rooted in a collective recognition of the terrible truths about the lost children of residential schools, and in a broad awareness of the responsibility we all bear to never forget or allow it to happen again to anyone, anywhere. I respectfully ask Prime Minster Justin Trudeau to call for a National Day of Mourning for the lost children of residential school and the 215 lost loved ones found by the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc community at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, and ask Minister Marc Miller and Minister Carolyn Bennett to support the community in their healing, and care for the lost children of this genocide.  Please email or tweet this call to: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Email: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca Twitter:  @JustinTrudeau The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services Email: Marc.Miller@parl.gc.ca Twitter: @MarcMillerVM The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Email: carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca Twitter: @Carolyn_Bennett

Residential schools operated under the direct supervision of churches from varied denominations of Christianity operating for over 160 years, with the last one closing in 1997. Children who attended did not do so voluntarily. Children were removed from their homes as young as 3 years old, and many children never returned to their homes. The express purpose of the school was to remove Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis children from the care of their families and to strip them of cultural knowledge and cultural pride. The impacts of Residential schools are observed over multiple generations and the Residential school system contributed massively to the disenfranchisement of Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis peoples.  In the wake of the discovery of the buried remains of 215 children on the grounds of a Kamloops Residential School, people are asking for justice louder than ever. People are asking for the search and excavation of all residential school grounds. Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis peoples have been asking after their loved ones for generations. Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis peoples deserve justice and the bodies of their loved ones should be returned to them for their families to grieve and honour.  Presbyterian, Anglican, and United church have apologized for the harm done but this is not enough. These churches owe reparations to Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis peoples. The Catholic church has not yet apologized, despite requests from members of the Canadian government and Canadian citizens. This church owes reparations to Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis peoples. An apology without action is not an apology, and the aforementioned churches must accept financial responsibility for the search and excavation of all Residential school properties. This is a necessary piece for fostering peace. By signing this petition you are supporting Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis communities in their efforts to find justice, and you're acknowledging the harm done to these communities by the churches. Let signing this petition be just one act of many that supports the healing process for Canadian Indigenous, Inuit, and Metis Peoples.